Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • Women’s freedom, not ’pub culture’, is their target...

    by All India Progressive Women’s Association, 2 February 2009

    Around 40 goons of the Sri Ram Sene´ entered a pub, assaulted people there, dragged women by the hair, molesting them and lifting up their blouses and skirts. They claimed to be righteous defenders ofIndian morality,´ incensed by women boozing´ andpub culture.´ Since these scenes came to people´s notice through national TV, there was widespread outrage, and after a delay of many days, finally, some of the perpetrators were arrested. The Chief of the Sri Ram Sene PV Muthalik, is yet to be (…)

  • India: Police must enforce rule of law and curb hooligans

    by Rakesh Sharma, 2 February 2009

    From: Rakesh Sharma Date: 2009/2/2
    For information and circulation.
    To send any protest letter, or to raise the demand for a probe into the dubious role of the police and their possible complicity re. destruction of footage, write to the Maharashtra Chief Minister (chiefminister@maharashtra.gov.in, ashokchavanmind@rediffmail.com) and the Police Commissioner (Fax : 022- 22621835)
    __3__
    From: Rakesh Sharma Date: Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 2:57 PM Subject: Letter 3: Destruction of footage: (…)

  • Pakistan - India: Citizens groups speak up for Peace

    by Praful Bidwai, 1 February 2009

    The News, January 31, 2009
    An unfortunate consequence of vitiated India-Pakistan relations immediately after the Mumbai terrorist attacks was the relatively muted response of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the two countries. Earlier, they had campaigned for peace while braving hostility from both establishments.
    But the shock from the world’s worst-ever case of extremists ruthlessly mowing down 180 innocent civilians in public places—as distinct from using bombs—didn’t leave them (…)

  • Tragic silence over Bangladesh’s babies of war of 1971

    by Bina D’Costa, 1 February 2009

    Himal Southasian, December 2008
    ‘War babies’ and Bangladesh’s tragedy of abortion and adoption.
    Bangladesh celebrates its birth on 16 December 1971 – now celebrated as Victory Day, a day of reminiscence for citizens of the new nation. But many memories are troubling, especially those of the ‘war babies’ – children born during or after the War of Liberation, as a result of the often-planned and systematic rape of Bangladeshi women. If we turn back the pages of Bangladesh’s history, we can (…)

  • Why India Is Not A Secular State

    by Omar Khalidi, 1 February 2009

    outlookindia.com
    India is seen as a shining example of a secular state but in reality the Indian state actually privileges Hinduism over other religions and religious communities. The Indian state is in fact the defender of the dharma for at least five reasons.
    The world community has rightly regarded Pakistan and Bangladesh as examples of theocratic states practicing policies of harsh discrimination against Hindus and other minorities. Sri Lanka’s Singhala-centric policies have (…)

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