The document discusses the role of media in societies with different political structures, and the dangers faced by media in more authoritarian or communal societies. It provides examples of attacks on journalists in India including during the Babri Masjid demolition and in Gujarat in 2002. Communalism is defined as the exploitation of religion for political goals, and communal ideologies are seen as a threat to free media and equal rights. Examples are given of journalists being targeted, killed, or imprisoned for their work in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and elsewhere.
HANGING FIREThe trend among death row convicts to get their execution delayed through appeals and curative petitions is a major talking point in legal circles with even the CJI saying it is extremely important in such cases to have some finality
The nation has been witnessing a strange debate on the issue of chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It all began with a statement made by RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat Ji while participating in a discussion on “value-based and nationalistic education” at annual meeting in Nagaur (Rajasthan). Referring to controversy over anti-India slogans raised in JNU he had said: “Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It should be real, spontaneous and part of the all-round development of the youth.”
Partition of India & Patriotism of India Muslimsmdafsarali
The real truth of History. Partition of India was a planned political ploy of the rulling class /Caste to sustain power in the hands of minority albeit in the name of "democracy".
Ever since the word Hindutva loomed on our political landscape, I have been wondering as to what it actually means. It is a Sanskrit word, a combination of Hindu and -tva and can be translated variously as the Hindu way of life or Hindu-ness. To understand this we need to understand the origins and the meaning of the word Hindu.
Werner Menski uses the methodology of legal pluralism to analyze the relationship between Hinduism and human rights. He outlines two goals: to show how human rights activism fails to properly involve Hindus, and to examine how Hindus have developed their own understanding of rights while failing to adequately represent their perspectives to others. Menski argues that "Hinduism" and "human rights" are complex concepts that are oversimplified in discourse. He examines the tensions between pluralism and rights, including analyzing the 2002 Gujarat riots and criticisms of the Hindu caste system and views of gender and religious domination. Menski concludes that blaming either Hindus or activists is unproductive and that both sides must work to better understand each
- The document discusses the strategy of right-wing Hindu nationalist groups in India to stoke communal tensions and violence between religious minorities in the lead up to the 2014 national elections. It details how groups like the RSS and Bajrang Dal have provoked conflicts between Muslims and ethnic communities or spread misinformation to blame violence on minorities. The goal is to polarize the electorate along religious lines and benefit the BJP in the elections by creating a fearful, communal atmosphere. The document warns that as the 2014 elections near, violence targeting religious and ethnic minorities will likely increase as communal forces will stop at nothing to achieve power.
Press Note On Whats Happening In Kashmir MeetingMohan Kumar
The document summarizes a meeting held in Chennai, India to discuss the situation in Kashmir. Khurram Parvez and Khalid Wasim spoke about the ongoing oppression of Kashmiris by Indian armed forces, including thousands killed over the decades. Parvez noted that while oppressors try to kill dreams of freedom, they cannot kill the idea. He detailed ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir, including thousands killed even during peace talks. The document criticizes India's militarization of Kashmir and lack of consideration for Kashmiri self-determination.
This document provides an overview of the perspectives of various individuals regarding Narendra Modi and the 2002 riots in Gujarat. It begins by introducing Zafar Sareshwala, a Gujarati Muslim businessman who initially led campaigns against Modi but later changed his view after engaging with Modi. The document then discusses the accounts and perspectives of several other individuals in Gujarat, including politicians, activists, and ordinary citizens, both Hindu and Muslim. It aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of Modi and the riots beyond the "Hate Modi campaign" by sharing on-the-ground accounts and perspectives of those in Gujarat. The author plans to do further research and fact-checking during multiple visits to Gujarat
HANGING FIREThe trend among death row convicts to get their execution delayed through appeals and curative petitions is a major talking point in legal circles with even the CJI saying it is extremely important in such cases to have some finality
The nation has been witnessing a strange debate on the issue of chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It all began with a statement made by RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat Ji while participating in a discussion on “value-based and nationalistic education” at annual meeting in Nagaur (Rajasthan). Referring to controversy over anti-India slogans raised in JNU he had said: “Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. It should be real, spontaneous and part of the all-round development of the youth.”
Partition of India & Patriotism of India Muslimsmdafsarali
The real truth of History. Partition of India was a planned political ploy of the rulling class /Caste to sustain power in the hands of minority albeit in the name of "democracy".
Ever since the word Hindutva loomed on our political landscape, I have been wondering as to what it actually means. It is a Sanskrit word, a combination of Hindu and -tva and can be translated variously as the Hindu way of life or Hindu-ness. To understand this we need to understand the origins and the meaning of the word Hindu.
Werner Menski uses the methodology of legal pluralism to analyze the relationship between Hinduism and human rights. He outlines two goals: to show how human rights activism fails to properly involve Hindus, and to examine how Hindus have developed their own understanding of rights while failing to adequately represent their perspectives to others. Menski argues that "Hinduism" and "human rights" are complex concepts that are oversimplified in discourse. He examines the tensions between pluralism and rights, including analyzing the 2002 Gujarat riots and criticisms of the Hindu caste system and views of gender and religious domination. Menski concludes that blaming either Hindus or activists is unproductive and that both sides must work to better understand each
- The document discusses the strategy of right-wing Hindu nationalist groups in India to stoke communal tensions and violence between religious minorities in the lead up to the 2014 national elections. It details how groups like the RSS and Bajrang Dal have provoked conflicts between Muslims and ethnic communities or spread misinformation to blame violence on minorities. The goal is to polarize the electorate along religious lines and benefit the BJP in the elections by creating a fearful, communal atmosphere. The document warns that as the 2014 elections near, violence targeting religious and ethnic minorities will likely increase as communal forces will stop at nothing to achieve power.
Press Note On Whats Happening In Kashmir MeetingMohan Kumar
The document summarizes a meeting held in Chennai, India to discuss the situation in Kashmir. Khurram Parvez and Khalid Wasim spoke about the ongoing oppression of Kashmiris by Indian armed forces, including thousands killed over the decades. Parvez noted that while oppressors try to kill dreams of freedom, they cannot kill the idea. He detailed ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir, including thousands killed even during peace talks. The document criticizes India's militarization of Kashmir and lack of consideration for Kashmiri self-determination.
This document provides an overview of the perspectives of various individuals regarding Narendra Modi and the 2002 riots in Gujarat. It begins by introducing Zafar Sareshwala, a Gujarati Muslim businessman who initially led campaigns against Modi but later changed his view after engaging with Modi. The document then discusses the accounts and perspectives of several other individuals in Gujarat, including politicians, activists, and ordinary citizens, both Hindu and Muslim. It aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of Modi and the riots beyond the "Hate Modi campaign" by sharing on-the-ground accounts and perspectives of those in Gujarat. The author plans to do further research and fact-checking during multiple visits to Gujarat
This document summarizes the debate around characterizing Hindu nationalism in India as "fundamentalism".
- Some Western scholars have labeled Hindu nationalist movements as fundamentalist, pointing to similarities with religious movements in the West. However, many Indian scholars reject this characterization, arguing the term dismisses India's unique history and social context.
- Those who oppose the fundamentalism label argue that Hindu nationalism has complex economic, social, and political roots in India's experience with colonialism and policies like affirmative action, rather than being solely about religious concerns. Religious symbolism is seen as a symptom, not a cause.
- While religious nationalism exists globally, Indian scholars emphasize examining it through India's own historical lens rather than
Their numbers are abysmal. While there
has never been a woman chief justice, they
form just nine percent of Justices in High
Courts. What can be done to make the
Judiciary more egalitarian?
