South Asia Citizens Web

Since the UP Govt has passed The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance 2020 on 27th November 2020, there have been strange incidents of young people walking together or simply knowing each other being picked up and charged by the police. . . . Young people feel trapped that first the family and community and now the State is curbing their freedom of choosing their partners. Supporting them are several organisations and individuals who would like to raise their voices against the UP Ordinance and MP Ordinance. This petition has been signed by 133 organisations, of which some are Akshara Women’s Resource Centre, Bebaak Collective, Feminists in Resistance, Forum against Oppression of Women, Madhya Pradesh Mahila Manch, Maitree- a network of women’s rights organisations and individuals in West Bengal, North East Student Network, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Pinjra Tod, Saheli Women’s Resource Centre, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression. It has been endorsed by 858 people from different states of India, belonging to varied professions

In the interest of transparency and public welfare, we ask that the regulator share the detailed rationale for the decision

This year SAHMAT’s Annual event goes online with performances and art by
Danish Hussain,
Kwaab Tanha Collective (featuring Baan G and M.K. Raina), Aahvaan,
Ananya Gaur
, Hussain Haidry, Parvathy Baul, Priya Kanungo,
Bigul, Nalini Malani, Vidya Shah, Madan Gopal Singh,
Naveen Chourey,
Aditi Mangaldas,
Shubha Mudgal
Anchors:
Sohail Hashmi
M.K. Raina
Anjali Raina
Rajinder Arora
Saif Mahmood
Acknowledgments:
Anant Raina
Kanishka Prasad
Shupriyo Maitra
Vibha Galhotra (…)

The Indian Church cannot remain a mute spectator, nor pretend to be safe. If we fail the nation, our fellow citizens may not stand by Indian Christians when we and our identity face an existential threat from fascist, authoritarian, and autocratic governments.

December 25th marked not just Christmas but the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee or as the current government calls it Good Governance Day. But despite all the floral tributes and even the Bharat Ratna, has the BJP under Narendra Modi veered away from the Vajpayee style of governing? One would often hear that Vajpayee with his relationships across the political spectrum was the right man in the wrong party. But a new book said that’s not necessarily true. Vajpayee and LK Advani carefully paved the way for the rise of Narendra Modi by giving their party the political respectability it needed. In fact, it’s not possible to look at the story of Atal Bihari Vajpayee without looking at Lal Krishna Advani. One was presented as the moderate face of the party, the other the hardliner. But this was an odd couple that in some ways was made for each other and their partnership over six decades transformed India as well. Political scientist Vinay Sitapati