Thursday, 5 September 2013

India: Back to Ayodhya (report in Frontline)

The VHP’s Ayodhya Parikrama leaves the temple town and its twin city cold, but the Sangh Parivar presses ahead in the hope of electoral benefits elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh. By VENKITESH RAMAKRISHNAN in Ayodhya and Faizabad [Frontline, Print edition : September 20, 2013]
http://www.frontline.in/politics/back-to-ayodhya/article5085260.ece?homepage=true

In India they openly promote of segregation, regionalism and ghettoes | JNU to have separate hostel for students of North East

The Times of India

JNU to have separate hostel for northeast students soon
TNN | Sep 6, 2013, 04.26 AM IST

ITANGAR: Clearing all hurdles for the construction of a 500-bed for northeast students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, the varsity authorities have finally identified land for the long awaited hostel.

The Northeast MPs Forum (NEMPF) has been urging the Centre for

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

India: Yoga salesman says stay away from all women | See also Ninan Cartoon

Ramdev advises sages to maintain distance from all women
Times of India-Sep 2, 2013
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-02/india/41687757_1_yoga-guru-ramdev-mothers-hindu-scriptures

also see Ajit Ninan's Cartoon in The Times of India, 3 September 2013

Video of Teesta Setalvad Lecture in Goa on "The Politics of Development"

India: Business of Faith - Arrest of Asaram Bapu by Ram Puniyani

Business of Faith

Ram Puniyani

Our society has seen severe turmoil’s in the name of religion during last three decades in particular. While on one side we see that issues related to religion’s identity are trying to occupy the center stage, we also are witnessing the emergence of thousands of self proclaimed ‘Godmen’, supposed to be having divine powers. They do also claim and sometimes the

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

India: Freedom from Religion - Why 'No Religion' Should be a Category

From: Forbes India, 23 August 2013

Freedom from Religion: Why 'No Religion' Should be a Category
by Devangshu Datta
There’s a small but growing community of those who shun religion

Ritesh stands out among the lakh or so students cramming for the Joint Entrance Exam in the coaching mills of Kota, Rajasthan. Unlike most of his comrades, the 18-year-old isn’t praying for a high rank. He has been

India: Fatwa banning cartoons issued by clerics

From: The News, September 02, 2013

NEW DELHI: India’s leading Islamic seminary, the Darul Uloom, issued a fatwa (a religious decree) declaring that watching cartoons on television is un-Islamic, and a violation of sharia law, according to a report issued Aug. 27.

Senior cleric Mufti Arif Quasmi explained the ruling by saying: “[A] cartoon is a picture. Besides, it is not for the children. It