By Professor Upendra Baxi
Narendra Modi is an inspirational leader that brings hope to millions of Indian citizens who are struggling to survive in a corrupt nation AND he strikes fear into the hearts & souls of the pseudo- intellectuals who are screaming their opposition to his ascent towards the Prime Minister's Office.
A first attempt at exploring the parallels between Hindutva (essense of "Hindu" thought) and the tenets of classical liberalism. Pl contribute and share widely. Thanks
The document discusses the political philosophy of Hindutva. It states that Hindutva is a manifestation of Dharma, or righteousness, and is rooted in Hindu traditions of pluralism and tolerance. It promotes nationalism, individual liberty, rule of law, minimal government, and economic freedom. The document seeks to provide context and spur discussion to refine understanding of Hindutva, acknowledging that the analysis is incomplete. It invites contributions to further the discussion.
1998 - Deportations of Bengali speaking Muslims from Mumbaisabrangsabrang
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
The document summarizes findings from Right to Information applications regarding the implementation of the Justice Srikrishna Commission report on the 1992-1993 Mumbai riots. It finds that most police officers indicted for violence faced little or no punishment, with many receiving token punishments or being acquitted or exonerated. Politicians accused of fomenting violence, such as Bal Thackeray, also avoided prosecution or conviction. Of the hundreds of cases filed regarding the riots, only a small fraction resulted in convictions while most ended in acquittals or were left dormant. The document concludes that survivors and citizens have been repeatedly let down by the state government's failure to properly prosecute those responsible for the communal violence.
The Supreme Court’s gave the fatwa ruling in the public interest petition filed by an advocate VishwaLochan Madan.The petitioner was prompted to file the petition subsequent to the fatwas issued in the cases of Imrana, Asoobi and Jatsonara.
Judgment Safai Karamchari Andolan vs. UOI 27.3.2014sabrangsabrang
This document is a Supreme Court of India judgment regarding the eradication of manual scavenging in India. Some key points:
- Manual scavenging involves the removal of human excrement by hand and is considered an inhuman and degrading practice rooted in India's caste system.
- The 1993 Employment of Manual Scavengers Act and the 2013 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act were passed to abolish the practice but implementation has been ineffective.
- This case has been ongoing since 2003 to push the national and state governments to fully enforce the laws and eradicate manual scavenging, rehabilitate scavengers, and eliminate dry latrines. The court has issued
The document discusses the wide powers that trial courts have under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to order re-investigations and investigate further during criminal trials. It notes that trial courts can charge new accused persons and summon them if the court believes they may have been involved in the offense based on evidence presented. However, the document argues that trial courts do not always make full use of these powers and provides several examples from a specific case where important witnesses were not examined or summoned. It emphasizes that courts have a duty to actively oversee proceedings and ensure a fair trial, rather than just acting as passive observers. The document advocates that trial courts should play a more proactive role in collecting evidence to arrive at the truth
This document provides a detailed timeline and mapping of the organized violence against Muslims that occurred across 16 districts of Gujarat, India from February 28th to March 4th, 2002. Key details include:
- Violence erupted in multiple towns and villages across districts, with mobs numbering in the thousands attacking and killing Muslims and burning and looting Muslim homes and businesses.
- The worst violence occurred from February 28th to March 2nd across Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Sabarkantha and Panchmahal districts.
- Attacks included mass killings, rape, and arson, with little police intervention reported. Over 250 people were killed across multiple incidents in towns like Gulberg Society, Naroda, and
Communal riots in india: A Chronology (1947-2003)sabrangsabrang
Communal riots have been a recurring issue in India since independence in 1947. This document provides a chronology of major communal riots from 1947-2003, highlighting the locations, communities/organizations involved, casualties, and key findings of official inquiry commissions. While initial riots were related to partition violence, later riots often stemmed from local political and economic tensions, and more recently have been linked to the rise of Hindutva politics. The nature and causes of riots have shifted over time, with underlying issues typically involving conflicting political and economic interests rather than purely religious motives.
Bombay High Court - Judgement on Aseem Trivedi, Sedition Casesabrangsabrang
This document is a judgment from the Bombay High Court regarding a Public Interest Litigation filed in response to the arrest of political cartoonist Assem Trivedi under charges of sedition for cartoons he published. The court summarizes the events, including Trivedi's arrest and release on bail under a previous court order. It also discusses the legal positions around freedom of speech under the Constitution and the sedition law. While the sedition charges against Trivedi have been dropped, the court examines the legal issues around invoking sedition to determine if and when such charges could infringe upon constitutional rights.
Communalism and the state (target chirstians, orissa, karnataka)sabrangsabrang
This document summarizes instances of religious violence against religious minorities in India across different states and time periods. It discusses the 2002 Godhra riots in Gujarat that killed over 2,500 Muslims, as well as sustained attacks against Christians in Orissa in 2007-2008 that displaced over 50,000 people. It also describes attacks on 57 churches in Karnataka in 2008. The document argues that these outbreaks of violence were not isolated, but rather the culmination of long-term persecution and hate speech against religious minorities in these states, met with impunity by state governments. It provides examples of anti-Christian and anti-Muslim rhetoric and actions dating back to the late 1980s in some states.
Indian media turns a deaf ear to issues of caste and mass mobilization. At the outset of our niche independent journalistic journey, we had tracked how the 1992-1993 post Babri Masjid demolition violence dropped off the coverage of the national media especially when crucial witnesses of the affected minority began deposing before the Justice BN Srikrishna Commission from 1993-1998. (Communalism Combat, August 1994..Sounds and Silences).
Supreme Court of India - Judgement on Muzaffarnagar Violencesabrangsabrang
This document is a summary of a Supreme Court of India judgment regarding communal riots that broke out in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in September 2013. It summarizes the key details of the case, including:
1) Several writ petitions were filed seeking protection and rehabilitation for victims, as well as compensation, action against offenders, and prevention of future violence.
2) Serious allegations were made regarding the failure of police to provide security, resulting in reported gang rapes of minority community women.
3) The petitions sought directions for security, CBI inquiry, constitution of an SIT to investigate, rehabilitation of victims, registration of FIRs, compensation for victims, action against rape accused,
The document outlines the timeline of struggles between 1989-2016 between workers union PCSS and cement companies Holcim and ACC over issues like contract labor, wages, benefits and regularization of workers. Some key events include:
- Comrade Niyogi leads struggles in 1989 and is assassinated in 1991 during protests.
- In 1992, police firing kills 17 workers during a protest.
- A long legal battle ensues over regularization of contract workers, culminating in an industrial court order in 2006 and appeals until 2016.
- Protests and negotiations continue periodically over issues like minimum wages, false cases against union members, and implementation of court orders.
- A settlement is finally signed between PCSS and Laf
United Nations Documents Related to Housing and Land Rights in Indiasabrangsabrang
The body of international law consists of United Nations (UN) treaties that nation states, including India, have ratified. This makes State Parties legally obliged to implement their provisions. The UN human rights system—including treaty bodies and charter-based bodies such as the Human Rights Council and Special Procedures—has also developed mechanisms to report on, assess, and monitor human rights across the world. These mechanisms have, over the years, made observations, comments, recommendations, and issued public statements and communications to State Parties with regard to acts of commission and/or omission related to the realisation of human rights and implementation of international law and policy.
Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) has compiled relevant documents of UN mechanisms that pertain to the issues of housing and land in India.
This document summarizes the debate around characterizing Hindu nationalism in India as "fundamentalism".
