South Asia Citizens Web

Early in the year of grace 1988 certain (dis)reputable members of the academic community in the University of Delhi organized a public address on an unspeakable subject by a reluctant speaker in an unlikely location. Your chronicler was one of those persons. Our repute - or notoriety, depending on ideological taste - was on account of our strident criticism of the politics of Hinduttva, at the time a popular philosophy within the teaching community.

If the Government of Chattisgarh fails to take proper action to safeguard the legal rights and dignity of an undertrial, it is clear that it has no moral authority to continue in office.

At the roof-top, open air auditorium of the Delhi Union of Journalists, on November 19, 2011, while a gentle breeze blew, an inner circle of friends—writers, publishers, reporters, press workers, peace activists, and leaders from journalist unions—all shared some moments and memories, remembering the late J. Sri Raman who left us on November 8, 2011. The meeting, organised by the Delhi Union Journalists, was less of a condolence meeting. It was an exchange between friends, admirers, colleagues, and some family members of fond memories and moments that had made sixtyeight-year-old Raman, the grassroots journalist that he was. There was poetry, a dash of music inter-sprinkled with some humour, in the backdrop of a picture of a smiling Raman and a few roses in a vase...

The fact that people, especially women, are still flogged in the Maldives is a serious blot on the country’s otherwise increasingly positive and progressive image overseas. There should be no place for flogging anywhere in the 21st century, and by continuing to carry out floggings – albeit only occasionally – the Maldives is in breach of its obligations under several international treaties. I discussed with the President and his ministers, as well as with the members of the judiciary I met during this visit, how to bring a halt to a practice that has long been recognized in international law as cruel and degrading treatment that often amounts to torture.

Karamat Ali, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), said that Pakistanis would never support heinous acts like the terror attacks of 26/11. "Both countries are victims of terrorism," he said, "citizens are more interested in governance and basic needs than any conflict with India."