Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • India: Women’s groups stopped from meeting Soni Sori in Raipur Jail

    14 January 2012

    A team of women representing various women’s groups from across the country were in Raipur on 12-13th January to meet Ms. Soni Sori, currently lodged in Raipur Central Jail. Ms Sori is a tribal school teacher who has been hounded by the Chhattisgarh Police as a Maoist conduit. She was arrested in October 2011 and was brutally assaulted sexually in police custody on the night of 8-9th October.

  • All India Christian Council concern at Srinagar Sharia court statement against Christian pastors

    14 January 2012

    The All India Christian Council is deeply disturbed at the Srinagar based Sharia Court issuing a statement against Christian pastors Jim Borst and C M Khanna Srinagar, Jan 11: Supreme Court of Islamic Sharia Wednesday indicted Christian Pastor C M Khanna and Dutch national, Jim Borst for their involvement in luring people to convert their religion. The Sharia court has threatened it will issue a sentence shortly. Such statements can encourage extremist elements to indulge in violence, the Council fears.

  • Police firing in India: Human life remains as cheap as a bullet

    13 January 2012

    The use of rubber bullets is an exception while the use of live bullets is
    the norm in India. The state governments usually order inquiries to
    placate the situation once protesters are killed. However, the use of
    force is often justified on the ground of mob violence. Since it is almost
    impossible to prove the misuse of firearms in case of violent protest, the
    inquiries often end up in exonerating the police personnel even if they
    simply aim to kill. If India is committed to ensure the right to life of
    its citizens, it must make it mandatory to use plastic-coated bullets to
    control protests. After the Himachal Pradesh High Court disapproved the
    use of live bullets to tackle monkey menace last year, the state started
    using rubber bullets. There is no reason why the guarantee to ensure the
    right to life of monkeys cannot be extended to humans!

  • Demanding Ban on Visit of Salman Rushdie to India is Outrageous

    11 January 2012

    The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) views it with deep concern that some organizations have demanded ban on entry of Salman Rushdie in the country.

  • A struggle in search of dignity

    11 January 2012

    Meena Saraswathi Seshu tells the story of how sex workers from Sangli, Maharashtra enacted their journey of organising into a collective

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