Narendra Modi: dubious politics, good economics
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS
Narendra Modi's victory has been ascribed to two factors - an unsubtle exploitation of Hindu communal sentiments and an admirable record of economic development.
While the first can be described as the standard defining characteristic of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second reason is new in Indian politics. It is also all the more unusual because the growth has been the result of market-friendly policies, marking a sharp departure from the country's customary, if unrewarding, faith in "socialism".
Can Owaisis give their politics a non-sectarian twist?
By Saeed Naqvi,
Unlike the Aam Aadmi Party which overestimated its potential after an outstanding debut in Delhi, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Asaduddin and Akbaruddin Owaisi is expanding cautiously.
During recent state elections in Maharashtra, they ventured outside the confines of Hyderabad. They made measured forays in 26 constituencies which were once part of the Nizam’s state. The experiment succeeded. They won two and in the remaining 24 they performed with honour intact.
Three mosques: Muslim generosity would electrify Hindu masses
By Saeed Naqvi
The 25th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition has rekindled debate: Why was it demolished, historical wrongs, Mandal Commission inviting a Mandir...
थोड़ा-सा जहर, रस्सी, इच्छा-मृत्यु और रोहित वेमुला का खत
नासिरूद्दीन
18 दिसम्बर 2015 यानी ठीक एक साल पहले. हमारे जैसे सभ्य नागरिक समाज के लोगों का एक आम-सा दिन था. मगर हैदराबाद केद्रीय...
Collective failure in protecting the rights of migrant labourers
Dr Farrukh Khan and Somya Mishra
During this entire period of back-to-back 3 lockdowns and 4th version coming soon, if there is someone who has...
Fiji courts China to Indian community’s dismay
By Mohan Balaji, IANS,
Shunned by others for failing to establish democratic rule, Fiji is actively courting China, much to the dismay of its large Indian community.
Fiji's and China's mutual attractions are understandable. Fiji was expelled from the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum after the military ousted the elected government.
Isolated regionally and beyond, it has found an apt ally in China to ward off diplomatic pressure, including from the UN Security Council. Beijing can veto any resolution against Fiji if pressed by the US and Britain.
We don’t need al-Qaeda
By Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam,
Of late we have been reading reports in a section of the press about al-Qaeda’s plans to enter countries of...
Hashimpura: the black chapter in the history of UP Police
By Vibhuti Narain Rai
You get subject to some experiences that stick with you throughout your life. They always stay with you like a nightmare and sometimes are like debts on your shoulders. The experience at Hashimpura was such an experience for me.
The night of 22-23 May of the year 1987 which I spent in the wild undergrowth along the stream flowing through the Makanpur village situated on the Delhi Ghaziabad border looking for any living souls amidst the dead bodies covered with blood in the dim light of my torch- everything is engraved in my memory like a horror movie.
Indian police evolve in crime fiction
By Vikas Datta,
The roles have been reversed in crime fiction. As the genre was born, it was amateur detectives like Sherlock Holmes who...
Rice seeks Arab advice on Iran
By Maria Appakova,
MOSCOW : A number of meetings on the Greater Middle East took place in the UN headquarters in New York this week. One of them was of particular interest.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice initiated a meeting between the Security Council members and Germany on the one hand, and Arab countries on the other, to discuss Iran.
It was the first time that the West had invited regional states to discuss Iran on such an official level. On the Arab side, the meeting was attended by Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Muslim MPs spent just 17% of constituency fund in 2009-10
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
In another shameful revelation, Muslim Members of Indian Parliament have been found doing very little for the people of their constituencies. The Muslim Members of Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Indian Parliament, spent just 16.86% of the annual central government fund for their constituencies in the year 2009-2010.
Mira Road, Thane: An oasis of hope
Among many challenges and hurdles marking the Indian Muslims in 2013 like a beacon of hope comes across for Indian Muslims in 2013 is the story of Mira Road.
Book Review: A Necessary Engagement—Reinventing America’s Relations With the Muslim World
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Name of the Book: A Necessary Engagement—Reinventing America’s Relations With the Muslim World
Author: Emile A. Nakhleh
Publisher: Princeton University Press, Princeton & Oxford
Year: 2009
Pages: 162
Price:
ISBN: 978-0-691-13525-0
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
160 villages electrified last week: Government
New Delhi : The union power ministry electrified 160 villages in the country last week, the ministry said on Monday.
"Of the electrified villages, 57...
Role of APHC in Kashmiri politics
By Dr Shabir Choudhary, NAK
London : All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is back in news again, and this time apparently for good reasons – unity- which it desperately needs in order to arrest its fast deteriorating image and standing. For the past many years it has been war of attrition and allegations against each other which dominated politics of APHC groups.
