Raza Rumi Obedience to hierarchies, conformity and identification with groups are central tenets of existing in Pakistan. [The relief operations after the recent floods in Sindh have revealed the extent to which man-made structures of stratification remain entrenched in Pakistani Society. We thank Raza Rumi for sharing this article outlining his views on …
Caste in Urdu Prose Literature (Part I)
by Ajmal Kamal [With excerpts in Urdu and Hindi scripts] [I] The historical division of society in South Asia on caste lines is now an acknowledged sociological, political and economic fact. However, caste as a literary or social discourse does not, for several reasons, form a part of the predominantly Muslim culture of Urdu. …
Accrued Social Capital over Individual Merit
R. Ravi Kumar The debate on merit has once again come to the forefront with the movie ‘Aarakshan’. From various press clippings and debates on the movie one can come to the conclusion that the ‘Aarakshan’ team is much worried about the victimization of merit due to reservations for the disadvantaged groups. Though there …
Manufacturing complicity: Paramakudi killings
Kuffir It was clear they wished to play down the enormity of the bloodbath from the beginning. First, they said two were killed. Then the figure became three, and five. And then six. Now they say: seven. Have you seen any pictures of any of the seven? Or were their names mentioned anywhere in …
Remembering Immanuel Sekaran
Even if we do not have freedom, we should stand up with valour for our rights: Immanuel Sekaran. ‘How much repression to keep his memory down!’ It is strange that a man whose memory attracts over a million people, and increasing every year, on his death anniversary to his memorial in a village in …
Mayawati and WikiLeaks: How Media lies to you
by Dilip Mandal, translated from Hindi by Ritu Ranjan Kumar [A set of unverified gossipy statements about the UP Chief Minister Mayawati from unnamed journalists forms the basis of the WikiLeaks cables released a few days ago. Yet, the Indan media went to town about the contents being the truth. For, it only extended the …
Jan Lokpal Bill Contains Draconian Clauses
Press release by Citizens for Social Justice Jan Lokpal Bill Contains Draconian Clauses. Team Anna’s Civil Society Does Not Represent the Nation. Let 2014 General Election Decide on Jan Lokpal Bill. Citizens for Social Justice consisting of Prof Kancha Ilaiah, Dr. John Dayal – member of National Integration Council, Dr. Joseph D’souza – President …
No Lokpal, says Kancha Ilaiah
[ A Round Table India report] August 30: At a public meeting at the Hyderabad Press Club today, Kancha Ilaiah emphasized that the Team Anna sponsored Jan Lokpal bill was a direct attack on representative democracy and the constitution and it should be opposed vigorously. ‘No Lokpal’ should be the Dalit-Bahujan demand, he said. The …
Memorandum of Views & Suggestions on Lokpal Bill: Samvidhan Bachao Andolan
by Samvidhan Bachao Andolan To, Shri K P Singh, Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat 201, Second Floor, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi – 110 001 MEMORANDUM OF VIEWS AND SUGESTIONS ON LOKPAL BILL 2011 (BILL NO 39 OF 2011) Sir, This is in reference to the Newspaper advertisement No davp 31202/11/0019/1112, where in Parliamentary Standing Committee …