South Asia Citizens Web

VIBGYOR International Film Festival
Text of statement released
5 February 2009, Thrissur, Kerala
We, the organizers, film makers, delegates and viewers of the VIBGYOR International Film Festival hereby express our deep dismay at the continued detention of Dr Binayak Sen, the National Vice President of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), one of the oldest civil liberties organisations in India.
The PUCL Chhattisgarh has been one of the foremost independent organisations to (…)

Indian Express, February 6, 2009
Yes, snooping’s allowed
Some recent commentary on the amendments to the Information Technology Act has claimed that the amendments are little different from powers already with the state in the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, and thus civil-liberties concerns are mistaken. This is not correct. Section 69 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008, passed by Parliament on December 23, 2008, is far more intrusive than the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, (…)

Without spending a penny, the government wants to show the Muslims that it is doing something for them — its move to legally recognise madrasa degrees is a regressive and measure that was tried, with disastrous results, in Pakistan by the Zia ul Haq regime

The Moral Courage Conversations premiere with Manji’s guest, Salman Rushdie, on the 20th anniversary of Irans fatwa against him