Dangerous Portents in Jammu and Kashmir: a view from Doda
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Twice removed from reality: Muslim orthodoxy vs courts and liberal opinion
By Mohd Asim Khan
New Delhi : Are divine decrees more sacrosanct than the man-made laws? Do the "personal laws" of a community always have...
Left struggles to remain relevant in 2014
By Anjali Ojha and M.R. Narayan Swamy
New Delhi: The Communists will be fighting with their back to the wall -- perhaps for...
BJP rising to power again?
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
BJP is preparing to assume reigns of power again at the Centre. It has assumed as if it will come to power and Mr. L.KAdvani will be the Prime Minister of India. The success in the southern state of Karnataka has tremendously boosted its morale. Though BJP knows it cannot come to power of its own, it is preparing for striking alliances both in north as well as in south. In south it may try to woo TDP again.
British leaders eye Indian votes
By Anasudhin Azeez,
As the campaigning for the British parliamentary election enters its final phase, Prime Minister David Cameron and other leaders are eyeing undecided voters, especially among the 700,000 strong Indian community.
The polling began at 7 a.m. (GMT) on Thursday (12.30 p.m. IST). Ironically, the fate of Britain - the oldest democracy in the world - is in the hands of a few thousand immigrants from its erstwhile colony India.
Wheel chairs, ramps for disabled voters this election
By Rupesh Dutta
New Delhi: Delhi’s over 80,000 disabled voters, including the visually challenged and hearing impaired, will get special attention on April 10, the...
Holistic development of youth is need of the hour
By Rajat Arora
Youthhood is considered a crucial period for establishing a positive well-being in a lifetime of a human being but a vast number...
He asked me if he’ll die or live: Hangal’s son
By IANS,
Mumbai: A.K.Hangal's son Vijay says he was speechless when the veteran actor asked him whether he will live through his ordeal in the hospital.
Modi Government’s development plans systematically erasing Tribal identity
By Rajaraman Sundaresan for TwoCircles.net,
Democracy in many ways is a collection of plural spaces which involves civil rights groups, protest movements,...
After Manipur cop’s admission on ‘fake encounter’ PUDR demands prosecution of his superiors
By TCN News,
New Delhi: In the wake of sickening on-camera confession by Manipur Police head Constable Thounaojam Herojit Singh of killing an unarmed...
The unspoken truth in Iran’s nuclear report
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS
The publication of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on the Iranian nuclear weapons programme by the US intelligence community has taken the world by storm since that estimate contradicts the views of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons programme in the fall of 2003 and has not resumed it.
Mumbai attack media coverage more theatrical than professional
By Najam Gilani, TwoCircles.net,
In the event of terrorist attack on Mumbai we all were made witness to those horrific live scenes----Courtesy news channels and its reporters. It was the kind of coverage which has not been witness in the decade old private industry of Indian electronic media. It generated more of flak and less of praise for Journalists/Reporters/Broadcasters. It also raised some serious question which needs some serious answers.
Landmarks of India’s freedom struggle in Delhi
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed, IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian capital is full of landmarks - some quaint, some prominent - associated with the struggle for Indian independence. Here are some:
The dilemma of Jamaat-e-Islami in a secular India
By Dr Wasim Ahmad,
I studied in a madrasah, Jami‘atul Falah, which has many nice objectives written down (http://www.jamiatulfalah.org/). Besides, however, the written objectives of Jami‘atul Falah, there is one more (implied) objective. It is to prepare individuals for Jamaa‘at-e-Islami (Tahreek-e-Islami ke liye afraad tayyaar karna). This is because the Jami‘atul Falah was founded by the members of Jamaa‘at-e-Islami Hind.
Revival of India’s merchandise exports on the horizon
By Sushma Ramachandran, IANS,
The outlook for India's merchandise exports now looks set to improve over the next few months, giving rise to hopes that a positive growth will finally be recorded by January 2010. The exports data for September clearly shows that the rate of decline has dropped considerably, even as global demand has picked up.
Will anything change in India with new prime minister?
By Amit Kapoor,
The mood for change in the country is strong, and it is imminent that we would have a new prime minister and quite likely with a significant majority. We are all under the veil of the audacity of hope thinking in assuming that the office of the new prime minister will sway a magic wand and things will immediately start remarkably improving.
With no end to feud, Mulayam-Akhilesh look for life beyond the ‘cycle’
By Mohit Dubey
Lucknow: Attempts at striking some sort of a patch-up or compromise between the warring factions of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP)...