- Some Western scholars have labeled Hindu nationalist movements as fundamentalist, pointing to similarities with religious movements in the West. However, many Indian scholars reject this characterization, arguing the term dismisses India's unique history and social context.
- Those who oppose the fundamentalism label argue that Hindu nationalism has complex economic, social, and political roots in India's experience with colonialism and policies like affirmative action, rather than being solely about religious concerns. Religious symbolism is seen as a symptom, not a cause.
- While religious nationalism exists globally, Indian scholars emphasize examining it through India's own historical lens rather than
Their numbers are abysmal. While there
has never been a woman chief justice, they
form just nine percent of Justices in High
Courts. What can be done to make the
Judiciary more egalitarian?
By Professor Upendra Baxi
Narendra Modi is an inspirational leader that brings hope to millions of Indian citizens who are struggling to survive in a corrupt nation AND he strikes fear into the hearts & souls of the pseudo- intellectuals who are screaming their opposition to his ascent towards the Prime Minister's Office.
A first attempt at exploring the parallels between Hindutva (essense of "Hindu" thought) and the tenets of classical liberalism. Pl contribute and share widely. Thanks
The document discusses the political philosophy of Hindutva. It states that Hindutva is a manifestation of Dharma, or righteousness, and is rooted in Hindu traditions of pluralism and tolerance. It promotes nationalism, individual liberty, rule of law, minimal government, and economic freedom. The document seeks to provide context and spur discussion to refine understanding of Hindutva, acknowledging that the analysis is incomplete. It invites contributions to further the discussion.
1998 - Deportations of Bengali speaking Muslims from Mumbaisabrangsabrang
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help protect against mental illness and improve symptoms.
The document summarizes findings from Right to Information applications regarding the implementation of the Justice Srikrishna Commission report on the 1992-1993 Mumbai riots. It finds that most police officers indicted for violence faced little or no punishment, with many receiving token punishments or being acquitted or exonerated. Politicians accused of fomenting violence, such as Bal Thackeray, also avoided prosecution or conviction. Of the hundreds of cases filed regarding the riots, only a small fraction resulted in convictions while most ended in acquittals or were left dormant. The document concludes that survivors and citizens have been repeatedly let down by the state government's failure to properly prosecute those responsible for the communal violence.
The Supreme Court’s gave the fatwa ruling in the public interest petition filed by an advocate VishwaLochan Madan.The petitioner was prompted to file the petition subsequent to the fatwas issued in the cases of Imrana, Asoobi and Jatsonara.
Judgment Safai Karamchari Andolan vs. UOI 27.3.2014sabrangsabrang
This document is a Supreme Court of India judgment regarding the eradication of manual scavenging in India. Some key points:
- Manual scavenging involves the removal of human excrement by hand and is considered an inhuman and degrading practice rooted in India's caste system.
- The 1993 Employment of Manual Scavengers Act and the 2013 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act were passed to abolish the practice but implementation has been ineffective.
- This case has been ongoing since 2003 to push the national and state governments to fully enforce the laws and eradicate manual scavenging, rehabilitate scavengers, and eliminate dry latrines. The court has issued
The document discusses the wide powers that trial courts have under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to order re-investigations and investigate further during criminal trials. It notes that trial courts can charge new accused persons and summon them if the court believes they may have been involved in the offense based on evidence presented. However, the document argues that trial courts do not always make full use of these powers and provides several examples from a specific case where important witnesses were not examined or summoned. It emphasizes that courts have a duty to actively oversee proceedings and ensure a fair trial, rather than just acting as passive observers. The document advocates that trial courts should play a more proactive role in collecting evidence to arrive at the truth
This document provides a detailed timeline and mapping of the organized violence against Muslims that occurred across 16 districts of Gujarat, India from February 28th to March 4th, 2002. Key details include:
- Violence erupted in multiple towns and villages across districts, with mobs numbering in the thousands attacking and killing Muslims and burning and looting Muslim homes and businesses.
- The worst violence occurred from February 28th to March 2nd across Ahmedabad, Mehsana, Sabarkantha and Panchmahal districts.
- Attacks included mass killings, rape, and arson, with little police intervention reported. Over 250 people were killed across multiple incidents in towns like Gulberg Society, Naroda, and
Communal riots in india: A Chronology (1947-2003)sabrangsabrang
Communal riots have been a recurring issue in India since independence in 1947. This document provides a chronology of major communal riots from 1947-2003, highlighting the locations, communities/organizations involved, casualties, and key findings of official inquiry commissions. While initial riots were related to partition violence, later riots often stemmed from local political and economic tensions, and more recently have been linked to the rise of Hindutva politics. The nature and causes of riots have shifted over time, with underlying issues typically involving conflicting political and economic interests rather than purely religious motives.
Bombay High Court - Judgement on Aseem Trivedi, Sedition Casesabrangsabrang
This document is a judgment from the Bombay High Court regarding a Public Interest Litigation filed in response to the arrest of political cartoonist Assem Trivedi under charges of sedition for cartoons he published. The court summarizes the events, including Trivedi's arrest and release on bail under a previous court order. It also discusses the legal positions around freedom of speech under the Constitution and the sedition law. While the sedition charges against Trivedi have been dropped, the court examines the legal issues around invoking sedition to determine if and when such charges could infringe upon constitutional rights.
Communalism and the state (target chirstians, orissa, karnataka)sabrangsabrang
This document summarizes instances of religious violence against religious minorities in India across different states and time periods. It discusses the 2002 Godhra riots in Gujarat that killed over 2,500 Muslims, as well as sustained attacks against Christians in Orissa in 2007-2008 that displaced over 50,000 people. It also describes attacks on 57 churches in Karnataka in 2008. The document argues that these outbreaks of violence were not isolated, but rather the culmination of long-term persecution and hate speech against religious minorities in these states, met with impunity by state governments. It provides examples of anti-Christian and anti-Muslim rhetoric and actions dating back to the late 1980s in some states.
Indian media turns a deaf ear to issues of caste and mass mobilization. At the outset of our niche independent journalistic journey, we had tracked how the 1992-1993 post Babri Masjid demolition violence dropped off the coverage of the national media especially when crucial witnesses of the affected minority began deposing before the Justice BN Srikrishna Commission from 1993-1998. (Communalism Combat, August 1994..Sounds and Silences).
Supreme Court of India - Judgement on Muzaffarnagar Violencesabrangsabrang
This document is a summary of a Supreme Court of India judgment regarding communal riots that broke out in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in September 2013. It summarizes the key details of the case, including:
1) Several writ petitions were filed seeking protection and rehabilitation for victims, as well as compensation, action against offenders, and prevention of future violence.
2) Serious allegations were made regarding the failure of police to provide security, resulting in reported gang rapes of minority community women.
3) The petitions sought directions for security, CBI inquiry, constitution of an SIT to investigate, rehabilitation of victims, registration of FIRs, compensation for victims, action against rape accused,
The document outlines the timeline of struggles between 1989-2016 between workers union PCSS and cement companies Holcim and ACC over issues like contract labor, wages, benefits and regularization of workers. Some key events include:
- Comrade Niyogi leads struggles in 1989 and is assassinated in 1991 during protests.
- In 1992, police firing kills 17 workers during a protest.
- A long legal battle ensues over regularization of contract workers, culminating in an industrial court order in 2006 and appeals until 2016.
- Protests and negotiations continue periodically over issues like minimum wages, false cases against union members, and implementation of court orders.
