South Asia Citizens Web

Penguin India’s decision to withdraw Wendy Doniger’s book, The Hindus: An Alternative History, from publication — as a result of legal and possibly extralegal pressure from a right-wing organisation — has thrown up a series of questions in the public sphere. These include questions around the ethics of corporate action and the limits of corporate responsibility in supporting and protecting authors; the prevalence of two sets of laws in India — those governing freedom of expression and those governing insult and injury to groups defined around different vectors of identity, including religion and caste — and how these laws might constrain or override one another; and looming questions about the kinds of effects that a neo-nationalist and majoritarian political regime is likely to have on the spectrum of civil liberties and citizens’ rights in the coming months.

Section 295A of the IPC opens the door for bullies to walk in

China’s workers have emerged over the last few years as a strong, unified and increasingly active collective force. Workers have time and again demonstrated the will and the ability to stand up to abusive and arrogant managements and to demand better pay and working conditions. However, workers are still hampered by the lack of an effective trade union that can maintain solidarity, bargain directly with managements and protect labour leaders from reprisals. As a result, workers are turning to labour rights groups that can advise and support their collective actions while, at the same time, demanding more of the official trade union and putting pressure on it to change.

On Feb 21 2014 Hindu Singh Sodha, along with 350 Pakistani Hindu migrants, are sitting on a dharna (sit-in) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi for the rights of the Pakistani Hindu migrants.

The combined strength of the secular forces out side the organised political parties is far greater than within. In times of crisis this section of society has risen and saved India. We are once again facing an unprecedented political turmoil therefore there is a need to rise and defend democracy. We do not have the luxury to sit and watch the outcome of 2014 election. We must intervene and make a difference.