Alankrita doesn’t understand why a democratic nation would want to impose a dress code:
The veil , however confuses me. I find the basic idea of covering up to prevent others from getting tempted, unadulterated nonsense. But there are those who choose to. I might find that choice stupid, or ill-informed or even regressive. But then [...]
Archive for the 'Secularism' Category
Unveiling martyrs
Published by June 23rd, 2009 in Culture, Human Rights, Racism, Religion, Secularism, Women and World. 0 CommentsThe Carvakas
Published by May 25th, 2009 in Culture, History, India, Literature, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsNamit Arora throws some light on the Carvakas, the tradition of materialistic thought in ancient India:
According to the Carvaka, the soul is only the body qualified by intelligence. It has no existence apart from the body, only this world exists, there is no beyond—the Vedas are a cheat; they serve to make men submissive through [...]
The brown man’s burden
Published by May 13th, 2009 in Activism, Adivasi, Caste, Dalit, Democracy, General Elections 2009, Human Rights, India, Politics, Prejudice, Religion, Secularism and Women. 0 CommentsAnother good post (after Adnan’s) that I found today: Jason Keith Fernandes looks critically at the dynamism of the ‘Friends of the BJP’:
It is because the BJP and the ‘Friends’ stresses this coded language of the club, that they appeal to the middle-class constituents of the ‘minority’ groups in India. ‘We are one of you’ [...]
The Great Indian Circus
Published by March 31st, 2009 in Business, Caste, Culture, Dalit, General Elections 2009, History, Human Rights, India, Media, Politics, Religion, Secularism, Society and Women. 1 CommentMaloy Krishna Dhar, ‘having seen Indian elections since 1952 as a school kid, managing a couple of these exercises during service career in the IB, manipulating a few on orders of the ruling cabal and witnessing the bones, marrows, and soul of the Indian electoral process’ describes an encounter with an election manager of a [...]
Majlis faces tough times
Published by March 16th, 2009 in General Elections 2009, History, Politics, Religion and Secularism. 2 CommentsAdnan wonders if the Majlis will lose the Hyderabad parliamentary seat in this elections:
Though it is believed that despite the middle-class and educated class openly speaking in favour of Zahid Ali Khan and opposting the hooliganism by Majlis cadre, the masses may still vote for Majlis.
Khan says that he is fighting a corrupt and communal [...]
The lessons of history
Published by March 14th, 2009 in History, Politics, Religion, Secularism and South Asia. 0 CommentsRaza Rumi asks Pakistanis to pay heed to the lessons of history (post-Babri and post-Gujarat and post-Mangalore, Indians should pay heed too, I think):
The most dangerous sign of the times is the anti-US rhetoric, appropriated by the extremists, which has confused an exploited citizenry. Key segments of Pakistan’s power-wielders and thinkers are silent, trying to [...]
L K Advani’s blog
Published by January 16th, 2009 in Blogging, India, Politics and Secularism. 11 CommentsAnd we have Mr Advani joining the Indian blogosphere as well. Go over and read his views on secularism:
Now India has been recognized for what it is, a country with the material and human resources to become one of the most important players in the global market. But the very success of the market economics, [...]
‘..a game and a passing delight, a show’
Published by December 2nd, 2008 in 26/11, Activism, India, Politics, Religion, Secularism, South Asia and Terrorism. 0 CommentsTerrorism-and this includes terror resorted to by non-state actors as well as by the state-today poses a grave threat to the peoples of both India and Pakistan. Islamist and Hindutva terrorism feed on each other, while posing to be each other’s most inveterate foes. I recall reading some years ago-I cannot recall where, though-the perverse [...]
Bombay attacked
Published by December 2nd, 2008 in 26/11, India, Media, Politics, Religion, Secularism, South Asia, Terrorism and World. 0 CommentsSepoy, at Chapati Mystery, questions the experts in the Western press:
Then there was someone named Reena Ninan waxing eloquently about “our 9/11? on FOX News. Which, to the anchor, meant only that India must now act like US did (given the usual suspects, so far):
1. Bomb Pakistan
2. Bomb Dubai
3. Bomb Somalia
4. Bomb England
Here is Dalrymple [...]
‘Some of us did not die’
Published by December 1st, 2008 in India, Politics, Religion, Secularism, South Asia and Terrorism. 0 CommentsA lot of bloggers are angry with politicians- Harini wants the entire geriatric class in politics to take up vanaprastha:
As i watch the news and the announcement of Shivraj Patil’s resignation – i am left numb. Why was he allowed to continue when he was so bloody inept? I am left even colder by the [...]
‘Defending the faith’
Published by November 20th, 2008 in Justice, Politics, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsTrailblazer believes that India’s ‘political class has shown a sheer lack of courage to embrace the secular ideals of the country that, to an extent, the people have adopted already’
This way, I now have a fair idea about how politics functions in this country. There is a ruling Government, that apparently sells party tickets to [...]
