A few days in Naxal-dominated Bhamragad Bodhi Ramteke The excruciating pain of Roshni and the loss of Jaya’s life were both heartbreaking, and the concern for both of them and their family took me several miles away from my house to theirs. It was the month of July. Roshni was nine months pregnant then and …
Open Letter to casteist Telangana MLA Dharma Reddy from a Swaero
Vara Lakshmi Swaero ToMr. Challa Dharma Reddy, Honorable MLA, Parkal, Telangana, Re: Rebutting your recent public statement on ‘upper castes’ not securing jobs while “others” without merit were getting positions through reservations Dear Sir, As a citizen of India and a resident of Telangana, I am writing to express my extreme opposition to your recent remarks …
Free Legal Aid for Bahujans and other Citizens
Adv Soniya Gajbhiye Legal Aid is one of the most desirable services desperately needed by those who are unable to afford legal representation, engaging lawyers and to access the court system. It is necessary to provide access to justice by ensuring equality before the law. The right to have a counsel/lawyer and the right …
Investing in Payback
Dr. Sireesha Patibandla & Dr. Jas Simran Kehal Gurpreet (name changed), a Dalit girl from a poor family in Punjab scores more than 99% in class XII exams and a national daily catapults her into limelight. There is social media frenzy at her achievement and a lawyer from Delhi, acting as a Good Samaritan, channelizes …
A reply to Mr Katju
Archana Sigh & Arvind Mr Markandey Katju in an article for FirstPost worried about the cause of Scheduled Castes, saying reservations are psychological crutches for them and the caste system is perpetuated by reservations. He wrote this article in reply to the article of Kailash Jeengar, Asst Professor of Law, Campus Law Centre, Delhi …
We and our Nationhood Ill-defined: Let’s Redefine & Reclaim it
Amit Kumar On the morning of 8th July 2020, the nation woke up to the news of vandalism[1] on Rajgruha, the residence of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Mumbai. Like most of the news related to him, this story may also have been shoved under the carpet as a city crime, merely. However, there is …
Roar of the Lioness : Shaheen Bagh
Salman Farissi Religion and Politics have most often shown derision towards the fairer sex – women. Patriarchy was rampant across the globe but history has been a gentle friend of women as when stories were told and historians started writing and narrating them, the real power of the fairer sex began dominating the arena of …
Statement in support of twelve Bhima Koregaon activists
We the undersigned twenty two organizations strongly condemn the shameful imprisonment of public intellectuals and social justice defenders, Dr. Anand Teltumbde and Mr. Gautam Navalakha, who’ve been in custody since April 14, 2020. Dr. Teltumbde & Mr. Nalvlakha join nine others – journalists, lawyers, writers, academics & organizers- Surendra Gadling, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, …
Bharat vs India: Understanding Debates of Naming Through Ernest Gellner and Anthony D Smith
Vidyasagar Recently, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea which sought a direction to the Central government to amend the constitution to change the official name of the country from India to Bharat. This plea claimed that “the removal of the English name, though appears symbolic, will instill a sense of pride in …