South Asia Citizens Web

Questions pertaining to 50th anniversary of the 1965 war and history

Hindi in the Devanagari script is the official language of the Indian Union government and some state governments. Hindi derives its primacy from numbers. According to the 2001 census, 41.03% of the population were Hindi speakers. However, the census’ definition of Hindi is extremely wide, and people are counted as being Hindi speakers even if they don’t call their own language “Hindi.”

The threats of abuse and death to Dr. John Dayal are one more disturbing events in recent times. John Dayal is a member of National Integration Council, is the Secretary General of All India Catholic Union and a foremost human rights defender. He has been seriously committed to the values of pluralism, secularism, communal harmony and for defense of weaker sections of society. An activist of long standing and repute; he has been part of human rights endeavors upholding the rights of minorities, Dalits and Adivasis.

The mindless destruction of Ganga Devi’s extraordinary last works at the Crafts Museum is terribly sad. It highlights the caste system between art and craft, the indifference to the creative integrity of a craftsperson’s vision. The quoted reaction of a Crafts Museum official, “Don’t worry, I’ll get another kohbar ghar painted” shows that, even for someone who claims to have worked there for 30 years, one piece of craft is much like another. So Ganga Devi is no more, let’s get Sita Devi or Champa Devi or Ambika Devi.

As the strike by students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) enters its fourth month, and the condition of students on hunger strike deteriorating alarmingly, we join the distinguished alumni of the institute, national award winning film personalities and others of the artistic fraternity, in extending our solidarity to the cause they are fighting for.