मुसलमानों को ‘दीन बचाओ, देश बचाओ’ कांफ्रेंस से क्या मिला?
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
पटना के ऐतिहासिक गांधी मैदान में इमारत-ए-शरिया के बैनर तले ‘दीन बचाओ, देश बचाओ’ कांफ्रेंस में लाखों मुसलमान शरीक हुए. ...
Height is not everything, Mr Houghton
By K. Datta, IANS,
It appeared as if nothing else mattered when the six-week IPL cricket show was on your television screens. Hardly was that exciting period over when the Euro 2008 grabbed eyeballs. Again, it appears nothing else matters for viewers of sports channels. But not quite so, you can take my word for it.
Yechury seeks Mukherjee’s intervention in Hyderabad varsity issue
Hyderabad: CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention in the University of Hyderabad issue, where a Dalit research scholar...
Can Modi be compared to Hitler?
By Ram Puniyani,
With Modi coming to power in the 2014 elections various analysts have been arguing about the shape of things to come in very diverse ways. Modi himself is being compared to the likes of Nixon, Margret Thatcher, Reagan on one side and Hitler on the other. His being compared to Hitler has met with severe criticism by many other commentators (‘Comparing Hitler’s Germany with India 2014 is odious’, Marcus Pindur and Padma Rao Sunderji, HT 23rd may 2014) have strongly come out saying that Modi is no Hitler and India of 2014 is very different from Germany of 1930s. The authors argue that after the defeat of Germany in the First World War, Germany was going through a rough patch which was worsened by the great depression of late 1920s and this created a situation of the rise of Hitler and his genocidal politics. The second factor which they assert is about the weakness of German Democracy where the Nazi’s with just 30% of the votes could come to power.
Lowering juvenile age to curb offences doubtful prescription
By Parmod Kumar,
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Menaka Gandhi's suggestion to lower the lower the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 so that those accused of heinous crimes such as rape can be punished instead of being sent to reform homes is an outdated proposition.
Suicide trend spreading at rapid rate among women in Kashmir
By Mushtaq ul Haq Ahmad
The Valley of Kashmir has seen many upheavals and downfalls in the last twenty years of armed conflict and turmoil giving rise to new catastrophes and calamities. Suicide is also one such trend that has been taking its roots in the Kashmiri society and what is the cause of more concern is that this is spreading at a rapid rate among womenfolk of Kashmir.
What if Modi becomes Indian premier?
Four myths about India's leading prime ministerial candidate
By Cedric Prakash,
As a Christian and particularly a Jesuit priest, I take stands and believe that while...
मेहसी: सरकार की मार झेलता ‘बिहार का मोती’
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
मेहसी (बिहार) : एक ज़माने में ‘बिहार का मोती’ कहा जाने वाला मेहसी अब बस एक नाम बनकर रह गया...
Men against violence-3 : Violence strike at one’s heart
By Nasiruddin Haider Khan,
Dhaka : Why we talk so passionately about gender based violence? Why do we put so much energy on it? The big question is WHY? WHY?? WHY??? Answer lies on the impact of violence. Is not so?
Why I hate the IPL
Dr. Shah Alam Khan,
To qualify as an Indian, it is essential that you love cricket, it is important that you gossip, it is vital to fall in love with pelvic thrusting actors and cajoling actresses on the celluloid screen and it is quintessential that you make money the quick (and sometimes the wrong) way. The saga of Indian Premier League (IPL), the beleaguered cricket league of India, is no exception to these general rules of Indianness.
आरटीआई के 12 साल : धार खोता कमज़ोरों का हथियार
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
क़रीब बारह साल पहले बड़ी उम्मीदों के साथ देश में आए सूचना का अधिकार क़ानून (आरटीआई) से अब लोगों का भरोसा...
The Annual of Urdu Studies: Urdu scholarship in English language
Urdu scholarly journal seeks immediate help to continue publishing
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
News of Urdu’s demise has been written many times. But Urdu has continued to grow at steady pace because of a few dedicated souls, one of them being Prof. Muhammad Umar Memon. He is the editor and publisher of the Annual of Urdu Studies, the only scholarly journal about Urdu in English language.
Muslim-West clash: My insightful trip to Germany
By Mohammad Reyaz,
“I have grown certain that the root of all fear is that we’ve been forced to deny who we are”.
Aaj pacchees
By Shafeeq Mahajir for TwoCircles.net,
Today’s newspapers carried two stories.
