16 April, 2015
Sanjay Raut Has All Reasons To Do A Bal Thackeray
By Jahanzeb Mashhadi
There is a huge uproar and rightly so about the Shiv Sena's statement of no voting rights for Muslims! I get it, South Indians to Biharis with Muslims being a constant, baying for the blood of communities is what Shiv Sena has done throughout its existence. What I don’t get is the fact that people are actually expecting the government to do something about it
03 November, 2014
Statement On The Recent Communal Disturbances In Trilokpuri
By People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (P.A.D.S)
Members of P.A.D.S. have been interacting with and visiting residents of Trilokpuri ever since the communal disturbances started on Oct 23. Along with many other citizens we are involved in efforts to re-establish peace and in providing legal aid to those wrongfully arrested. This statement is based on our experiences
25 November, 2011
Minor Technical Hitches To Re-Conversion – Not Insurmountable
By Dr. Sylvia Karpagam
A satire on the drive towards a Hindu nation
02 February, 2011
Swami Asimananda's Judicial Confession
And Its Implications For Indian Fascism
By Niloufer Bhagwat
In this complex political situation , where the struggle is for a more genuine democracy, with people at different levels of economic , social and cultural development , attempts by fascist parties to destroy the diversity in unity which Indian civilization is all about , is an attempt to destroy Indian society and the Indian State. The national flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the diverse people of India , whereas the Sangh Parivar accepted the flag and the Constitution of India when they faced a political ban
Speaking Out Against Hindutva Terrorism
By Yoginder Sikand
In the wake of startling media revelations about the role of Hindutva forces in acts of terror across the country, several well-known human rights groups, including ANHAD, Foundation for Civil Liberties, INSAF, and the Jamia Teacher’s Solidarity Association, held a one-day national-level meeting meet in New Delhi last week under the banner ‘Tracing Sangh Terror Links and Stories of Innocent Muslim Boys’
04 January, 2011
K. Sudarshan, RSS Ideology
And Scandalous Statements
By Ram Puniyani
When RSS sees a Sonia Gandhi, at the helm of affairs of the major rival party, they do not see a person, an Indian citizen, they only see a Christian. Sudarshan, a die hard RSS ideologue, is merely telling us the details of RSS belief system. And of course Sudarshan is the one who has headed RSS for nearly a decade and has been with this organization he served for close to five decades! Who can tell us more about RSS belief system than him?
31 December, 2010
Savarkar – A Poetic Genius Or A Psychotic?
By Anil Pundlik Gokhale
Response to Ashok Malik’s ‘Savarkar the man who saw tomorrow’. Read the article in PDF
21 December, 2010
Indian National Congress And Communalism
By Ram Puniyani
Will Congress take up the battle against the distortion of history, the word of mouth propaganda against minorities, spreading of religious prejudices against minorities? Is it equipped to take on the multiple tasks which are needed to preserve and promote secular values? Does it train its cadres in the values of secularism and democracy?
13 August, 2010
Trail Of Symbols: Babri Demolition
To Gujarat Holocaust!