- A settlement is finally signed between PCSS and Laf
United Nations Documents Related to Housing and Land Rights in Indiasabrangsabrang
The body of international law consists of United Nations (UN) treaties that nation states, including India, have ratified. This makes State Parties legally obliged to implement their provisions. The UN human rights system—including treaty bodies and charter-based bodies such as the Human Rights Council and Special Procedures—has also developed mechanisms to report on, assess, and monitor human rights across the world. These mechanisms have, over the years, made observations, comments, recommendations, and issued public statements and communications to State Parties with regard to acts of commission and/or omission related to the realisation of human rights and implementation of international law and policy.
Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) has compiled relevant documents of UN mechanisms that pertain to the issues of housing and land in India.
The document describes an Independent People's Tribunal held in September 2015 to examine the claims and realities of development and rehabilitation related to the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) on the Narmada River in India. It provides background on the history of opposition to the SSP by affected communities and the Narmada Bachao Andolan, outlines the tribunal process and parties involved, and summarizes the key issues raised over 30 years of struggle regarding rehabilitation of affected families, environmental impacts, and compliance with legal judgments.
Main points: 1) Hindu philosophy is rising in popularity in the west; 2) Independent India is rooted in political Hinduism and the rise of Hindu philosophy in the West is no accident; and 3) Hindu dominion tends towards totalitarianism because the philosophy is, at its core, supremacist.
Secularism , majoritarianism , identity in final solutionGoswami Mahirpari
This summarizes a research article about Mahesh Dattani's play "Final Solutions" and how it addresses issues of religious majoritarianism and identity construction in India. The play is set during a time of rising Hindu nationalism and explores how religious identity politics can divide the nation along Hindu/Muslim lines and repress religious minorities. It uses a family as a microcosm of Indian society to show how prejudices towards religious out-groups develop and how people construct their identities in relation to the dominant ideology of majoritarianism. The play suggests the need to move beyond religious prejudices and see a shared national identity to promote social harmony.
Secularism , majoritarianism , identity in final solutionGoswami Mahirpari
1) The play Final Solutions by Mahesh Dattani explores the politics of religious majoritarianism in India and how it constructs a predominantly Hindu national identity that others religious minorities like Muslims.
2) The play shows how Hindu nationalist ideology promotes the view that Muslims must assimilate fully into Hindu culture and identity, which threatens the erasure of Muslim culture and identity. It legitimizes the oppression of Muslims by portraying them as disloyal to the nation.
3) Dattani uses the play to analyze how majoritarian nationalism replaces India's secular constitution with a rigid "orthodoxy of being" defined by Hindu dominance, undermining religious and cultural pluralism.
This document summarizes the Two Nation Theory, which argues that Hindus and Muslims constitute two distinct nations in South Asia. It discusses the origins and evolution of the theory, outlining key figures like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Allama Iqbal, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah who advocated for it. The theory was based on the idea that Hindus and Muslims were culturally and religiously distinct communities that could not exist as one nation under majority Hindu rule. This ideological difference ultimately led to the partition of British India into two independent states - Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Mob lynching in India - questions of marginalization and representationSanjukta Basu
This document discusses mob lynching in India and the everyday lives and marginalization of women. It provides background information on mob lynching cases since 2010 according to IndiaSpend data. It then discusses the specifics of one high-profile case in 2015. The document explores how to understand mob lynching through historical and social science frameworks. It argues that marginalization in India's context cannot be understood through migration-based theories and must consider the exclusion of Muslims from Indian nationalism. The document also notes the need to consider marginalization within marginalized communities, including the experiences of women, in order to have a more complete understanding of issues like mob lynching.
Khushwant Singh - The End of India (2003, Penguin Books) - libgen.lc.pdfTabrezAhmad23
Analysing the communal violence in Gujarat in 2002, the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, the burning of Graham Staines and his children, the targeted killings by terrorists in Punjab and Kashmir, Khushwant Singh forces us to confront the absolute corruption of religion that has made us among the most brutal people on earth. He also points out that fundamentalism has less to do with religion than with politics. And communal politics, he reminds us, is only the most visible of the demons we have nurtured and let loose upon ourselves.
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online
Nationalism refers to a nation's shared identity and desire for self-determination. Modern nationalism has 13 core beliefs including common feelings, territory, government, culture, history, and religion. Two prominent figures discussed the relationship between religion and politics - Gandhi favored introducing religion into politics, while Iqbal said Islam had historically saved Muslims. The Two Nation Theory emerged arguing Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations that could not coexist, with Jinnah being a key proponent. Factors like history, politics, religion and culture contributed to the development of a distinct Muslim nationhood in South Asia.
This document discusses key concepts related to the ideology and creation of Pakistan. It defines ideology as a set of ideas that underpin a political, cultural, or economic system. The two-nation theory held that Hindus and Muslims constituted two distinct nations in South Asia. Key figures who advocated for this view include Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Allama Iqbal, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who led the movement for a separate Muslim homeland and the establishment of Pakistan in 1947. The document outlines their contributions and examines the differences between ideology and the two-nation theory.
Hindutva movement and future of muslim minorities in secular india 7.pptxtayyabaehtesham
- The document discusses the Hindutva movement in India and its impact on Muslims as a minority group. It explores how the BJP has used Hindutva ideology for political gains, marginalizing Muslim minorities and undermining India's secular status.
- The research aims to examine Muslims' political strategies and the BJP regime's policies regarding issues like Muslim resettlement, as well as how organized politics can help minority groups face extremism.
- Key findings include the othering and disproportionate treatment of Muslims, Hindutva's hegemony marginalizing Muslim history and culture, and the need for Muslims to maintain their identity while acknowledging the government's authority.
This document discusses the concepts of patriotism, humanism, and nationalism and their relationship to children's education in India. It argues that true patriotism is best allied with humanism, which emphasizes individual liberty, equality, and dignity. Nationalism, when not tied to humanism, can threaten individual rights and promote intolerance. The document examines how humanism and patriotism influenced India's independence movement but warns that some religious nationalistic groups now promote intolerance. It stresses the importance of developing humanist patriotism in children to promote national unity and harmony in India's diverse society.
Nathuram Godse assassinated Gandhi and was sentenced to death. In his final statement to the court, he explained that he revered Hinduism but believed in equality among all Hindus. He criticized Gandhi's support for Muslims and advocacy of non-violence, citing examples from Hindu scriptures where violence was used against aggressors. Godse believed Gandhi's policies were weakening Hindus and leading to the partition of India, which went against his duty to serve and protect Hindus. He said the accumulating provocation over 32 years led him to conclude Gandhi's existence needed to be ended.
What is Communalism?
It is basically an ideology which consists of three elements:-
• A belief that people who follow the same religion have common secular interests i.e. they have same political, economic and social interests. So, here socio- political communalities arises.
• A notion that, in a multi-religious society like India, these common secular interests of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from the interests of the follower of another religion.
• The interests of the follower of the different religion or of different ‘communities’ are seen to be completely incompatible, antagonist and hostile.
Communalism is political trade in religion. It is an ideology on which communal politics is based. And communal violence are conjectural consequences of communal ideology.
Communalism is the greatest threat to India's existence and need to be handled with care
The irony of the alleged lack of free speech in Modi India lies in the absolute freedom of its uninhibited propagation in its subsidiary media. In so far as the right-wing blowback in the social media, the left-libs fall short on the idiom that ‘people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. When it comes to the ‘agencies’ knocking at free speakers’ doors, the legal dictum paraphrased as ‘one must go to town with clean hands’ has to be borne in mind by one and all. Be that as it may, it’s not as if it was all hunky-dory in the Nehruvian order of yore that nurtured the Modi-aggrieved of the day, and this is not an essay of its dark shades but an attempt to reach the roots of the self-defeating Hindu mindset, passing through my life and times.