Five under-trial prisoners, handcuffed, are transiting under guard with armed police. Arms carried are INSAS rifles and AK-47 assault rifles. The police van carrying them stops because one of them wants to relieve himself. The group, all five under-trial prisoners, handcuffed, is at the end of their “terrorism” trial, and the expectation the families of the under-trial prisoners have is that they would be acquitted. The man gets down, urinates and returning to the van, “snatches” an AK-47 assault rifle from a policeman and fires twice at an officer in the front seat. The policeman whose weapon is snatched does nothing to snatch it back? The officer however, though in the front seat with his back towards the events unfolding at the rear, is alert, and ducks, evading the two bullets, and saves himself. Good man.
Three factors that influenced Uttar Pradesh elections
By Faraz Ahmad, Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi: The decision of the electorate in Uttar Pradesh to give Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati a clear majority in the assembly and an opportunity to rule India's most populous state for five years with no crutches or obstacles has not been an overnight development.
The defeat of Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party in the latest election, and also the reverses for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, has not surprised many in the state, whatever the reaction in the national capital may be.
‘A tragedy to Mumbai, is a tragedy to me’
By Anupam Kher, IANS,
Born in Shimla, in the foothills of the Himalayas, I came to Mumbai 27 years ago in search of a career. That career eventually gave me a chance to showcase my talent, according me national recognition, and also some fame. I am thankful for that chance the city gave me.
Census 2011: India’s Muslims are no better today than a few decades earlier
BY Sourjya Bhowmick, Via Catch News
Recently released Census 2011 data based on religious faiths has revealed that Muslims have the lowest share...
Coach Bob Houghton scores a point
By K.Datta, IANS,
You may not agree with all that coach Bob Houghton has got to say, but you can't agree more when he cries that the pace at which Indian football is moving is painfully slow. In fact, what is true of Indian football is also true of other sports and indeed most facets of life and endeavour in the country, including its march on the road to economic progress.
Religious Diversity and Hinduisation of press
Read First Part here: Communal agenda and Hindi press in a globalizing India
Dr Arvind Das
In today’s world the media is the prime factor for...
This Ramzan, be a good husband: Say No to domestic abuse
By Asma -Nama
I know, it must sound odd to you.
A woman giving a piece of advice to men?
What’s more, asking them to...
क्या मुस्लिम सिर्फ ‘आतंकवादी’ और ‘राष्ट्रद्रोही’ ही रहेगा?
नैयर इमाम,
कुछ दिनों पहले फूलन देवी की पुण्यतिथि बीती है. मल्लाह जाति से आने वाली फूलन देवी का सामूहिक बलात्कार उच्च जाति के दबंगों...
Agra welcomes drive against encroachment
By Brij Khandelwal
Agra: Agra is breathing easy as there are fewer road jams in the Taj city following a major drive launched two weeks...
Liberal media to Modi’s aide
After the recent reverses BJP suffered in the assembly elections, many scions of so-
called liberal media have got busy theorizing the loss as anti-incumbency....
For a change, let’s listen to him
By Nirmala Deshpande, IANS
I was just six years old when I had the first 'darshan' of Mahatma Gandhi. I cannot really say that I talked to him, but it was a rare and unique experience. I belong to Nagpur and Gandhiji's Sabarmati Ashram was just 80 km from there. Gandhiji used to travel by train in a third class compartment. That day my mother sent me and my cousin to the railway station to receive my uncle. The train was coming from Mumbai via Nagpur to Howrah.
Trend-Setting in Islamic Publishing: Good News from Goodword
By Yoginder Sikand
Established in 1996, Delhi-based Goodword Books has emerged as one of India's leading Islamic publishing houses. Founded by Saniyasnain Khan, son of the well-known Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, it has brought out more than 400 titles so far, in Urdu, English and Hindi.
An open letter to Australian PM on ‘clean chit’ to his Indian counterpart in...
By Abdul Majid Zargar,
Excellency,
While on a two day state visit to India, you have stated that Narendra Modi, as Gujarat Chief Minister should not be blamed for the 2002 riots in the state as he was just a "presiding officer" who has been cleared in "endless inquiries". We understand your compulsions in promoting trade & commerce with India, particularly the sale of vast stocks of unsold uranium left with your country following US led sanctions on Russia but disprove your award of a clean chit to Mr. Modi based on vague understanding of facts without any hard evaluation of evidence, direct or circumstantial.
In Hailakandi, a father-son duo might hold edge over their rivals
By Amit Kumar, Twocircles.net
Hailakandi: The district of Hailakandi, Assam, has been a hotspot of political activity in the past few weeks, and...