By Anil Pundlik Gokhale
On 20 th August, we are approaching the 70 th anniversary of assassination of Leon Trotsky. His “What is National Socialism?” provides us enormous insights into tragic trail of historical events that followed in India since 1980's, Babri demolition till Gujarat holocaust. .The significance of these horrific events compel us to trace the origins, growth and first order symbolic triumph of Hindutwa fascism in India
05 August, 2010
Many Forks Of The Devil's Tongue :
Whitewashing Crimes a la The Pracharak Way
By Subhash Gatade
Sangh watchers know that it is a very old strategy of the RSS to distance itself from people, organisations whenever it finds it inconvenient to own them. There are n number of examples in Sangh history where it has been engaged in distancing itself from its own activists. Imagine an organisation like RSS, which does not have any membership list, can tomorrow claim that even Ram Madhav does not belong to it, then do we have any proof to counter it. No
03 August, 2010
The Term ‘Hindu Terrorism’ Is A Misnomer
By Ram Puniyani
This word ‘Hindu Terrorism’ is as much wrong as the word Islamic terrorism or Christian terrorism. In the face of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Swami Dayanand Pandey and company, all those inspired by the agenda of Hindu Rashtra, the temptation to call this terrorism as ‘Hindu terrorism’ has to be resisted. Religion needs to be de-linked form politics and terrorism; both
29 July, 2010
Conversion Termed “Illegal”: An Assault of
Indian Secularism And Democracy
By Madhu Chandra
The Constitution of India gives freedom of religion to every citizen but the Freedom of religion like Orissa is totally against the freedom of religion. It is anti-religion law which violates the preamble of Indian Constitution. It assaults secularism and democracy of the nation. It assaults the idea of India
24 July, 2010
Assault On Professor Joseph,
An Ode To Indian Democracy
By Avinash Pandey
Rarely do individual tragedies reflect all that is wrong in a society. Even rare are occasions where their implications go beyond the lives of the individual, his family, or the neighborhood. But, when they do, they assume a significance that has bearings on the history of the community and the society. The recent attack upon a college professor in Kerala comes under the category
21 July, 2010
Ayodhya: Abode Of Ram Or Allah
By Ram Puniyani
The spreading of lies and emotive campaigns by political parties are not in accordance with the values of Indian Constitution. The elected representatives of people are duty bound to follow the Indian Constitution, so there is a need to appeal to all concerned to come to this basic understanding to uphold the values of freedom movement as enshrined in the Indian Constitution and let the court judgment be the decisive factor of future course of action
13 July, 2010
Pracharak As Terrorist: On The Bhasmasur Of
Hindutva Terror
By Subhash Gatade
The story of Bhasmasur bears striking resemblance to the plight of the RSS – the biggest fountainhead of Hindutva politics in the country – today. And this relates to the arrest of many of its senior wholetimers ( called Pracharaks in its lexicon) for their role as masterminds, instigator or patrons of terrorist acts in the country and the ongoing questioning of many other senior leaders for their role in aiding and abetting such acts
Terrorism And How We Are ‘Covering’ It (Up)
By Mustafa Khan
Terror is being covered as news events and it has lent itself to some, who are judgmental in other fields, another occasion of covering up, hiding and camouflaging the real perpetrators behind the events
07 July, 2010
A Stitch In Time Saves Nine
By Amitabh Thakur
29th June 2010 must be considered an important day in the history of Indian judicial system. It is on this date that in Kandhamal district Orissa in, an important judgment was delivered that went on to sentence the powerful local politician and MLA from an important political party in matters related with communal riots
30 June, 2010
Grabbing Hindutva By Its Horns
By Rakesh Kumar
Meet the man—a temple priest no less— who takes on the Hindutva brigade at its very epicentre
07 June, 2010
Dhulia Firing: Fact Finding Report
By All India Secular Forum
Fact Finding on May 6th 2010 Police Firing And Reaction at Dhulia, Maharashtra
25 May, 2010
Unravelling Hindutva Terrorism
EPW Editorial
Communal prejudices have compromised our battle against terrorism
Minority Images In The Indian Print Media
By Siddharth Varadarajan
In the English print media, bias against Muslims is not an intentional thing, but exists as a result of the concerted efforts of the RSS as well as because of residual biases journalists may bring with themselves. Some newspapers were funded by the BJP during its rule, and many English journalists and editors officially joined the party or flirted with it, so their bias can be understood. Nevertheless, if you look carefully and compare the English-language media to the language media, the record of the former is by and large better in terms of the reporting of communalism and communal riots
24 May, 2010
The Clumsy Teeth Of Hindutva Terrorism
By KK Abdul Raoof
The allegation of former Maharshtra senior police officer, SM Mushrif, who was instrumental in exposing the multi crore stamp paper scam, that ‘Brahminisist lobby’ has overpowered all the establishments in Intelligence Bureau seems true. That the infiltration of Hindutva power into these agencies undermines the very nature and the foundation of them is quite unequivocal now
Hashimpura Massacre: Long Years Of Injustice
By M Shamsur Rabb Khan