Three caveats
Published by November 18th, 2008 in Religion, Science & Technology and Secularism. 0 CommentsMeera Nanda tells you why she criticizes Hinduism:
Like Manoj and other Indian rationalists, I have often been chided by fellow Indians – fairly mainstream, middle-class bhadralok, most of them — for picking on Hinduism. I am asked if I am so concerned about irrationalities and pseudo-sciences, why don’t I take on Islam and Christianity? Aren’t [...]
The Second One State Solution Week.
Published by November 17th, 2008 in Activism, Religion, Secularism and South Asia. 0 CommentsWhite Ribbon Campaign announces it’s support for the Second One State Solution Week, which flagged off today and is on until the 23rd of November 2008.
This is an event that tries to gather voices in favour of a tighter political coalition between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Bloggers, writers and rabble rousers are invited to say things, [...]
More on Sonal Shah
Published by November 14th, 2008 in Indiaspora, Politics, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsJo suggests she is guilty by association:
Well, I wouldn’t blame her friends supporting her (after all they are her ‘friends‘), but I am not sure about some of their substantial reasons in their articles in support that “I am a born Christian and an atheist…” or “I am a Muslim but never felt…” kind of [...]
Responsibility by Association
Published by November 14th, 2008 in Indiaspora, Politics, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsAnasuya joins the debate on Sonal Shah:
My key disappointment with the entire debate that has sprung up over Shah’s appointment – and her own response to it – is that it continues to be framed, if unwittingly, in problematic binaries: in the waning days of Bush, we still seem to settle on ‘you’re either with [...]
‘Toxic convergence’
Published by November 13th, 2008 in Development, Human Rights, Poverty, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsWhile in Gujarat, chief minister Narendra Modi organised pogroms to kill Muslims in 2002, here in West Bengal we have “cadre terror” and “party rule” in place of the law and order stipulated under the Constitution of India.
Besides, in West Bengal, Muslims are systematically deprived and excluded, with the result that the fabled “peace” that [...]
‘Terrorism is un-Islamic’
Published by November 12th, 2008 in Human Rights, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsThey planned, spent their own money and organised the mega conference. Called spiritual leaders of other communities from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to Swami Agnivesh, and spoke in one clear voice. And said it loudly, ‘Terrorism is un-Islamic’ and cleared the myths about Jehad. Still, this is not the last such event.
Such strong voice of [...]
‘Peace requires that justice be done’
Published by November 11th, 2008 in Justice, Regulation, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsWhile we have laws to offer protection to every vulnerable section of our society (women, children, workers and for specific marginalized groups), Mihir Desai and Titoo Ahluwalia (of Citizens for Peace) argue we need special legislation to protect those who are left out- victims of sectarian violence:
We need only look at the Srikrishna Commission Report, [...]
Secularism from a Dalit perspective
Published by October 31st, 2008 in Caste, Dalit, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsRatnesh Katulkar critiques mainstream secularism:
The next step of the mainstream secularists is showing the similarities between Hinduism and Islam for instance both believed in divine books, what [...]
Congress’ genies: the Sena then, MNS now
Published by October 22nd, 2008 in Politics, Prejudice and Secularism. 0 CommentsHow does Raj Thackeray get away with all that he does? Ramanand has a short insightful post on the MNS’ latest acts of violence:
Nikhil Wagle may be shrill, but the guy has guts. Of all the people on all the news channels, he is the only one to do what he has been doing for [...]
‘..none of yer bleddy business!!!!’
Published by October 20th, 2008 in Religion, Secularism and Women. 0 CommentsThe Mad Momma is mad at people who don’t understand what ‘tolerant and broadminded’ is:
A few days ago a friend (?) asked if we were going to take the kids to watch Ravana being burnt. No I said, with the Bean’s asthma and the current state of affairs (terror attacks etc) we don’t want to [...]
Open letter from PEN
Published by October 11th, 2008 in Politics, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsAt Space Bar’s blog, an Open Letter from PEN expressing ‘anguish and outrage at the continuing brutalities visited upon Christian communities and places of worship in Orissa and Karnataka, and elsewhere’ and an appeal addressed loosely to the central government:
We call upon the Indian Government to ensure that hate speech is outlawed from the domain [...]
Bland Spice draws a lesson from two documentaries which draw different ‘realities’ from the same genocide- beware of the dangers of analogies and generalizations:
What is the Indian collective? Exactly, when do I transform from a UP-wallah in Mumbai, to a general category candidate pitted vs. the SC/STs, to a saffron flag waving zealot? Note: in [...]
‘The real terrorists’
Published by September 26th, 2008 in Human Rights, Justice, Politics, Prejudice, Religion and Secularism. 6 CommentsNusrat Abbasi posts some very disturbing pictures which remind us of the ‘glorious deeds’ of the ‘real terrorists’:
My mind tells me not to post these images here. But without seeing them many of us would not even consider giving a second thought to the horrors faced by Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindu terrorist [...]
The truth about the Ramayanas
Published by September 21st, 2008 in Culture, Literature, Religion and Secularism. 0 CommentsRimi Chatterjee questions the Parivar’s right to meddle with what happens in the classroom:
The irony of it is, the Ramayanas the BJP is so het up about are so often subaltern texts, created and sustained by groups marginalised from the Indian mainstream, which may now only find a haven in the rarefied realms of academia, [...]
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