The great Indian land theft
By Jaspal Singh for TwoCircles.net,
I have been following the debate in parliament and outside about the land theft bill in India. Thousands of farmers marched to Delhi on foot to protest this land theft and land grab by the corporates shielded by the state and government. It reminded me of earlier stories, that when invaders and marauders would raid India they would forcibly take women and children with them, to enrich themselves. Their logic was the same what the proponents of land theft are giving that they need them and they can put them to a better use and that otherwise they are just idling away.
“Desh ko bachao”: AAP’s promise to the slums of Indore
By Vanya Mehta, TwoCircles.net,
Living in trash is not a condition kind to the human sensibility. In a slum in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in Javar Nagar bordering the wealthy enclave of Kathju Colony, a community of 250 families suffers, but not in silence.
Has demonetisation hurt the BJP’s chances in upcoming UP polls?
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net
A month after demoentisation, politics in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh is in a state of flux. Till the first week of...
Death of a Muslim woman: Missing son surrenders, denies he kidnapped Minor
By Ayesha Minhaz for Twocircles.net
Hyderabad, February 22: When Mohammad Muqtar returned home to Doma village of Ranga Reddy District (Telangana) on Friday night, his...
Women’s security: Time to establish accountability
By B.R.P.Bhaskar, IANS,
Leaderless and unorganised groups of young men and women have been demonstrating demanding women's security and just punishment to perpetrators of the Delhi gang-rape.
Shiv Sena ire against Shah Rukh Khan
By Ram Puniyani,
A fortnight ago (January 2010) Shah Rukh Khan, the celebrated film star, voiced his opinion that Pakistani Cricket players should not be prevented from playing in IPL cricket League. This sparked a big row of protest from the local Shiv Sena supporters, who criticized Khan and tore the posters of his film, ‘My Name is Khan’, they also went on to say if Shah Rukh’s ‘Khan’ is awakening he should very well go to Pakistan and be there.
India’s first moon mission: Chandrayaan-1
By Hidayath Ansari
India launched its first mission to the moon – Chandrayaan-1 (Sanskrit for moon craft) – on Wednesday morning (October 22) from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota off the Andhra Pradesh coast. It has had a flawless week travelling through space so far (orbiting at an altitude of 267,000 kms as of Wednesday), and in another 10 days, it is expected to reach the moon's orbit to conduct several long-term studies related to the moon's surface and atmosphere.
Olympics may make China more obdurate over Tibet
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS,
The Dalai Lama's reported acceptance of Communist Party rule in Tibet as a gesture of sincerity to bring the resolution of the Tibetan issue within grasp is bit of a non sequitur.
Sudarshan Shetty to curate ‘more democratic’ Kochi Biennale
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram : Sudarshan Shetty, one of the most innovative contemporary artists in India, was on Wednesday named the curator of the third edition...
Vindictive ‘democracy’
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat,
A priest was found to have ‘sacrificed’ his wife to please the God in Indore, a story revisited the gory “tandoori murder” of Naina Sahni by her politician husband Sushil Sharma, who is serving life imprisonment in the jail and wanted to spend time with his mother to perform his ‘sonly’ duties. Girls are being hanged to deaths after being gang raped and political class as a whole speak of controlling time and choices. It is not that we suggest here that all the ills of the country began with the current government but there are certain trends.
Roma people, an Indian heritage at stake in Europe
By Madhu Kumari, EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The European Union feels proud of its anti-discrimination laws and equality for all its citizens through treaties and legislation.
That is all except the Roma people, better known as Gypsies or travellers, are fast becoming the "untouchables" of Europe.
Roma people originally migrated from Northern India some 700 years ago to mainly Eastern Europe, and from there now exist in almost all of the EU 27 member states.
Negotiating with Undeclared Emergency
Pushkar Raj for TwoCircles.net,
Last month, Hyderabad police registered a case against Prof. Kancha Ilaiah for writing an article in a Telugu daily, entitled ‘Is...
The making of Gujarat
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Part 2 of TwoCircles.net series on Gujarat
Don’t lose touch with heritage, J&K CM tells youth
Jammu : In their pursuit of science and technology, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir should not lose their connect with heritage and traditional...
Form of big names made selectors’ job easy
By Veturi Srivatsa,
The list of 30 probables for the 2015 World Cup in the Antipodes has no surprises unless someone thought Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan or Harbhajan Singh would make it.
Coronavirus and the myth of freedom
By Muhammed Tauqeer
It’s been more than 70 years since the independence of India, an arduous journey of freedom from the British colonial rule; a...