On 24 May 1987, exactly 22 years ago on this day, 50 Muslims were picked up from Hashimpura locality of Meerut, out of which 42 were brutally shot dead and then thrown into the Upper Ganges Canal and the Hindon Canal by the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) of Uttar Pradesh. The victims of Hashimpura massacre still wait for the day when the 19 PAC personnel will be booked
16 May, 2010
God’s Foot Soldiers Exposed
By Raja Jaikrishan
The Tehelka sting operation has done what Karnataka state failed to do. It has gathered clinching evidence against Sri Rama Sene president Pramod Muthalik.Last year’s virulent face of the saffron brigade is this year’s gangster
17 April, 2010
Narendra Modi: Travails Of Travel Abroad
By Ram Puniyani
A group of German MPs justified the denial of visa to Modi. They advocated a ban on his visiting Europe. This parliamentary delegation was on a two day visit to the city of Ahmedabad to study the state of minorities in Gujarat. It concluded that the European Union (EU) decision not to grant visa to him was justified. They went to the extent of banning his trip to Europe in near future. They pointed out that “the Chief Minister of Gujarat has a radical tone to his politics and is described as dictatorial. He has a wrong perception of religious freedom.” This four member team has been closely following developments in the Gujarat riot cases
Riots After Riots: It Happens Only In India
By Syed Ali Mujtaba
Communal riots have become part and parcel of Indian social life. The birth pang of the country was on the throes of communal riots. The history of last sixty years or so to a section of the Indian society, who has been on the receiving end of communal riots, is nothing but a history of wanton destruction of their lives and properties. The year 2010 so far has witnessed two communal riots, one in Bareilly a small city in Uttar Pradesh, the other in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh
12 April, 2010
BJP And Congress In The Dock
For Communal Violence
By Ram Puniyani
A demand is coming up from a section of Sikh community that a similar SIT should be formed for the anti Sikh pogrom also. The demand has all the merit, despite the lapse of long years after the pogrom. While one does not hope BJP can keep aloof from communal politics, one hopes Congress gets over its crime of 1984 in an honest way
02 March, 2010
Tasleema Nasreen And The Four Pillars Of Learning
By Mustafa Khan
On March 1, 2010 violence broke out on account of what Tasleema Nasreen had purportedly written much earlier. Why did the Kannada papers wait until she was granted her last extension of visa only last week and republish her article to coincide with it? Of course, there is a tactical move which would bring political gains to one party but would not have the moral justification of communities living together. Harmonious peaceful coexistence rather than political skullduggery should have weighed in republishing that article, “Let’s Think Again About the Burqa”
26 February, 2010
Tackling Communalism
Interview With Shabnam Hashmi
Interviewed By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander
Eminent human rights activist and founder of Act Now For Harmony & Democracy(ANHAD) Shabnam Hashmi in conversation with Srinagar-based journalist Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander on Hindutva, terrorism, communalism and Muslim issues
14 February, 2010
Communal Violence Bill: How Useful To Victims?
By Asghar Ali Engineer
The present Bill already cleared by the Cabinet, seeks to give more power to the police. In fact police has always been the part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. And if you empower police more in such circumstances, as the present Bill seeks to do, one can very well imagine what havoc it is going to cause. It is victims who need to be empowered, not the police
11 February, 2010
Intra Civilization Clash
By Mustafa Khan
The clash of civiization theory is wreaking havoc the world over. India also is no different
09 February, 2010
“Love Jihad” Was No Farce
By Mukul Dube
The Central Government squarely blamed the media, and only the media, for publicising the hoax that had an obvious malign intention. The “Love Jihad” affair had all the marks of a farce: but we will be foolish to brush it aside with laughter
29 December, 2009
Religion Does Not Unify A Country
By Kuldip Nayar
The BJP’s mentor, the RSS, should learn a lesson from our neighbouring country. Religion does not unify a country, pluralism does
18 December, 2009
Liberhan Commission Report:
Will Justice Be Served?
By Mukul Dube
I do not think that those whom Justice Liberhan found to be guilty of planning and executing the demolition of the Babari Masjid will ever be brought to justice. A Congress government is in power, and all indications are that other governments headed by the same party will follow. In the matter of taking action against intolerant “Hindus”, the record of the Congress is execrable
10 December, 2009
Who’s At ‘Jihad’? : ‘Love Jihad’
And The Judge In Kerala
By J Devika
It looked as if the controversy over ‘Love Jihad’ ( ‘jihad defined as ‘war by other means’) had blown over with state authorities in Kerala and Karnatake denying that such a threat ever existed.The Central Government informed the Kerala High Court early this month that there was no such thing and that the term ‘love jihad’ was being used by the media.However, today, the Kerala High Court openly voiced its scepticism of police reports, claiming that the reports were inconsistent and citing various technical flaws
07 December, 2009
Liberhan Commission: Painful Wait For Justice
By Ram Puniyani
How does RSS evaluate its future role in Indian political chessboard? Indications are RSS will stick to Hindutva and Ram temple type of issues, come what may. One only hopes in despair that people concerned have honesty to own up their acts and face the legal consequences for their commitments!
