South Asia Citizens Web

We the undersigned are concerned that Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister for Human Resource Development, made an ex cathedra announcement, that the cartoon in the Class XI text book, found offensive by several members of Parliament, would be removed, and that he was looking into other potentially offensive cartoons with a view to their possible removal.Whatever be the merits of the case against the cartoon, the matter should not be treated as one of mere executive discretion. This
establishes the kind of precedent that should be avoided. Such issues
are bound to come up from time to time, therefore appropriate
procedures have to be followed, such as the setting up of a Committee
of academics to look into each case, so that summary judgments of the
ministers concerned, under political pressures of various kinds, do
not determine the contents of our academic syllabi.

A delegation of women comprising of, Brinda Karat (M.P.), Annie Raja (NFIW), Uma Chakravarty, Vrinda Grover and Indira C, met with President Pratibha Patil today (14th May), and handed over a memorandum, detailing the gross violation of the human rights of tribal teacher, Soni Sori. The memorandum was also signed by Aruna Roy (MKSS), Kavita Srivastava (PUCL) and Vani S.on behalf of Saheli.

Unreason sometimes appears impregnable. But, just as the hardest of rocks ultimately get worn down by wind and weather, so does every castle of superstition and irrationality crumble before the ceaseless battering by science and reason. Say what you will and think what you want, but science shows the human body comprises interchangeable parts, each made of atoms and molecules in a complex arrangement. That’s just a fact of life; one that could help save your life.

Indian authorities should drop sedition cases against peaceful protesters opposed to the construction of a nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu state. At least 3,500 people are facing police investigations into allegations of sedition and “waging war” against the state for protesting against the plant in Kudankulam, according to a recent report by local activists.

As Pakistan’s love-hate relationship with the mythical ‘rule of law’ unfolds, the very real rule of the danda continues to manifest itself in virtually every little nook and cranny of society, unnamed if not unnoticed.