NB: This is not surprising, because the Chinese Communist Party has a long history of suppressing freedom of speech and opinion. Let us note however, the statement of the RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat: China has risen and doesn’t care what the world thinks of it. Let us also note that the CEO of Niti Aayog… Read More Hong Kong police arrest pro-democracy activists in widening crackdown
In age of pandemic, the song and its accompanying dance have lit up social media with videos of medical workers, soldiers, clergymen and many more sharing its message of hope. A gospel-influenced house song about Jerusalem and faith has become a global phenomenon over the past year, received over 260 million views on YouTube (and… Read More South African sensation song 'Jerusalema’ tops 260 million YouTube views
PANJAB: Journeys Through Fault Lines One of the biggest argument the government is putting forth for new Farm Laws is that it will eliminate middle-men. These middle-men, per the government are the arthiya – the commission agent and money-lender. The Farmer Unions are defining the arthiyas as ‘service providers’. Here is a peek from my book… Read More Amandeep Sandhu on Arthiyas – extract from PANJAB: Journeys Through Fault Lines
Indications are that the Narendra Modi government is preparing to retrace its steps in the face of the farmers’ protest. Whether farmer leaders presently committed to a full repealing of the farm laws finally agree to key amendments in them remains to be seen. The anger of the farmers is only now being given credence by the… Read More Bharat Bhushan – Farmers' agitation: Perils of a non-consultative government // इस किसान के बयान से भाजपा में मजा अफरा तफरी, वीडियो पूरे देश भर में हुआ वायरल
This process is bound to transform India officially into an ethnic democracy, like Israel — where mixed marriages are practically impossible. “Love jihad” is hitting the headlines again, but this old wine appears today in a different bottle, as the BJP is taking over from vigilante groups. The notion of “love jihad” first appeared in Gujarat in… Read More Christophe Jaffrelot: On ‘love jihad’, BJP picks up baton from vigilante groups. Police, judicial apparatus have aided this move
On September 27, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to three contentious farm bills passed by Parliament — The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 (FAPAFS), the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC) and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 (EC). These… Read More Why should Indian agriculture be liberalised when in most countries governments subsidise it? By Christophe Jaffrelot , Hemal Thakker
Vijender Singh, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said on Sunday that he will return his Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award if the demands of the protesting farmers at the Delhi border aren’t fulfilled. The talks between the union government and the representatives of farmer unions remained inconclusive on Saturday after… Read More Vijender Singh to return Khel Ratna if protesting farmers’ demands not met // Farmers respond: Farmer Protests Delhi | किसान आंदोलन & Godi Media
His name was Walter Benjamin; born to a Jewish family in Berlin, Benjamin was present for a pivotal moment in history, and watched Hitler rise to power. By the time he wrote his most famous essay, he was an exile living in France amidst financial hardships, having recognized that the Reichstag fire three years earlier… Read More Matthew Rozsa: This Marxist philosopher foresaw the rise of Trumpism more than 80 years ago
POLICE STOPPED an interfaith wedding in Lucknow, citing the newly passed Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, after receiving complaints from Hindu outfits. The police intervened on the day of the wedding, despite consent of the families of the Hindu bride and Muslim bridegroom to it. The wedding was to take… Read More Lucknow: families give consent but cops stop interfaith wedding // UP villagers allege the police forced the so-called 'love jehad' arrest
At around 8 pm on 2 December, Narendra Rana came home to find a police vehicle parked outside his house in Doghat village of western Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district. Rana is a leader of the Kisan Adhikar Andolan, a farmers’ organisation, and he had spent the day travelling the villages of Baghpat and mobilising farmers… Read More SUNIL KASHYAP – "When those in power get arrogant, they lose:” UP farmers to join protests