28 November, 2009
Politics Of Babri Masjid
By Kuldip Nayar
That L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, the other two BJP leaders, were co-conspirators was known on December 6, 1992, itself. The surprising name for me is that of Vajpayee. I would have been indulgent towards him if I had not seen a clip of his speech. A television network showed it on the day a Delhi paper had published the leaked report. Vajpayee said on December 5, one day before the demolition of the masjid, at Lucknow that the ground would be "levelled" and a yangya (religious celebration) held at that place
13 November, 2009
Procrastinating On Hindutva Terror
By Subhash Gatade
As things stand today, it is just a matter of time when the Goa blasts would be forgotten much on the lines of Nanded blasts or Kanpur blasts (August 2008) and similar other blasts involving Hindutva terrorists.Perhaps a much bigger tragedy would awaken us from our selective amnesia vis-a-vis terrorism of the Hindutva kind
09 November, 2009
‘Love Jihad’ Reports Point To Polarisation In Society
By BRP Bhaskar
An allegation that a campaign is on to lure young women into romance with a view to converting them to Islam has brought various Hindu and Christian organisations in Kerala on a common platform
07 November, 2009
Kerala Christian Group And VHP
Join Hands Against Illusory Love Jihad
By Ram Puniyani
It must be a real ingenuity of RSS combine to rope in the Kerala Bishops Council to fight against the Love-Jihad, a word coined by their propaganda mill, a word which combines two words and converts them in to a tool to torment the lovers, in case the boy happens to be a Muslim and the girl a non Muslim. It is the latest tool to launch attack against Muslim minorities
29 October, 2009
Resurgent Hindutva Terror In Goa
By Subhash Gatade
Whether the goa bomb blasts investigations go the Kanpur or Nanded way?
26 October, 2009
Blast In Goa
By Ram Puniyani
When any blast takes place, and what are popularly called ‘Jihadi terrorists’ are suspected, the newspapers generally devote front page banner headlines, with all details and suspicions spelt out day after day. In cases related to Nanded types or the ones related to Hindu Jagran Samiti type, the coverage is relegated to small columns in the back pages. The visual media which generally carries non-stop running commentary around such an event is now muted when it comes to Hindutva inspired terror
Terrorism In Goa: The Plot Thickens
By Mustafa Khan
The bomb blast in Margao and the other at Sancoale surely indicate how organized the Hindu right terrorists are. They also enjoy patronage within the governmental set up and the police and even the investigating agencies. A full year after the exposure of the Sanatan Sanstha's involvement in Thane and Vashi, Mumbai, and Panvel bomb attacks the governments and the police not only did not take any action like banning the organization but let it and other such organizations of the Hindu right flourish
10 October, 2009
Is it A Crime To Be Born A Muslim In India?
By Ram Puniyani
The worsening plight of Muslim community got reconfirmed in the recently held national meet on ‘What it means to be a Muslim in India Today’, organized by Anhad in Delhi. Many a victim deposing in the meeting said with pain and anguish, “Is it a crime to be born a Muslim in India?”
