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Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, the author of two non-fiction books on India’s ultra-Left and the Hindu right, writes and comments on India’s politics, environment, human rights and culture.

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya is an independent journalist, writing on India’s politics, history, data, environment, human rights and culture since 2005. A former special correspondent of the Hindustan Times, he has been published in The Wire, Outlook magazine, The Caravan, Mongabay India, Huffpost India, Nikkei Asia, The Third Pole, Deccan Herald, The Times of India, Live History India and IndiaSpend, among others. He takes a special regional interest in eastern and northeastern India and Bangladesh. He has two books of political nonfiction published by HarperCollins India — Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment (2020) and Lalgarh and the Legend of Kishanji: Tales from India’s Maoist Movement (2016). He is a recipient of EJN’s Asia-Pacific Climate and Environmental Story Grant.

Posts by Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

February 19, 2024

How PM Modi Has Weakened the Rights-Based Laws of the Previous Decade

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

The BJP government has weakened a suite of progressive laws that were enacted by the previous Congress-led administration.

February 08, 2024

Temple-Mosque Disputes Are Sprouting Across India

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Hindu nationalists say that Muslims should give up their claims to mosques on disputed sites to settle conflicts amicably.

January 27, 2024

Abject Surrender of the State to Armed Militia in India’s Manipur

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Thirty-seven legislators, including India’s junior minister for external affairs, were administered an oath by the chief of the Arambai Tenggol.

January 14, 2024

India’s Opposition Parties Set to Skip Ram Temple Inauguration Event

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Their decisions seem bold, given that the BJP’s rise has prompted many of them earlier to adopt strategies seeking to appease the Hindu majority.

December 18, 2023

Tarique Rahman on Why the BNP Is Boycotting the Bangladesh Elections

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

“As long as Hasina retains power, every election in Bangladesh will involve extensive irregularities, making the much-anticipated level-playing field a distant dream.”

December 11, 2023

Multiple Climate Reports Warn of Water Conflict in South Asia

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

The region is expected to suffer the most significant impacts of changing water availability this century. Yet tight-fisted governments are quibbling at COP28 over climate financing.

November 24, 2023

Protests, Crackdowns, Boycott Calls Complicate Bangladesh’s Election Scenario

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Amidst a boycott call by the opposition BNP, several new parties have thrown their hats into the electoral ring.

November 20, 2023

India Reiterates that Upcoming General Election is Bangladesh’s Domestic Matter

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Has the Indian foreign secretary’s remark distancing Delhi from the elections emboldened the Awami League to press ahead with its election plans?

October 27, 2023

Are Visiting Teams Facing Crowd Hostility at the Cricket World Cup in India?

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Jingoism among sports crowds is not peculiar to India and blaming whole crowds is unfair.

October 09, 2023

Indian Opposition’s Turn to Caste Politics Unnerves Ruling BJP

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Bihar state’s caste-based population survey could increase PM Modi’s challenges ahead of next year's parliamentary election.

September 08, 2023

With ‘One Nation, One Election’ Call, Modi Government Intensifies Efforts to Centralize Power

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

The move has triggered apprehensions over the fate of state assembly elections due in a few months.

September 06, 2023

Indian Government Responses to Reports on Journalism in Conflict Zones Reflect Dark Times

By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

The BBC and the Editors’ Guild of India are facing the government’s wrath for criticizing the state of media affairs.