An exhibition of illustrations and photographs highlights the injustice gnawing away at the grassroots Basanti Motiram has death frozen in her sight. As she stares back at you stoic,disinterested yet mechanically obliging its not difficult to figure out that she has barely tip toed past destruction,not very long ago. Photojournalist Jawed Iqbals frame introduces you to the emotional kernel of a fairly familiar phenomenon now the war between the government and its people. A no-frills caption informs you that Motirams husband was killed by the Salwa Judum,the day they raided Lingagiri,her village in Chattisgarh. She fled to a nearby village Cherla the very day through the forest. The picture,like several others in the recently-concluded exhibition organized near the Birla Academy of Fine Arts,leaves you grappling with some unsettling questions. Questions,that we city slickers have probably buried under the growing stack of old newspapers in one corner of the house. Does her impassivity convey defiance,or mere resignation? How does one live a life like hers? Amar Swadesh Loot Hoye Jai,an exhibition of 42 photographs,illustrations and news features,tries to familiarize people to what the organizers call state-sponsored terrorism. The title of the exhibition is self explanatory. The tribal belts in Chattisgarh are rich in mineral resources industrial houses have woken up to the profit making possibilities in the area and have joined hands with the government to drive out the rightful occupants. The people,the tribals in this case are standing up against the government to protect the natural resources and their own livelihoods, says Samik Basu,a member of the organizing committee. So apart from Jawed Iqbals telling frames,there are illustrations created by Sarbajit Sen which remain as visual commentaries on how MNCs seemingly coerce poor farmers to give up their lands. The speech in the cartoon-like strips is gibberish,emphasizing the differences in the interests of the two parties the farmers and the corporate bigwigs. One picture neatly sums up the reality we have so conveniently distanced ourselves from. The walls stand feebly amid rubble white chalk doodles,almost as the only reminders of a world destroyed beyond recognition. Rajeshwari and Sanda Dharmaiya sit in front of the mess and meet the photographers lens with a vacuous stare we have now become familiar with,courtesy Motirams picture. A caption again informs you that they are day labourers who earn nothing more than Rs 50 a day need at least Rs 10,000 to rebuild their hut.