07 October, 2009
RSS And Minorities
By Ram Puniyani
The new RSS Sarsanghchalak, Mr. Mohan Bhagawat told Minorities (Sept 20, 2009) that they should join RSS and see that ‘our intentions are clear and our behavior is good’. As per him all Muslims in India were Hindus in the past. They have only changed their way of worship, and if they accept this fact there will be no clashes. He told Christians that they should not convert people, as that creates communal violence
30 September, 2009
Communalizing History: Shivaji And Afzal Khan
By Ram Puniyani
The assembly elections have been declared in Maharashtra, and with this the atmosphere is heating up politically. In this state there have been substantial number of farmer’s suicides, all over there are serious issues related to rising prices, unemployment and other problems of daily life. But it seems that some political parties in Maharashtra are not much concerned about these core issues of society and seem to be more interested in the identity issues emerging from the past
26 August, 2009
Muslim ‘Terrorists’ Manufactured By The Media
By Yoginder Sikand
It is not just the ‘loony’ ‘vernacular’ media, as many are given to believe, but even the ‘respectable’, ‘mainstream’, ‘national’ English-language press in India that have sedulously cultivated the notion of ‘Islamic terrorism,’ so much so that the image of Muslims in general being either terrorists or their sympathizers enjoys wide currency today. Yoginder Sikand examines the trend in the light of a report released by a team of secular, leftist non-Muslim activists from Karnataka
17 August, 2009
Victim As The Culprit
By Ram Puniyani
One BJP activist from Mumbai has filed a complaint (August 3rd 2009) against actor Emraan Hashmi accusing him of promoting communal enmity. Mahesh Bhatt who gave statement in support of Emran Hashmi also figures in the complaint. Emraan Hashmi had earlier approached state minorities commission that he has been discriminated against by the housing society, Nibhana in posh Pali hill locality of Mumbai. His complaint has been that he had already paid the advance of a lakh of rupees to the seller of the flat, but the housing society refused to give the no objection certificate on the ground that Hashmi is a Muslim
30 June, 2009
'Hindurashtra' In Delhi
By Subhash Gatade
Protest by Hindutva organisations against construction of a mosque in Rohini Sector 16, Delhi...Prayer by the muslims not allowed by hindutva forces on 26.6.2009 and those who were coming for the NAMAJ were beaten up and chased back. .. Hooligans marched in street to look out for muslims...Women also participated in large numbers
19 April, 2009
Orissa: Tragedy Continues
By Ram Puniyani
The after-effects of the anti Christian violence (2007) in Kandhamal district of Orissa are not over, so to say. Recently the Archbishop Cheenath of the state said that the elections in the Kandhmamal district should be postponed as the refugees living in the camps are not able to return. The reason is that many of them who returned were threatened by the local Bajrang Dal workers and associates
21 February, 2009
Babri Mosque Demolition: Why On December 6?
By Ashok Yadav
Was it a mere coincidence that the Babri mosque was demolished on December 6? What was so exceptional about this particular date that it overrode all other options in the 366 days of that year (1992 being a leap year)? A scrutiny of this question, I posit, would unveil the true character of Hindu communalism or Hindutva
20 February, 2009
Holy Garb: Profane Agenda
By Ram Puniyani
Seers Demand Dropping of Word Secular from Indian Constitution!
07 February, 2009
Pramod Muthalik: Stalwart Of Sangh Parivar
Coming Home To Roost!
By Mustafa Khan
The crisis created by Lt Col Srikant Purohit of Abhinav Bharat and Pramod Muthalike of Sri Ram Sena is complementary to each other. They have been nurtured on an extreme ideology. The 'culture' that Hindutva laboratories have developed in the name of Hindu 'culture' has at long last begun to assert its Frankenstein existence of its own. The monster is no more in the control of the scientists. Both the organizations are equally dangerous to the unity and the integrity of the country. Purohit and his Abhinav Bharat have been in the news for quite sometimes but not so much Muthalik and his SRS
23 January, 2009
Malegaon: The Israeli Connection
By Mustafa Khan
It is grim reading how Lt Col Srikant Purohit and others wanted to establish a Hindu Rashtra with the help of Israel
08 January, 2009
Ascent Of Communalism In Malegaon
By Mustafa Khan
Malegaon was wonderfully free from communalism and its tension in the halcyon days after the Independence. Bigotry against the minority Muslim community appeared on the scene thanks to the growth of aggressive Hindutva. In later times this would become the defining characteristic of communalism in and around the city. The eighties was the turbulent decade of Indian social life
26 November, 2008
Tolerating Terrorism
By Ram Puniyani
We are hearing strange arguments; Hindus can’t be terrorists as it is not in their genes. This statement also subtly hinted that terrorism is in the genes of ‘some’ other community. But lets be clear terrorism is not a genetic problem, it is due to social, political and economic reasons
