Stand Up, Say No

NB: The title of this post is inspired by a lecture on Gandhi’s ideal of resistance to oppression, delivered by my old friend Professor Bhagwan Josh. Please find below some words of advice to student protestors in the context of the global resistance to genocide. They are also relevant to all of us who resist… Read More Stand Up, Say No

In 1968, protests forced Columbia University to change graduation. Here’s what happened next

NB: I am proud to say I belong to the 1968 generation. 1968 was one of a very few moments of radical utopia in the twentieth century. We protested the imperialist war in Vietnam then; and those of us still alive will protest injustice today. I salute the students in the USA and all over… Read More In 1968, protests forced Columbia University to change graduation. Here’s what happened next

‘Enough material’: Court charges BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in sexual abuse case

A Delhi court today framed sexual harassment charges against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case lodged by women wrestlers, observing there was “sufficient evidence” against him. ********************************** Apoorva Mandhani: Judge Loya’s Confidants Died Mysterious Deaths Constitutional principles go for a toss in the criminal law… Read More ‘Enough material’: Court charges BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in sexual abuse case

Hilary Mantell: Springtime for Robespierre

First posted August 29, 2013 Robespierre  Edited by Colin Haydon and William DoyleReviewed by Hilary Mantell In the two years following the taking of the Bastille, he pursued an impeccably liberal and far-sighted agenda. He spoke for manhood suffrage and against a property qualification for voters; against slavery; in support of civil rights for Jews; against capital punishment; and… Read More Hilary Mantell: Springtime for Robespierre

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging

NB: The Iranian regime is a tyrannical theocracy, which permits no criticism, no deviation from so-called divinely sanctioned modes of behaviour. To punish people with flogging and imprisonment for speaking truth about corruption is itself a criminal act. It should never be forgotten that the regime’s leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa for the execution… Read More Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging

There’s one thing standing in the way of a ceasefire: Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise

Simon Tisdall The latest twists and turns in negotiations to end the war in Gaza appear labyrinthine and confusing. But it’s really not that complicated. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, must compromise on the outstanding details of the proposed ceasefire deal and Hamas’s weekend counter-offer – and immediately halt Israel’s criminal bombing of Gaza and reckless military incursions… Read More There’s one thing standing in the way of a ceasefire: Netanyahu’s refusal to compromise

Hunt for grand victories and impact on democratic culture

Bharat Bhushan The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)‘s preoccupation with grander victories in every election seems to be feeding the worst standards of democratic conduct. Does pressure on Opposition candidates to stand down suggest narcissism, or does it reflect an element of nervousness? Take the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat. It has been a pocket borough… Read More Hunt for grand victories and impact on democratic culture

The Last Couple of Weeks

Chandan Gowda Three weeks ago, I arrived in the US to give talks at a few universities. It had been six years since I was last here. My host universities wished that I speak about my new book, Another India: Events, Memories, People. I was pleased about the lecture invitations. Opportunities to engage academic audiences in a… Read More The Last Couple of Weeks

We Columbia University students urge you to listen to our voices

Please, listen to us – not political figures, radical fringes and misguided media Columbia College Student Council GAZA casualties, live statistics On Tuesday night, we watched in horror as hundreds of riot police flooded our beloved campus and brutalized our classmates. The next day, students awoke with swollen faces, bruised wrists and lacerations – all… Read More We Columbia University students urge you to listen to our voices