The irony of the alleged lack of free speech in Modi India lies in the absolute freedom of its uninhibited propagation in its subsidiary media. In so far as the right-wing blowback in the social media, the left-libs fall short on the idiom that ‘people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. When it comes to the ‘agencies’ knocking at free speakers’ doors, the legal dictum paraphrased as ‘one must go to town with clean hands’ has to be borne in mind by one and all. Be that as it may, it’s not as if it was all hunky-dory in the Nehruvian order of yore that nurtured the Modi-aggrieved of the day, and this is not an essay of its dark shades but an attempt to reach the roots of the self-defeating Hindu mindset, passing through my life and times.
The document discusses the role of communal violence in polarizing populations along religious lines and the indifference of the state in failing to stop violence, punish perpetrators, and reward exemplary conduct. It examines how myths and stereotypes are used to demonize and justify violence against victim communities. Several judicial commission reports into past riots are summarized, highlighting how investigations have found Hindu nationalist organizations responsible for systematically poisoning the atmosphere through provocative acts to ignite violence, despite attempts to portray Muslims as the aggressors casting the first stone.
The document provides a biography of Mahatma Gandhi, focusing on his early life, education, family, and political activism. It describes how Gandhi fought for equality and civil rights in South Africa and India through nonviolent protests and civil disobedience. His efforts helped unite Hindus, Muslims, and Christians in India and fight against racism, inequality, and British rule. Though assassinated, Gandhi had a profound global influence and remains a symbol of nonviolence and peaceful protest.
The document provides a biography of Mahatma Gandhi, focusing on his early life, education, family, and political activism. It describes how Gandhi fought for civil rights in South Africa and India, advocating for nonviolent civil disobedience. His efforts helped unite Hindus, Muslims, and Christians in India and fight for independence from British rule. Though assassinated, Gandhi had a lasting influence and continues to be revered for his nonviolent approach to social and political change.
Bjmc i, igp, unit-iii, communalism problems and trendsRai University
Communalism emerged as a modern ideology in India rather than having ancient or medieval roots. It arose as a consequence of the transformation of Indian society under colonialism and the need to struggle against colonial rule. Communalism consists of three stages - first seeing religious groups as having common political and economic interests rather than other identities, second believing the interests of different religious groups diverge or conflict, and third declaring the interests of religious groups as mutually incompatible or hostile. While the three stages differ, they provide a continuum that can feed more extreme forms of communalism. Communalism obscures real divisions in Indian society along lines of language, culture, class, and region.
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DI SEGUITO SONO PUBBLICATI, AI SENSI DELL'ART. 11 DELLA LEGGE N. 3/2019, GLI IMPORTI RICEVUTI DALL'ENTRATA IN VIGORE DELLA SUDDETTA NORMA (31/01/2019) E FINO AL MESE SOLARE ANTECEDENTE QUELLO DELLA PUBBLICAZIONE SUL PRESENTE SITO
Combined Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Vessel List.Christina Parmionova
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Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
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Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO)
North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC)
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Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
The Combined IUU Fishing Vessel List merges all these sources into one list that provides a single reference point to identify whether a vessel is currently IUU listed. Vessels that have been IUU listed in the past and subsequently delisted (for example because of a change in ownership, or because the vessel is no longer in service) are also retained on the site, so that the site contains a full historic record of IUU listed fishing vessels.
Unlike the IUU lists published on individual RFMO websites, which may update vessel details infrequently or not at all, the Combined IUU Fishing Vessel List is kept up to date with the best available information regarding changes to vessel identity, flag state, ownership, location, and operations.
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
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Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
2024: The FAR - Federal Acquisition Regulations, Part 42
Media and Democracy
1. 1
In all societies, with different political structures, be they
authoritarian or democratic, the role of the media is a unique
one. It records, it exposes, it comments, it reflects and it
postulates.
There are tendencies within more authoritarian societies for the
media to come under attack, often to face life threats.
The tragic death of Daniel Pearl (official report of his death
was released on Jan 29, 2002) within Pakistan recently is an
example. Within Indian democracy, the increasing growth of
authoritarian tendencies under the garb of communalism, have
in recent decades hampered and endangered the functioning of
journalists.
In any democracy, the right to equality, the freedom to
practice one’s faith and the right to live with dignity go hand
with hand with the freedom of expression with includes the
right to dissent. If minority rights are fundamental to a
democracy, democracy is unimaginable without the freedom of
expression.
Media – Coverage of Communal Conflict
2. 2
Communalism
One of the more widely accepted definitions of the word, communalism, is the
exploitation or manipulation of religion and religious symbols for the
for the pursuit of political power.
Communal ideology and the parties that are the proponents of this ideology are
inherently anti-democracy because the edifice of their worldview posits a world in
which one religious identity assumes emphasis and superiority over others.
Communal parties, outfits and their ideologies are anti-equality and equal rights
since they posits different/varied rights to persons of different faiths.
They deny the concept of equal citizenship, equality before the law and right to
faith and worship.
The growth of communalism and communal ideologies within the Indian
subcontinent therefore endangers the free functioning of the media. Threats to
mediapersons, attacks and assaults on their persons and properties become
common.
Worldwide, conflict situations of different kinds, be they military, ethnic or
otherwise pose a greater danger to the lives and functioning of media practitioners.
What is Communalism?
3. 3
Here are some examples:
1. December 6, 1992: Journalists and
photographers covering the demolition of the
Babri Masjid were brutally bashed up by
kar sevaks and a woman journalist molested
simply because she had a cap on her head.
The President of the Delhi Union of
Journalists, Mr. Anand K. Sahay, in a statement
said that journalists all over the December 6,
were witness to the brutal attack on journalists,
the first of its kind in the annals of modern
Indian democratic life. Karsevaks manhandling
journalist
Media as Victim
4. 4
2. While Pricilla Raj recently obtained bail, historian, author and
columnist Professor Muntasir Mamun, writer and social activist Shahriar
Kabir and freelance journalist and writer on development issues Saleem
Samad suffer in prison for nearly three weeks under
vague charges of "sedition' and section 54 of the CrPC simply because
they have written and been associated with films on Islamic
fundamentalism and the plight of minorities in Bangladesh.
---- South Asia Free Media Association
3. Daniel Pearl was killed, brutally in Pakistan while on a
journalistic, investigative mission in Pakistan. The Wall Street
Journal reporter was kidnapped and then murdered early in early
2002 .
4. A total of 19 journalists were killed worldwide for their work in 2002.
This number marks a sharp decrease from 2001 when 37 journalists
were killed, eight of them while covering the war in Afghanistan. Of the 19
journalists killed in 2002, most were targeted in direct reprisal for their
work, and their killers had not been brought to justice at year's end.
---The Committee to Protect Journalists, New York
Media as Victim
5. 5
5. Print media journalists and television reporters and camera crews were
attacked on more than a dozen occasions during and after the genocide in
Gujarat 2002. The chief minister Narendra Modi’s veiled threat that any
journalist covering communal violence in Gujarat “could face the fate of Daniel
Pearl” has been interpreted as nothing short of a threat.
The culmination was the attack on women
television journalist Barkha Dutt on Sunday,
December 15, 02 in Maninagar constituency
and the involvement and hostility of the local
police in the attack.