17 November, 2008
Sangh Parivar's Double Talk:
Beware Perverse Patriotism
By B G Verghese
What is surprising, however, is the response of the spokesmen of the Parivar. They disown any association with sadhvi Pragya and other civil suspects held for the Malegaon bombing. Yet they take the line that Hindus cannot be terrorists and that the armed forces are a part of Indian society which has been horrified by the pusillanimous and apologetic approach of the UPA government to terror attacks and cannot therefore be blamed for patriotic reactions.This apologia comes close to showing sympathy for and indirectly condoning what is undoubtedly a grave dereliction of duty and rank indiscipline
15 November, 2008
Saffron Terror
By Praful Bidwai
Sadhvi Pragya Thakur’s arrest and the questioning of Hindutva extremists for the Malegaon blasts point to the need for action against majoritarian extremism
Fighting Fascism
By Yoginder Sikand
Last month, the New Delhi-based human rights’ group Anhad, along with some 90 other organizations, held a two-day national convention on the theme, ‘Countering Fascism: Defending the Idea of India’. It was attended by scores of social activists from various parts of the country. Predictably, it received hardly any mention in the so-called ‘mainstream’ Indian media
10 November, 2008
Counter Terror
By Rana Ayyub
Bajrang Dal. VHP. Abhinav Bharat. The names of ultra right-wing outfits are increasingly cropping up as investigators wake up to a new form of terror. Rana Ayyub tracks the dangerous trend
Journalistic Fascism
By Yoginder Sikand
Ajit Sahi is an investigative reporter with the New Delhi-based Tehelka magazine. He recently published several startling reports clearly indicating that scores of innocent Muslims, including some former members or associates of the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), across the country have been falsely implicated by the police, intelligence agencies and the media as being behind various terror attacks. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand, he talks about how influential sections of the Indian media are playing a major role in demonizing Muslims today
06 November, 2008
Nanded Case: Of Lost Leads
And Shoddy Investigation
By Meena Menon
Investigations into the terror activities which seem disparate right now have to be coherent
05 November, 2008
Anatomy Of Sangh Parivar
By Ram Puniyani
While superficially at loggerheads the ideological wavelength of RSS indoctrination is similar to the one used in Pakistani Madrassas for training Al Qaeda. Here the religion is different paradigms are same. To deal with such ideologies leading to acts of terror, what is also needed is to combat their ideological foundations
04 November, 2008
Communalism And The Myth
By Ambrose Pinto
In interpreting communal violence in any part of the country it is wrong to state that the two communities that are in conflict represent the sentiments of the two communities. Communalists do not represent their communities at all. So, it is wrong to state that India had or has Hindu-Muslim or Hindu-Christian clashes
03 November, 2008
And Now Hindu Terrorists?
By Asghar Ali Engineer
The civil society should also become vigilant against all terrorists of whatever religion or group. As communal riots were major danger in twentieth century, terrorist attacks are for 21st century
31 October, 2008
Multi Headed Hydra Monstrosity Of The Sangh Parivar
By Mustafa Khan
The kind of atmosphere built up over the last six months was such that it could have led to upheaval in the society on unprecedented scale. Amar Singh feared that Muslims might rebel against their repression and oppression on account of the innumerable arrests of many innocent members of the community. It is for such an eventuality that the RSS is training its cadres in arms and ammunition. They would take over the reign
29 October, 2008
Just The Tip Won't Do:
Expose The Whole Iceberg
By Kavita Krishnan
No longer can the Sangh Parivar and BJP ever disown its role in terrorism. A former firebrand ABVP leader and so-called 'sadhvi', Pragya Singh Thakur, has been arrested for her role in the Malegaon blasts of September 2006 as well as in the more recent Modasa blasts. Even more ominously, two ex-Army officers are implicated in the blasts, and it has come to light that an institution called the 'Bhonsala Military Academy' in Nagpur has been imparting arms training to the Bajrang Dal
23 October, 2008
Revivalism Of Religious Rights Is A Challenge
To Democratic Secular Constitution
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
The dirt in the name of secularism need to be cleaned first. Those who take shelter in the name of secularism need to believe in its perception and practice otherwise India is heading for a Afghanistan kind of a situation where we all will be speaking for our respective communities and not for those whose rights are violated and dignity challenged. It is a grave challenge and we must think it over
16 October, 2008
A Moratorium On Conversions: Who Decides?
