The sunset in Sandeshkhali is just as majestic as it is in the Sundarbans. Vast fish farms and mangroves enhance the riverine island’s beauty. The last ferry to the mainland departs around 8pm. There is no accommodation for outsiders, except the state guest house.
Sandeshkhali, situated in the lower Ganges delta in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district near the Bangladesh border, has become the focal point of the Lok Sabha elections in the state following a widespread outburst of popular anger against Sheikh Shahjahan, a local strongman and leader of the Trinamool Congress. He was arrested in February after the protests attracted national and judicial attention.
A sense of fear continues to envelope the village, despite extensive police presence. Villagers are afraid to discuss anything about Shahjahan or even to have their photos taken, fearing reprisal from goons. Sandeshkhali was literally ruled by Shahjahan for a long time. Many complaints were filed against him and his associates by the villagers, about land grabs, molestation and their reign of terror. “It may be unbelievable to you, but they wield modern guns. They have a gang of around 300 people,” said a victim. “We never had an option but to follow their orders.”
Denne historien er fra April 21, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Denne historien er fra April 21, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
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RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