Media as Victim
6. 6
Hindutva’s firm belief in the historic tensions and irreconciliabilities
between the Muslim and Hindu psyches or worldviews, is closely linked to
its commitment to the first claim of the Hindu citizen over this land, its
culture, and in today’s context even citizenship. That is it’s concept of
Hindu Rashtra.
The two-nation theory that was the basis for the
creation of Pakistan similarly proclaims this
inherent “difference” between different religious
communities and built up a movement for
Pakistan on the fear that Muslims cannot
expect equal treatment in a majority-Hindu
land and therefore, a Muslim nation/country
was a necessity.
The bloodbath of Partition and the mass
displacement of persons across artificially
drawn borders is a wound that a majority of
Indians in north and western India resonate
with, or react to even today.
Communal Politics
7. 7
Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, who wrote in
his book, We Or Our Nationhood Defined, in 1939 defined Hindutva:
“The foreign races in Hindustan (read all Muslims and Christian) must either adopt
the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence (sic)
Hindu religion, must entertain no idea
but those of the glorification of Hindu race and culture,
i.e., of the Hindu nation and must lost their separate
existence to merge in the Hindu race, or stay in the country,
wholly subordinated to the Hindu Nation, claiming nothing,
deserving no privileges far less any preferential treatment –
not even citizen’s rights. There is, at least should be,
no other course for them to adopt.” (9)…“German race
and pride has now become the topic of the day. To keep up
the purity of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked
the world by her purging the country of the semitic
Races - the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been
manifested here. Germany has also shown how well-nigh
impossible it is for Races and cultures, having differences
going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole,
a good lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by” (10).
Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar
8. 8
Religion not other aspects of human existence is the critereon for the classification and
differentiation of societies for both the proponents of this ideology. Shared histories,
geographies, cultures, language, gender, class and caste are aspects of person’s
identities that are entirely subsumed in the religious one.
Communal ideologies play on history and community driven myths to build images of
the “enemy other.”
The image of the ‘enemy within’ in the Indian subcontinental context is sustained by
the existence of the ‘enemy without.’
Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar
9. 9
Muslim Communalism and the Two Nation Theory
Ironically, just as the national movement was gaining ground against
the British and had drawn in freedom fighters from all communities,
the
ugly face of both Hindu and Muslim communalism reared it’s head.
The fight was for competitive space and also for the idea of India.
As we have seen above, the RSS and Guru Golwalkar’s notion of
India is encompassed in We and Our Nationhood Defined.
In addition, V. Savarkar’s work `Hindutva: Who is Hindu'
(1923) became and remains the basic text defining this political
concept.
Side by side with this notion of the ‘Hindu State’, the simultaneous
rise of Muslim communalism in the politics of the Muslim League
and it’s most vocal advocate, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, not only did
sectarian nationalism dominate the debate but the sub-continent
experienced brutal communal polarisation with Partition.
10. 10
Jinnah and the Muslim League had articulated vocally and later,
aggressively for a Muslim nation on the grounds that there could
never be justice or fairplay for Muslims under ‘Hindu’ rule. The
constituency of the Muslim League was limited to the Muslim elite
but the damage by such aggressive articulations affected the sub-
continental polity.
Most poignant was the desperation felt by Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan also
known as Badshah Khan and ‘Frontier Gandhi’ who literally felt
betrayed by the Congress when they finally accepted Partition. His
famous quote at the Congress session said, “You have thrown me to
the wolves.”
11. 11
Frontier Gandhi is a unique figure in our history as he, influenced by
Gandhi’s non-violence persuaded the Pathans of the North-West
Frontier Province to lay down their swords and accept the path of
non-violence.
His story and contribution used to figure in Maharashtra state’s History
texts till the seventies.
Since, then with the acceptance of a sectarian Hindu nation within our
polity, he has disappeared from our texts here. Our children are
deprived of being introduced to this great figure of sub-continental
history.
(More of the history of communalism in the separate module)
12. 12
Therefore:
Just as the Indian Muslim is held guilty even today for the tragedy of
partition, though only a small percentage of the Muslims in undivided India
supported the idea of division
Temples are demolished in Pakistan and Bangladesh and the Hindu and
Christian minorities targeted there after attacks on minorities take place
within India. This happened soon after the Babri Masjid was demolished at
Ayodhya
These images of the enemy other, the stereotype and the ‘demon’ are
cleverly sustained by myths and stereotypes.
These images of the enemy other, the stereotype and the ‘demon’ are
cleverly sustained by myths and stereotypes.
In this process, the media also plays a part.Peace time is when the
propaganda is systematically spread, bearing fruit at points of heightened
tension and violence. This makes the role of the media critical and decisive.
13. 13
Knowledge of Law, the Constitution and International Human Rights Law .
Knowledge of the History of Conflicts, especially communal conflicts
What is media’s commitment to equity and justice that is genuine
democracy?Should the fourth estate have such a commitment at all?
Increasingly over the past few decades, we have seen the shrinking of space
within the media for democratic issues, issues that affect the vast majority
of the people.
For example: Issues of drought Hunger,Employment,Opportunity
Poverty ,Gender,Labour,etc etc.
Celebrity journalism, beauty contests seem to dominate our images today.
Within this, the failure of the media to recognise and reflect the character of
parties that propagate an anti-democratic worldview and to remind people
of this charecteristic of communal parties serves to exonerate them.
Similarly, attacks on minorities that have increased within India over past
decades have been portrayed as such, as attacks on a section of the
population.
Media and Democracy
14. 14
A better and more comprehensive understanding of the Indian
Constitution and our Fundamental Rights would enable media
practioneers to project such attacks not simply on religious minorities,
but on Indian citizens who have been granted equal rights and
protection before the law.
(Details in Subsequent Sessions on MEDIA and LAW)
However, in brief, Media Practioneers in a Democracy need to have a
fundamental understanding of the concepts of equal citizenship, i.e.
equality and non-discrimination for all regardless of caste, class,
religion, or gender –rights that have been severely eroded in recent
years and Freedom of Faith and Expression.
15. 15
A sketchy knowledge of laws, international and national
Public amnesia/short memory
Failure to track processes
Concentration on Event or Tragedy
Abandoning the Fallout of Events
Valorising the Communal Criminal
Media and Hate Speech
Stereotyping the Minority
Symptoms in media coverage
16. 16
•Knowledge of Laws, International and National
The sketchy knowledge of international and national law results often in the events
being portrayed without their implications being pointed out.
That is, Which rights have been violated?
Which laws broken?
When violent attacks on minorties take place
which of their rights are violated ?
When a Shiv Sena leader says, “ Kick them Out!” about a religious minority which
law is he violating?
Symptoms in media coverage
17. 17
Often the media fails to track an event until it occurs and
Fails to record it’s manifold fallout.
Example.
In mid-1994 in Mumbai leading city dailies abruptly stopped coverage of
the daily hearing of the Justice BN Srikrishna Commission. One senior
editor justified it by saying, ‘that none of our readers objected.’ The other
was more apologetic stating it was an error of ‘omission not commission.’
As a result of this major media lapse, significant findings against
communal criminals were kept from the public eye.
The media therefore unwittingly played along in suppressing events.
(The Sounds of Silence, Communalism Combat, August 1994)
Sensationalising the Event
18. 18
Another aspect of the media has been it’s tendency to blow up and
sensationalise the utterances and statements of leaders of communal parties
who are party to major communal crimes without reminding the public that
they have been guilty of such.
No better example of these can be than those of Shiv Sena chief Bal
Thackeray, leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad who indulge in consistent
hate speech and even the country’s deputy prime minister, Lal Krishna
Advani.