By Joseph D’souza
So who decides on a moratorium on conversions? The RSS? The media? Those who come to the table and dialogue on this issue? Or the oppressed Dalit and low caste person in India? Dare we take away this final and most basic of human rights from the most dehumanized group of people in human civilization?
05 October, 2008
The Parallel Streams Of Anger
By M.J. Akbar
Dr Manmohan Singh said, on his return from France, that incidents in Orissa had shamed India before the world. That is important, but far less important than the fact that the violence in Orissa has shamed Indians in India. I measure what Indians do not by the standards of France, but by the values of modern India, which strengthened the spirit of our freedom movement against western colonialism and were enshrined in that noble document called the Constitution of India. The Bajrang Dal has shamed India before Indians
04 October, 2008
Others Among Us
By Suroor Mander
We have forced a community to stand up and condemn every act allegedly done by their fundamentalists; expecting this from the educated, the literate, the clerics and the ignorant. However, we don't have any such expectation from Hindus against violence perpetuated by fundamentalists from their community
01 October, 2008
Communalism, Centrestage
By Shabnam Hashmi
Communal forces have invaded all spaces, including the minds of secular politicians
29 September, 2008
Some Bombs Get Defused
By Smita Gupta
Just who is a terrorist? Definitions change when it comes to the Hindutva extreme
27 September, 2008
Attack On Christians Is Attack On
Indian Secularism And Democracy
By Madhu Chandra
The ongoing and uncontrolled attack on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and now spreading to other parts of India is the clear signpost of Saffron fascist forces involved in religious ethnic cleansing. Most of the churches, Christian homes and Christian villages in Kandhamal and 14 other district of Orissa are vandalized. A single Hindu temple is not attacked in whole of the state. What signpost does it give to the eyes of every Indian civil society?
An Unholy Crusade
By Sanjana
The real conversion happening in Karnataka is that of the RSS-BJP, who are using aggression to consolidate their hold in a once secular state
06 September, 2008
Visit To Orissa
By Shabnam Hashmi
This account is based only on the testimonies for those who managed to escape and reach Bhubaneshwar. The situation is very serious in Orissa and only a full fact finding team can come out with full details after it is allowed to enter those areas
Hindutva's Violent History
By Angana Chatterji
The Sangh’s history in postcolonial Orissa is long and violent. Virulent Hindutva campaigns against minority groups reverberated in Rourkela in 1964, Cuttack in 1968 and 1992, Bhadrak in 1986 and 1991, Soro in 1991. The Kandhamal riots were not unforeseen
05 September, 2008
Then They Came For Christians…
By Ram Puniyani
Orissa is witnessing unprecedented violence against the tiny Christian minority. On August 23, 2008, Swami Laxmananand along with his four followers was killed, probably by a group of Maoists. Immediately, anti-Christian violence began on big scale. The way it began it seemed as if preparations for it were well afoot. It was systematic and widespread. It sounded as if preparation was already there, just the pretext was being waited for
31 August, 2008
Blast After Blast :Who Is Responsible?
By Teesta Setalvad
If as part of their strategy Hindu extremists disguise themselves as Muslims and then engage in terrorist activity, could they also be responsible for sending out emails claiming responsibility for blasts under assumed Muslim names and using an Islamic vocabulary? How then can we know who is responsible for the series of blasts that have ripped through a succession of Indian cities? What then of national security, public peace and communal harmony?
04 August, 2008
Some Good Amid The Bombs?
By Teesta Setalvad
The fragile peace prevalent even after the bomb blasts, hopefully, will help Gujarat and Gujaratis see the inherent values of a lasting and comfortable peace
30 July, 2008
Cycle Of Terror: How To Stop Its Movement?
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi
Two and half months after Jaipur bombings which left 60 people dead, Bangalore and Ahmedabad were ripped through by serial blasts on 25th and 26th July respectively – 25 explosions in total within 24 hours – and 50 people were dead and more than 150 wounded. Jaipur is unsolved till date and, with past investigations into terror attacks in mind, it can be said that Bangalore and Ahmedabad will remain unsolved, too. This is what has kept the cycle of terror moving
03 July, 2008
Spritual As Criminal?
