short interview with Jyotirmaya Sharma about his book on Swami Vivekananda and Hindu Nationalism

Religion Dispatches
December 9, 2013

Political Hinduism: India's Disenchanted Religion
By Jyotirmaya Sharma



Jyotirmaya Sharma

Jyotirmaya Sharma is professor of political science at the University of Hyderabad, India. His recent publications include, Hindutva: Exploring the Idea of Hindu Nationalism (Penguin/Viking, 2003; second edition published in december 2011) and

UK: Secular neutrality is a pillar of higher education. We can't cave in to faith groups in our institutions – even if it causes offence

British universities shouldn't condone this kind of gender segregation

by Polly Toynbee

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/26/british-universities-gender-segregation-secular

Gujarat's High Statue Politics Has Blessings of Hindu Priests: AFP photo in Outlook Magazine

Bravo comrade Karat for demanding a federal law against superstition, black magic

The Hindu
Mumbai, December 2, 2013

Karat demands Central Act against superstition, black magic

Staff Reporter

CPI(M) general-secretary addressed rally marking 100 days since Dr. Dabholkar’s murder

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general-secretary Prakash Karat on Monday demanded a Central Act to prohibit superstition and black-magic.

He was speaking at the rally organised here to mark the

India: Whither secularism? Government releases Rs5 coins with Vaishno Devi emblem

Daily News and Analysis

Whither secularism? Government releases Rs5 coins with Vaishno Devi emblem
Wednesday, Nov 27, 2013, 6:42 IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

by R N Bhaskar



Coins and currency notes were never meant to promote any religion. However, curiously, just when national elections are round the corner, the government has released into the market five-rupee (Rs5) coins which

India: Religion as a barrier in women’s empowerment | Book reveiw by Rajesh Komath

The Hindu, November 18, 2013



Religion as a barrier in women’s empowerment
Rajesh Komath





RELIGION, PATRIARCHY AND CAPITALISM: Jayanti Alam; Kalpaz Publications, C-30, Satyawati Nagar, Delhi-110052. Rs. 865.













The book is a collection of chapters on the varied dimensions of a
woman’s life in the contemporary Indian society under the larger
umbrella concepts of religion and

Book review: Religion & politics in colonial India | K. N. Panikkar

The Hindu





Books
» Reviews





October 29, 2013





Religion & politics in colonial India
K. N. Panikkar



How initiatives in vernacular education made an early difference in the Indian public sphere and civil society




This is a fascinating study of the role of vernacular education in the
making of the political and social consciousness in Bengal in the 19th
and 20th centuries. It

India: Use of Religion in Politics - Aam Admi Party candidate in Delhi is straight out of a TV soap on the Hindu Epic Mahabharata

Mahabharat's 'Bheem' Praveen Sobti is AAP candidate from Wazirpur

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mahabharats-bheem-praveen-sobti-to-contest-from-wazirpur-as-aap-candidate/1/322427.html

Anshu Malviya's Hindi Poem: थाडा सिंह चरावे गाई, एक अचंभा देखा भाई | चुप हो वरना विकास होगा !

India: Debate over article 341 - Muslim and Christian Dalits are denied their dues (Anis Ansari) | gulail.com

Muslim and Christian Dalits are denied their dues

by Dr Anis Ansari

Constitution of India has been written with the intention of preserving secularism and human rights. All the people have been accorded the status of equality under its Article 14. Article 15 provides for guarantee of equal rights to all the citizens in educational institutions. Article 16 gives the guarantee of equal rights

Open Letter to Omar Abdullah - Police Officers facilitating the sale of Temples & Asthapans

(via Dilip Simeon's Blog)

An open Letter

Shri. Omar Abdullah
Hon’ble Chief Minister,
State of Jammu and Kashmir,

Subject: Incentives / Perks be granted to the Administrators / Police Officers who facilitate the selling of Temples and Asthapans of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir Valley.

Hon’ble Sir,

With all humility in our command we (KPSS on behalf of Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir) express

Vicious Right Wing Hindutva Propaganda Video : Sadhwi Balika Saraswati

India: religious platforms cannot be used to induce voters | Aam Aadmi Party supporters at a Durga Puja

From: Indian ExpressEC on lookout, Ramlila & Puja samitis keep politicians away


D K RITURAJ : New Delhi, Sun Oct 13 2013, 01:49 hrs 















Aam
Aadmi Party supporters at a Durga Puja pandal in CR Park.
RAVI KANOJIA


The Election Commission's code of conduct came into effect on October 4,
and has diluted the

India: BJP plays with Religious events for propaganda; Now 'Modified' Durga Puja Pandals in Bihar

Narendra Modi to be given God-like presence at Bihar puja pandals


Puja pandals and politics have been strange bedfellows in eastern India,
particularly in West Bengal. In the 1980s, images of the Bofors guns
were put up at puja pandals, a Bihar politician recalled.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-10-10/news/42903164_1_puja-pandals-hunkar-rally-narendra-modi

India - Karnataka: Lingayats renew demand for separate religion

From The Times of India

Lingayats renew demand for separate religion
Naheed Ataulla, TNN Oct 10, 2013, 05.00AM IST


BANGALORE: The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president and senior Karnataka minister Shamnur Shivashankarappa is lobbying at the Centre to seek 'religious minority' status for Lingayats by seeking a separate identity from Hinduism. But there don't seem to be many takers for this

India: Police complaint against shooting for film P.K., thanks to the 'hurt religious sentiment' industry

Hindustan Times

FIR lodged against director, actors of Aamir Khan's P.K.
PTI
New Delhi, October 11, 2013

An FIR was lodged against Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, director Raj Kumar Hirani and other actors of the under-production film P.K. for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during the shooting of the film in Delhi's Chandni Chowk area.

The FIR was lodged after locals objected to a shooting

Kashmir court seeks action against those who invoke religious nationalism while campaiging for elections

The Hindu, Srinagar, October 11, 2013

HC frowns at religious nationalism

PTI

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the Centre and Chief Election Commissioner to act against politicians who seek people’s mandate in elections by invoking religious nationalism, to prevent them from subverting the Constitution of the country.

“In our constitutional philosophy, there is only one ‘ism that

Religion on JNU Campus: Photo of a banner announcing elaborate Hindu prayer chanting event called Bhagvati Jagaran

Dilip Simeon's blog: High Court of Jammu and Kashmir upholds Sanjay Tickoo's petition for protection of religious places and castigates communal versions of nationalism

"...In our constitutional scheme, a citizen of India is only an “INDIAN”. No person can claim himself to be a “Hindu nationalist,Muslim nationalist, Sikh nationalist, Buddhist nationalist or Christian nationalist.” The constitutional provisions, mention of some of which has been made in this order, does, in loud, clear and unambiguous terms, forbid using of such expression/s. A person, who

Secularism in Arts Comes out in Full Glare: Report in People's Democracy on the seminar marking 25th anniversary of Sahmat

People's Democracy, October 13, 2013

SEMINAR ON 25TH SAHMAT ANNIVERSARY

Secularism in Arts Comes out in Full Glare

Amol Saghar

ON the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) organised a three day seminar on ‘Secularism and the Arts’ from September 26 to 28, 2013. This seminar, held in the Sahitya Akademi auditorium, took place at a time when