Why Microsoft’s $45 bn bid is good for Yahoo
By Prasanto K. Roy, IANS
One may call this a hostile bid, but it's good for Yahoo - for the valuation. If Yahoo agrees, it needs to cross shareholder and regulatory roadblocks. But even so, Microsoft and Yahoo together won't add up to becoming serious competition for market leader Google.
This could be the mother of all tech mergers: a $44.6-billion bid by Microsoft for Yahoo, at 62 percent premium over the market price for Yahoo stocks.
The dark side of Asia with Inspector Singh
By Vikas Datta,
Well-settled around the world, the Indian diaspora has a lively literary tradition but this is somewhat deficient in their depiction of people in a work setting. Overseas Indians write about themselves, but a fictional character in a public role - law enforcement, for example - in the increasingly multi-ethnic societies they inhabit is a rare exception.
How can the Congress shed its ‘Muslim party’ image?
By Amulya Ganguli for IANS:
Ever since the A.K. Antony committee identified the Congress's Muslim "appeasement" tag as a major reason for its electoral reverses,...
Kejriwal opposes Lalu’s dynasty politics
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday told his party that he was opposed to RJD leader Lalu Prasad's dynasty politics...
Opening address at the World Conference on Dialogue
By King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, CGNews,
In the name of God, most merciful, most compassionate.
Praise be to God Almighty, who revealed in his Holy Book: "O mankind! We have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of [God] is (he who is) the most righteous of you."
And peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and on all the prophets and messengers.
Your Majesty, my friend, Juan Carlos, King of Spain:
Act on Liberhan report, now
By Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam,
Soon after we became a republic, governments of the day started using a standard (and by now, too familiar) a ploy to wriggle out of sticky situations like massive anti-Muslim riots and financial scandals. That ploy was, and continues to be, the appointment of inquiry commissions “to look into the matter”, the officialese for a probe.
The Hindi-Urdu divide in news reporting
A comparative reading of Dainik Jagran and Inquilab
By Shaheen Nazar,
Managing bureaucracy the Narendra Modi way
By Amit Kapoor,
We are seeing the seeding of a remarkable shift and modification of some archaic structures and mechanisms in the country. These were clearly archaic, reflective of the Raj and exploitative to the extent that they enslaved the country's population. The masters of this were none other than the bureaucracy, which had become the epitome of morally corrupt across the world.
Kashmir outcome may provide Mufti, Modi with new opening
By Saeed Naqvi,
Srinagar-New Delhi, India-Pakistan and Hindu-Muslim are basically one complex of issues. That there is a symbiotic relationship between the three becomes apparent every now and then. But there is, at policy levels, an aversion to see the glaring reality.
Glorifying encounter killings in Hindi movies
By Almas Ahmad
“Tum log society ka kachra hai ... main society ka jamadar”
(You people are the trash of the society…and I am the cleaner of...
Hijab is my ornament: Mumbai corporator Afreen
TCN Special Series on Women of Inspiration
By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Five-star activists vs non-state actors
By Amulya Ganguli ,
While making the unwarranted and unsubstantiated allegation of how the judiciary is scared of "five-star" activists belonging to NGOs, Prime Minister...
Sustainable agriculture can be the back-bone of Indian economy
By Amit Dwivedi,
"Who said agriculture is a business of loss. I am saving more than Rs 80,000/- (about USD 1,750) every year and providing bread & butter to my 11 family members who are dependent on me," said Prabhavati Devi, who lives in Sardar Nagar block of Gorakhpur district. She has one and half acres land in which she is producing more than 86 types of crops annually. Prabhavati Devi is doing organic farming, which is a very reliable method of sustainable agriculture resulting in high production at low cost.
Memories of turbulent times, difficult loyalties: Tan Twan Eng’s Malaysia in war novels
By Vikas Datta,
Among historical events that have left an enduring influence, the Second World War is certainly one that lives up to its name. Its European, African and American components are adequately depicted, but the Asian experience, while not entirely absent, is quite under-represented. And this is despite the early 20th century being quite a tumultuous era for the region - older conflicts (the China-Japan War) segueing into the World War, which in its wake, sparked a spate of decolonisation and freedom struggles, some of them violent. But there are promising voices appearing, such as Malaysian lawyer-turned-author Tan Twan Eng with his first two intricately-crafted, evocative novels of the war and its effects in his ethnically-diverse homeland.
RSS not in favour of President’s rule in Kerala
By Brajendra Nath Singh
Thiruvananthapuram, (IANS): The RSS on Saturday demanded that the Centre depute a fact-finding probe by a statutory body into the killings of...