By Subhash Gatade
Time to ban 'Hindu Janjagruti Samiti' and 'Sanatan Sanstha'
29 June, 2008
Silent Emergence Of Hindu Terrorism
By Subhash Gatade
What is common between Kathmandu - the capital of Nepal ; Thane, Vashi which happen to lie in Maharashtra; Tenkasi, which is part of Tamilnadu and Indore, which lies in Madhya Pradesh? Aprops there seem to be no commonality, although a close look at stray sounding incidents in these places brings forth a pattern which has serious import for the manner in which (non-state) terrorism is viewed in this country. It is disturbing that media which calls itself 'watchdog of democracy' and which has no qualms in stigmatising the minority community on unfounded allegations of 'terrorist acts' has suddenly gone mute since the perpetrators of terrorist acts in all these cases belong to the majority community
12 June, 2008
Politics Of Identity And Intolerance
By Ram Puniyani
On fifth of June (2008) a group of followers of Shiv Sangram Sanghtan (SSS), led by a former MLC of Nationalist Congress party, attacked the house of editor of Loksatta, a prominent Marathi daily, Kumar Ketkar and tried to break open the house. They, as per their leader, were expressing their spontaneous anger against Ketkar, who according to them had insulted Shivaji in his editorial
06 May, 2008
Conversion: A Political Weapon
By Ram Puniyani
The realization that to impose Hindu rashtra in this country the electoral majority is needed as a starting point, the process of co-opting Adivasis into Hindu fold has been stepped up. And this 8% population can be the wonderful addition to electoral base for the right wing politics. The second advantage is that by indoctrinating them they can be unleashed against the other enemies of Hindu nation, like Muslims, as witnessed in Gujarat, where they were used as ideal foot soldiers for the agenda of Hindu Rashtra
14 March, 2008
The Hindutva Experiment: From Lab To Factory?
By Mukul Dube
Many people, including this writer, have argued that Gujarat 2002 was possible because the political wing of Hindutva ruled both in Gandhinagar and in Delhi. The persistence - and, indeed, the growth - of Hindutva in the period since the general election of 2004, suggest that that argument is limited and perhaps flawed. What we are seeing today may well be the repetition across the country of the successful experiment, promising lab processes being carried out on an industrial scale
20 February, 2008
Terrorism's 'Tenkasi' Moment
By Subhash Gatade
There are reports that the Tirunelveli Police have indicated that the explosives used in Tenkasi are similar those used in the Makkah Masjid blast at Hyderabad. It is incumbent that in the light of the revelations in the Tenkasi blasts , the CBI should reinvestigate the Makkah Masjid Blasts and other Blasts which took place in different parts of the country
11 February, 2008
Whither Justice: Trajectory Of Srikrishna Report
By Ram Puniyani
The state Congress leadership thinks it can fool the victims all the time. But the question is how long can Congress sustain policies which betray the victims, which are against the promises and oath which they take while grabbing the seats of power?
17 January, 2008
Why Is Civil Society Mute To
Threat Of Communalism In India?
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
If we do not find answers to our inherent discriminations as well as false nationalism, which is disturbingly turning into an upper caste cricket match that we witnessed in Sydney, then, I am afraid, the situation would go out of hand. This is the biggest hour of crisis in our social life and we have to respond it with responsibility and courage and not to let down the founding fathers of our nation, who gave us a secular and liberal constitution which is still our proud possession and a guarantee for social justice and equality for all
07 January, 2008
Riots In Orissa
By Angana Chatterji
Independent investigators charge that the violence was planned, that the police had prior knowledge of Hindutva groups’ intent to riot. The pertinent district collector and superintendent of police have been transferred, not discharged. A Judicial Review Commission (JRC) chaired by a former (not sitting) judge has been appointed by the government of Orissa to investigate the riots. Its power or legitimacy is in question
02 January, 2008
Orissa: Anti Christian Violnce
By Ram Puniyani
It is no coincident that the BJP is part of the ruling coalition in Orissa, and those involved in the vandalism are part of some or the other organization directly affiliated with the RSS. The major such are Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Bajrang dal and their local variants. While the media reports are sketchy, the Citizens Inquiry team, which was to visit the area has been denied permission to visit the districts and was escorted out of the area
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