South Asia Citizens Web

Given the scale of corruption in India, the constitution of a Jan Lokpal will be a welcome initiative. But the proposed Lokpal has the makings of a super-monster.

THOSE who believe on either side of the India-Pakistan equation that Kashmir is a Muslim entity are sadly missing out on the contribution of Kashmiri Pandits to the limitless enrichment of the subcontinent’s secular culture, chiefly of the Urdu language and the aadaab-i-majaalis, social etiquette, that came with it. If the Kashmiris manage to keep their secular Kashmiriyat despite the enormous pressure by Hindu and Muslim extremists to cave in, it would be in no small measure due to the periodic interventions of a few good men who refused to relent under duress.

adhya Pradesh is being ruled by the BJP Government from last several years. This is one state where BJP and its erstwhile avatar, Bhartiya Jansangh had a good deal of following in the past also. During last few years one has seen with the BJP Government in the saddle, the state is imposing the norms which are intimidating to minorities, the BJP associates have become more assertive, state is promoting the outright Hindu culture, and it is also the place where the terror component of RSS affiliates has been having its dens at various places in the state.

The Government of the National Capital Territory has organised, together with an organisation named Seher, a "Bhakti Utsav" of religious music of different kinds. Why the hell is a state government promoting religion in this way? Why
the hell is it promoting one so-called religion? Despite the trickery practised, this is not what secularism is about. It shows pretty clearly that India does have a State Religion.

Landmark ruling on 19 April 2011 by India’s supreme court in matters, Arumugam Servai versus State of Tamil Nadu and Ajit Kumar and others versus State of Tamil Nadu.