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Abstract
This paper is an exploration into aspects of violence associated with “criminal” politicians from Uttar Pradesh, popularly called bāhūbalis. The paper will argue for understanding this violence by situating it in the context of Caste politics.
How do we understand the phenomenon of ‘criminalisation of politics’ in UP? How do we see the violence- killings, spectacular murders of opponents and state functionaries, and long drawn gang wars- that is associated with this phenomenon? Is there a politics involved in what has come to be seen as ‘criminalisation of politics’, especially in connection with acts of brute criminal violence. In this paper I will study political leaders who are infamous as independent ‘criminal’ politicians, popularly called bāhūbalis, and their alleged violent politics.