Example:
India Today, the same fortnightly,
that reacted with shock to the bloodletting
following the demolition of the Babri Masjid
on December 6, 1992 had, barely two years
previously, in November 1990, glorified the
man behind the crime.
The India Today, in November 1990, in a cover story titled ‘The Lotus
Blooms’ had featured L.K.Advani’s face on the cover, failing to link his
political ascendancy with brutal communal crimes unleashed all over the
country.
Valorising the Communal Criminal
19. 19
Several newspapers that included The Times of India, Sunday magazine, The
Telegraph, the Economic Times, and The Sunday Observer had, reflected
accurately and graphically the systemic violence that the rhetoric of the
Rammandir was actually unleashing in Gonda, Karnataka, Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, Jaipur, Rajasthan, Purulia, West Bengal, Bombay, Maharashtra.
But these publications did little to remind the reading public of the antecedents
of India’s home minister when he campaigned for his party during the polls in
1996, 1998 and 1999 elections with a ‘clean halo’ and ‘high moral image.’
Did the media abdicate it’s primary
responsibility in turning a blind eye
to Advani’s dark past? As home minister
and deputy prime minister, Advani has
breached proprietory of his office when he
1. Exonerated the RSS, BD and VHP for the murder of Graham Steins in
January 1999 saying that they should not be investigated. “ I don’t think so.
They have no criminal record.” (The Times of India, January 26, 1999)
2. Defending criminal Chota Rajan on grounds that he was a ‘Hindu’ criminal.
20. 20
Lack of Research and Background
The media’s lack of research background of issues, the desire to embrace
stereotypes has done damage to coverage of communal violence.
1.Minority leadership.
The likes of Syed Shabuddin, Imam Bukhari and the Muslim Personal Law
Board are embraced by media practioners in their terminology as ‘leaders
of the minority’ never mind the fact that they do not command any respect
within.
In 2000, when a Mumbai-based secular action group started a city-based
campaign for signatures demanding that the Srikrishna report be
implemented, the Times of India stereotyped the campaign by depicting a
Muslim woman in a burkha signing the appeal.
2. Personal Law/Uniform Civil Code.
The issue of personal law and uniform civil code has been used by majority
parties and supported by the minority despite the fact that women within
the minority have suffered from outdated and retrograde practices like
triple divorce from which they want change.
Stereotyping the Minority
21. 21
The male leadership within the community does not want to grant this
change.But the situation of women from the majority is not much better
socio-economically, vis a vis violent treatment etc.
In fact female foeticide, dowry killings and domestic violence are
experienced by majority women as much or more than minority women
Why then does Ameena make a headline and the declining sex ratio in
India’s most progressive states remain a statistic?
In 1971,the Indian Parliament enacted a change in India’s secular law
related to birth, marriage, divorce and death.
This amendment affected favoured the majority community.
Indian Parliament enacted an amendment to the Special Marriages
Act that allowed a Hindu partner in any secular alliance to retain
his/her right to inherit or gift away property according to Hindu
personal law.
This is not a right under that act available to a person of any other
religious denomination in India
22. 22
Much of the attacks against the Christian minority and Christian religious
institutions has in past years been justified on grounds that this community
is in the business of “converting”.
Official statistics show that Christians who formed 2.6 per cent of the
population in 1961, 2.4 per cent in 1981 constitute only 2.3 per cent of our
population today. (Tata Statistical Handbook)
Yet the media has been lax in clearly portraying these figures when
repeated efforts are being made to enact laws that in effect are a denial of
the freedom of faith of individuals.
Conversions.
23. 23
* Aubrey Menon’s O Rama is targeted for fundamentalist attack by Hindu
chauvinist sections in India (1950s)
* The Last Temptation of Christ, a fictionalised critique of the Biblical
version is the target of fury by the Christian orthodoxy.many
western countries forced to ban / restrict viewing ; in India too, there
are protests demanding a ban. (1960s).
* Jesus Christ Superstar, another fictionalised biography of Jesus, on the stage and
films is similarly targeted. (1970s).
* Shakepeare ki Ramayana, a play scripted by Iqbal Khwaja and
staged in Bombay is disrupted by Vikram Savarkar of the Hindu Mahasabha,
the playwright forced to touch Savarkar’s feet in forgiveness ; the play is never
performed again. (1987).
* Mohammed, the Idiot, the title given to a short story in the Deccan Chronicle
generates such rage from Muslims in Hyderabad that offices of the newspaper
are attacked and set ablaze. (1987)
* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Riddles of Hinduism on Ram and Krishna generated
violent objections from the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra which were silenced only after
a massive show of strength from Dalits in support of the book. (1988)
Expressions of Intolerance
24. 24
* Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses generates worldwide furore, a price is
put on Rushdie’s head ; the author has been forced into a life in hiding
ever since. (1989).
* Public showings of Ram Ke Naam, a documentary film by Anand
Patwardhan that severely critiques the Ramjanmabhoomi movement have
often been marred by violence and the filmmaker subjected to violent
threats from various wings of the Hindutva brigade. (1990 onwards)
* Nikhil Wagle, the outspoken editor of the Marathi eveninger, Mahanagar
has thrice been roughed up, and copies of Mahanagar burnt by Sainiks for
his courageous criticism of the Sena (first in 1991).
* Professor Mushirul Hasan survives a murderous attack on his life by
Jamia Milia students after he defends Rushdie’s right to freedom of
expression. (1992).
* Dr. Abid Raza Bedar, Director of Patna’s Khuda Baksh Oriental Library
faced a violent witch-hunt from Muslim students and other fundamentalists
when he made bold to say that the word kafir meant someone who rejects
faith ; hence Hindus should not be called Kafirs but mushrik, someone who
has more than one God. (1992).
25. 25
•The Rape of Sita, a critique of the anti-feminist perspective of the Ramayana is
banned in Indonesia (1992).
* Hum Sab Ayodhya, an exhibition put together by the Sahmat group Delhi faced
violent objections since among many other panels, it displayed the Dasaratha
Jataka that depicts Ram and Sita as siblings. (1993)
* Activists and MLAs of the Jharkand Mukti Morcha threaten Sunil
Gangopadhyay for his book, Prothom Aalo for “uncondonable derrogatory
references to Goddess Kali”. (1993).
* Taslima Nasreen faces the wrath of the
Bangladeshi clergy for her book Lajja and
outspoken remarks against organised
religion. (1993).
* Schindler’s List, the award winning film
by Stephen Spielberg is banned by many
Muslim countries because it “portrays
Jews as a persecuted minority and encourages racism!” (1994)
26. 26
Media Amplifies the Voices
Voices that Drive the Conflict and
Voices that Rise above the Rabble and push for
Dialogue
As a Media Practioneer, which do we amplify and
when?
The choice can make the critical difference.
Post September 11, 2001 the world has been full of
voices that re-affirm the world stereotype of Muslims as
fanatics and aggressor never mind that the War Against
Iraq has been the modern world’s most unjust war. What
role has the world and Indian media played in this
conflict? (Subject for Home Project)
27. 27
"War is a crime against peace which cries for vengeance before
God," said Archbishop Renato Raffaele Martino, speaking on
Vatican Radio. "Do not reply with a stone to the child who asks for
bread," he said. "They are preparing to reply with thousands of
bombs to a people that have been asking for bread for the last 12
years."
"I want to remind UN members and particularly those who make
up the Security Council that the use of force is the last resort after
having exhausted all peaceful solutions, as stipulated by the UN
charter," the Pope told tens of thousands of worshippers gathered in
St. Peter’s Square.