Straddling the world of words in India
By Roswitha Joshi, IANS
Recently a German nephew visited me in Delhi and after listening to a conversation between my Indian husband and myself was surprised that we switch effortlessly between three languages, namely English, German and Hindi. He then asked me whether we do it for any particular reason. And I spontaneously replied: "No. In fact, I had not even been aware of these switches. They have become so normal."
People of faith should come together to oppose communalism: Shakeel Ahmad
Shakeel Ahmad is the Administrator of the Cell for Legal Help and Guidance of the Jama‘at-I Islami’s Gujarat unit and is also the head of the Islamic Relief Committee (IRC), based in Ahmedabad. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand, he talks about inter-community relations in Gujarat.
YS: Three years after the anti-Muslim pogroms in Gujarat, what significant changes are taking place among Muslims in the state?
All eyes on Election Commision as Mamata’s blue-eyed boy runs riot
By Anurag Dey
Kolkata : He is no magician, but assures the opposition would vanish on polling day. He has no qualms about asking his...
Scrapping of Planning Commission, Is It a Sound Idea?
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
Planning commission has been scheduled to be dissolved and shutdown to be replaced by new institution. In his first Independence Day...
COVID vaccine: Is it Halal or not?
By Asad Mirza, TwoCircles.net
It’s not only the Muslims, even Hindus and Jews have raised questions about the use of the COVID vaccine, due to...
A man’s battle for women’s rights
Feeling lost amidst academics spewing jargon at a recent seminar on Muslim women, I was relieved to meet Nasiruddin Haider Khan, ...
CPI-M is damned if it does, damned if it doesn’t
By B.R.P. Bhaskar, IANS,
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo meets July 5-6 to grapple with the worrying problem of sectarianism in its Kerala unit. Few political observers believe it is in a position to act decisively.
Is it the beginning of the end for Modi?
By Nasiruddin Haider Khan
I have been to Gujarat for the third time this year for my studies and work. Every time I have returned with a new experience. New dimensions get added to my database which I have gathered by reading and talking to others.
Countering Hate and Violence: What Should Minorities Do?
By Ram Puniyani
The violence against religious minorities has been on the rise during last few years. Many a reports tell us not only about...
Maharashtra polls: Congress has edge, Pawar in decline
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The Maharashtra assembly elections have assumed an even greater importance for the Congress in the aftermath of its recent setbacks in the by-elections in Gujarat. Besides, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)'s good showing in Bihar, along with that of its junior partner, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), has also been discomfiting to the party.
The only way for the Congress to recover its poise is to fare well in Maharashtra, the home of India's financial capital Mumbai.
In this election, choose long-term vision over short-term gains
By Sam Pitroda,IANS,
As the world's biggest exercise in democracy gets underway, there is a sense of expectation and anticipation. With an electorate of 714 million people eligible to vote, there is a tremendous opportunity for the people of India to elect a government that will deliver results and improve the growth trajectory of the country.
In the present election environment of personal attacks and popular slogans, it is important to look at the long term implications and a concrete developmental agenda.
A faster, higher, stronger fix: the sport of live coverage
By Chitra Padmanabhan, IANS,
On Aug 24, after the stupefying finale of the Beijing Olympics, it was time to whip out the little black book.
The Games were over and the familiar withdrawal symptoms were raising their ugly head. How fast the two Olympic weeks had flown by, despite the wonderfully botched coverage by Doordarshan.
Now where could one get one's next high, next fix? Cricket in Sri Lanka? Tennis at the US Open? When is the Twenty20, dash it?
Khurram Parvez’s organisation wins Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: Philippines-based Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) headed won the Democracy and Human Rights Award for its...
How BJP got its biggest win ever?
By Dr Shahnoor Rahman,
India, being the largest democracy in the world, the identification and special care of the poor and deprived of the society -- mostly the Dalits and minorities by the government is the most important thing for social justice. This is the most important thing as well so that everyone can contribute towards the progress of the country.
UN Security Council seat: China outsmarts India
By Sreeram Chaulia, IANS,
The symphony of South-South cooperation at the recent conclave of foreign ministers of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) at Yekaterinburg was jarred by China's refusal to endorse India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC). In the joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Chinese delegates scotched Russian proposals of supporting India's cause of entering the elite league at the UNSC.
Taj Mahal, Aleppo And Our Future!
By Mansoor Durrani
The period between 12th and 16th Century is considered the peak of Muslim rule in the world. In line with their...
