South Asia Citizens Web

The Island, 27 November 2008
The US Elections
In recent years, America’s claim to be a democracy has been seriously damaged in the eyes of its own citizens. Even the most minimal definition of democracy – that it entails free and fair elections – was contradicted by two presidential elections (in 2000 and 2004), in which there was damning evidence that George W. Bush won only because the vote was rigged.
The fact that the overwhelming majority of those who were disenfranchised in the (…)

We are deeply shocked at the decision to cancel the screening of a documentary made by the eminent Indian painter M.F. Husain, after it had been scheduled for November 25 at the ongoing International Film Festival of India in Goa. We are also profoundly alarmed at the wider implications of this act of blatant censorship imposed on artistic production.

There is something called Sangh parivar terrorism, just as there is al-Qaeda terrorism. Neither Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur nor Osama bin Laden represent their respective faiths, nor do their organisations represent the people who they claim to represent.

The emergence of the Hindutva terrorist network cannot be seen in isolation from the climate of divisiveness, parochialism and chauvinist nationalism and the culture of hatred that the BJP has promoted in its cynical pursuit of power. Violence is integral to this culture. Indeed, it is part of the party’s strategy of political mobilisation.

PRESS RELEASE DATE: 24TH NOVEMBER 2008
We condemn the use of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) against the ten accused including Dayanand Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya and Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit and Sameer Kulkarni arrested so far in the September 29 Malegaon blast case. We strongly feel that the Government should prosecute them under ordinary present Indian Criminal Laws.
The debate about POTA, MCOCA and now of GUJCOC is centered (…)