South Asia Citizens Web

Secular Perspective, October 1-15, 2008
The police as such has strong minority bias right from the dawn of freedom. Our freedom came at the cost of partition and partition further increased Hindu-Muslim divide and the police could not remain unaffected by communalization of society. Though communalism and communal violence has changing graph in India it reached its crescendo during Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy and during the decade of eighties communal discourse became almost (…)

The Nation, October 1, 2008
Nepal’s Evolving Identity
Drew Haxby: Pushpa Kamal Dahal, newly elected Maoist Prime Minister of Nepal, provides insight into his country’s political dilemmas.
But Nepal defied the usual story line. Galvanized by King Gyanendra’s grab for power, the parliamentary parties put aside their differences and began peace talks with the Maoist rebels. Weeks of protests forced the King to reinstate the Parliament. The Maoists agreed to peace accords overseen by the (…)

Standard textbooks either ignore Jinnah maturing into a seasoned and liberal politician, or, as is the practice in Pakistani historiography, underplay his articulation of a secularised rather than a communitarian-based polity. To his detractors he appears flighty; his followers and disciples are dazed by his brilliance. The fact is Jinnah’s feet were as frequently off the ground as on it.

The Asian Age, October 2, 2008
Why everybody loves a good stereotype
"You support terrorists?" my friend was horror-struck.
"We can’t presume they are terrorists," I begin, "there must be a trial first."
"Rubbish! They are terrorists! And it’s indefensible that Jamia Milia University is using government money to protect them."
"Everyone is entitled to legal aid and is innocent until proven guilty..."
"They are guilty. The police nabbed them."
"That’s the police version…"
My (…)

Route: The March will start at 1400 hours (2 pm) from Jantar Mantar till Rajghat New Delhi