A new deal for Gujarat
By Manish Tewari,
BJP and Congress are preparing for the big fight in December. Here, Manish Tewari, AICC secretary looking after Gujarat, argues that Modi’s ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ is a myth that will not hold
Search for a Gujarati
By Nasiruddin Haider Khan
Muslim-Hindu Relations in Jammu Province – Part 1
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Full Series: Muslim-Hindu Relations in Jammu Province
Stemming rot in criminal justice system: be tough, act fast
By Radhika Kolluru
The latest scandal in the trial in what is known as the BMW hit-and-run case has once more brought to the forefront the issue of vitiated trials caused by prosecution-defence collusion provoking calls for reform of the criminal justice system. The issue however, is not one of lack of checks and balances within the system - but of diligent and deliberate application and enforcement of those checks and balances.
Kolkata soaks in Christmas fervour
Kolkata : Enjoying the irresistible aroma of baking cakes and brewing wines and of spending quality time with loved ones, Kolkata on Friday deluged...
What is so funny about mass murder?
By Mohammad Zeyaul Haque,
The author looks at the variety and veracity of Indian Muslim leadership in the context of the latest bout of ethnic cleansing in Assam
India needs to act with Indonesia for Indo-Pacific security
By Saroj Mohanty,
"This is the time to return to Jalesveva Jayamahe (in the ocean we will triumph). For too long, we've neglected the seas, oceans, straits and bays... We must possess the soul of Cakrawarti Samudra (emperor of the sea)," Joko Widodo, the newly sworn-in president of Indonesia said in his inaugural address last month, outlining his vision of turning the archipelagic nation the world's "maritime axis".
Outgoing Russian President Putin makes impressive achievements
By Liao Lei, Ma Mengli, Xinhua
Moscow : Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin has made numerous impressive achievements during his two terms including the consolidation of the Kremlin's power and the marked improvement of economy, analysts say.
Dmitry Medvedev, first deputy prime minister of Putin's cabinet, has won Russia's fifth presidential election, according to the preliminary results announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC) Monday.
Modi government: Path charted, its time now for action
By Arvind Padmanabhan,
The address to parliament delivered by President Pranab Mukherjee Monday, outlining the policy priorities of the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not only one of the most comprehensive in recent times but also reflects the vast task that lies ahead in implementing the promises made to India's 1.2 billion people - and others watching the world's third largest economy - that good times are indeed on the horizon.
Visually challenged twin brothers, role models for everyone
A Year-long Series on Education, Sponsored by The Aligarh Forum : - A Mirror on our Efforts, our Successes & our Shortcomings ; Stories...
Kiran Bedi is not the only reason BJP lost
By M.R. Narayan Swamy,
It will be too tempting to solely blame it all on Kiran Bedi, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, for the party's humiliating rout in Delhi. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be committing a blunder if it does not accept the larger ugly reality that the main culprit for the colossal loss is the party's leadership. Just how much of the blame should go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and how much to BJP president Amit Shah is a matter of perception.
Jammu’s cold breaks 71-year record
Srinagar: With the minimum temperature settling at barely half a degree Celsius above the freezing point, Jammu city on Sunday recorded its coldest...
Saluting Courage: Memorial for Vasant Rajab
By Ram Puniyani,
Gujarat violence (2002) was horrific. In this, after the burning of train in Godhra in which 58 innocents died, the same...
Indian farmers face harder life ahead: Studies
By Max Martin,
The unseasonal rain and erratic weather -- which are unsettling the Indian farmer and the nation's agriculture, economy and politics -- are no aberrations, according to global studies. Extreme rainfall in central India, the core of the monsoon system, are increasing and moderate rainfall is decreasing, as part of complex changes in local and world weather.
PCLM: Knocking the doors of UN against Vatican
Dalit Christians constitute 70% of the total Christian population in India but they have no share in the Church-run institutions. Indian church (should) stop...
A Response to Hindu Rashtra and Idea of India
By Saif Ahmad Khan,
In an article published for The Millennium Post titled “Hindu Rashtra and the idea of India” (25th August, 2014), Delhi University Associate Professor Dr Sangit Ragi argued, “A river is always identified with and known after the dominant stream. So is the culture. When RSS talks of Hindu Rashtra it signifies the majoritarian makeup of this nation, which defines both its character and distinctiveness.” If we try and reconcile this analogy of Dr Ragi with the idea of India then we would but obviously conclude that India as a nation represents a culture which is Brahminic in nature, masculine in terms of gender and heavily tilted in favour of Hindi-speaking and comparatively fair skinned North Indians.
Indian coaches have burnt their bridges
By Veturi Srivatsa,
What exactly is the role of Ravi Shastri, the new director of cricket operations of the Indian team now in England to complete a tortuous tour playing five one-dayers and a Twenty20 game after losing the five-Test series 1-3?
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