South Asia Citizens Web

A cross section of Muslims have banded together to unequivocally condemn the recent threats against women activists who have been involved in recent campaigns to reform the Muslim personal laws

It’s less than two years ago that a sustained campaign was fought to rid this country of the tyranny of the previous regime. Under the platform of a government of the people, ‘yahapaalanaya’ won, rejecting the unilateral, anti-democratic, anti-pluralistic nature of the government that was then in place. Teachers, lawyers, students, fishers, garment factory workers, farmers, artists, women and men from urban centres and villages, ordinary people from everywhere left their daily lives to campaign for a government that would represent their needs. The 2017 Budget is a slap in the face for all those people.

The rhetoric and tactics deployed in the US presidential campaign and election have exposed the underbelly of American society, which a lot of us would rather deny. True reform will happen only when those of us who claim to be progressive are willing to acknowledge that the various legislations over the decades and veneer of civility haven’t been enough to eradicate this seamy, unpleasant side. Democratic institutions cannot be take for granted; on the contrary, they must be protected, refurbished, and reinvigorated periodically by watchful citizens.

Panel:

• Karamat Ali, Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research (PILER)
• Aruna Chandrasekhar, Independent researcher (India)
• Richard Meeran, Partner, Leigh Day
• Purarama Pradhan, Posco Pratirodh Sagram Samiti (PPSS)
• Nazia Riaz, victim, Ali Factory fire (Pakistan)

My maternal grandmother Akbar Jehan’s father, Michael Henry [Harry] Nedou aka Sheikh Ahmed Hussain, of Slovak and British descent, was a charming hotelier. His altruism and charitableness had given him a larger purpose in life. Her mother, Rani jee, was an indomitable Gujjar (pastoral tribe) woman. Rani jee’s clan traced its lineage to the martial, patrilineal, and rigidly traditional Rajputs of Rajasthan. Despite the anxiety generated by her decision, Akbar Jehan, born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth, blessed with the knowledge that the world was her oyster, made the intransigent decision to throw in her lot with a determined and politically savvy young man, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.