(War crime in Iraq: Vatican, March 18, 2003,
Communalism Combat March 2003)
Some quotations from the West
28. 28
"We look to them to condemn suicide bombers and terrorists who
use Islam as a weapon to destabilise and destroy innocent lives. Sadly,
apart from a few courageous examples, very few Muslim leaders
condemn clearly and unconditionally the evil of suicide bombers who
kill innocent people.
We need to hear outright condemnation of theologies that state that
suicide bombers are martyrs...,'' he said in a lecture in Rome as his
successor Rowan Williams, a strong advocate of a dialogue between
Christians and Muslims, prepared to address a conference of Christian
and Islamic scholars in New York.
John Carey, former Archbushop of Canterbury:
The Hindu, 28 May 2004
OR
“We might as well admit it. Our churches and cathedrals are more beautiful
than their Mosques.”
Orianna Fallaci, Italian born best known political interviewer of her
generation, in Corriere delta Sera
29. 29
“None of the friends of Bin Laden are named Bobby Smith. So Muslims
have to tolerate our suspicions.”
Bill Mahler TV presenter of a popular show in the US,
‘Politically Incorrect’
Which of the VOICES from the WEST do we choose to project?
What role did Media Practioneers play here?
But then what about 9/11 ? ? ?
30. 30
What role did Media Practioneers play here?
But then what about 9/11 ? ? ?
31. 31
“ When I heard on the news about the death of 3,000 people in the World
Trade Center crash, I was saddened. The loss of lives of so many
innocent Americans was a costly blow. But I would like to point out
that the lives of people killed in other terrorist attacks are no less
precious. And America has had a hand, directly or indirectly, in
most of these movements….......I believe, Islam has been targeted
after the Sept. 11 attacks. Osama Bin Laden was shown to be guilty.
Mullah Omar was shown to be guilty. All without adequate proof. “
Imam Bukhari (www.newsindia-times.com)
“All good and concerned Muslims are implicated in the unchecked rise
of fanaticism in Muslim societies. We have given free reign to facism
within our midst and failed to denounce fanatics who distort the most
sacred concepts of our faith.”
Ziauddin Sardar, liberal Muslim writer basedin UK, in The Observer,
London September 23, 2001
Quotations from Muslims
32. 32
"I have never known such venom and such hatred and such
constant, unchecked, fascistic expression of daily appalling, often
fabricated, always imagined, always exaggerated verbiage as there
has been against the Muslim community... . We have entered a new
dark age of injustice and it is frightening that we are overwhelmed
by it."
These are not the words of a Muslim rabble-rouser, but have been
taken from a recent speech by Gareth Peirce, one of Britain's most
respected and high-profile human rights lawyers. And lest she should be
accused of a pro-Muslim bias because she is currently representing
families of several British Muslims languishing in the Guantanamo Bay
prison, let me add that in the past she has also fought for the rights of
non-Muslims wrongly jailed or persecuted in Muslim countries.
The Hindu - 30 May 2004
33. 33
Which is the absolute reality and truth that we may represent?
Can the situation be adequately represented without adequate
complexities?
How Does Media Deal with Hate Speech?
What is the law on Hate speech?
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The critical choice in reportage between FREEDOM of EXPRESSION (ARTICLE
19(1) of the Indian Constitution) and curbs on that freedom. (Article 19 (2).)
More Specifically India has specific laws against
HATE SPEECH.
What are these?
Offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code
Section 153A : Promoting enmity between different religious groups on grounds of
religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc and doing acts prejudicial to the
maintainance of harmony.
Punishment –Imprisonment upto 3 years or with fine or both
Section 153B: Imputation, assertions, prejudicial to national integration.
Punishment-Imprisonment upto 3 years or with fine or with both
Section 295A: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of
any class by insulting his religion or religious feelings
Punishment—Imprisonment upto three years or with fine or both
Section 298:Uttering words etc with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings.
Punishment –Imprisonment upto one year or with fine or both
The law
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Saamna Box
Thus wrote Thackeray: December 8, 1992: ’Muslims should draw a lesson from
the demolition of Babri Masjid otherwise they will meet the same fate as Babri
Masjid. Muslims who criticise the demolition are without religion, without a
nation.’
Thus ruled the HC: ‘According to these articles, by the fissiparous mentality
created in the minds of Muslims by the aforesaid anti-social elements, Muslims
started drifting from the mainstream of life...
these articles do not criticise Muslims as a
whole but Muslims who are traitors to India....
‘It is true that in some of these articles due to
the emotional outburst, high-flown and caustic
language is used but this per se will not fall
within mischief of sections 153A and 153B
of the Code.’
An Example of Hate Speech
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Thus wrote Thackeray:
January 8, 1993: ‘Stop the armed bands of traitors before it is too late. hand
over the ‘Mini-Pakistans’ of Bombay to the Indian army. Unless the rioting
traitors are shot on the spot, normalcy which the police refer to would not be
restored.’
Thus ruled the HC:
‘The aforesaid portion of the article refers to the lukewarm
attitude taken by the police and S.R.P. at the behest of the
government taking the role of by standers and it is from
this point of view, the part of the editorial refers to the
government to take stringent measures against the rioters
by firing on the spot. In the article reference is made to
the violence which erupted at Bhendi Bazar, Null Bazar,
Dongri and traitors are held responsible for it and
suggestion is made that in such type of situation shooting
at sight will be an appropriate action. In our opinion, this article also cannot
come within the ambit of section 153A and 153B of the code.’
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Thus wrote Thackeray:
January 9, 1993: ‘The ugly and violent form of Muslim traitors was
witnessed by the city yesterday. During the 26-year tenure of M.K.Gandhi,
Muslims from Malabar to Noakhali grew progressively violent and Hindus
became non-violent... Our prophecy has come true. A Muslim whichever
country he belongs to, whichever position he occupies, is first a Muslim. To
him his religion is the first concern. Nation is of secondary importance to
him. In the last two days patriotic people have been subject to attacks.
These attacks constitute attacks on the nation.’
Thus ruled the HC:
‘The aforesaid article when read as a whole, refers to the activities of
Muslim traitors who were destroying culture, tradition, piety, family, law,
truth, affection, public administration and other such cherished values and
showing their cruelty before the police and army... according to this
article, the army, the police in the city instead of stopping the traitorous
activities of anti-national Muslims, are taking the role of bystanders,
mutely looking at the scene. This attitude of the army and the police is
abhorred. This article does not create feeling of ill-will, spite and hatred in
the minds of Hindus against Muslims.’ * (“Crime and Punishment”, CC,
January 1995)
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Muslim leaders warn of `counter-terrorism’.
Muslim leaders warned here today of Islamic "counter-terrorism" in
response to the "Hindu terrorism" of the VHP, RSS and threatened to
move the United Nations to carve out a `safe haven' for Muslims in India
on the lines of the Kurdish area in Northern Iraq.
Maulana Saiyad Musannah Miyan, chief patron of the Jamia Qadria
Ashrafia, alleged in a statement circulated at a press conference that the
Prime Minister was according "tacit endorsement" to the VHP and the
RSS.
"It would be a mistake to imagine that Muslims in India are not capable
of self-defence against religious terrorists," they said. They were
reacting to the reported statement of VHP leaders that the Government
action against its proposed rally in Ayodhya could start riots.
The Hindu - MUMBAI Oct. 16
39. 39
The Media everywhere has a critical responsibility
in it’s understanding. perspective and reportage at
all times but especially in times of internal and
external conflict.