Who should Control Mahabodhi Temple Bodhgaya?
Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, near Patna is of great significance to followers of Buddhism as Lord Gautam Buddha got Nirvana here. This temple has been controlled by the Bodh Gaya…
Dr Ram Puniyani
Pahalgam Tragedy: Indian Delegations Abroad
Pahalgam terrorist attack left a deep imprint on the people of India. While Mr. Modi indulged in bravado of words, the Godi media followed suit and claimed that India has…
History as Political Tool: Muslim Rulers Deleted From Curriculum
The new education policy 2020 is being implemented gradually. Apart from other things, it has focused on Indian knowledge systems and Indian traditions. The changes that pertain to History have…
Pahalgam Tragedy: Rising Spiral of Hatred
The killings of 26 tourists in Baisaran near Pahalgam were one of the worst tragedies in recent times. Baisaran is a lovely spot reachable only on horses or by walking…
Striving for Social Justice: Caste Census
In the run up to 2024 elections Rahul Gandhi in particular talked of the need for caste census. This was supported by many opposition leaders. Congress ruled states and NDA…
Pahalgam Tragedy: What is the way ahead for peace?
The killing of 26 tourists and injuring of many more tourists in Baisaran in Kashmir was a tragedy beyond words. The terrorists claimed to be part of Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba’s…
Composite Indian Nationalism or ‘Two Nation Theory’
One of the greatest tragedies of South Asia has been the emergence of ‘Two Nation Theory’, which opposed the Anti Colonial Indian National movement. It was a great help to…
Standing Truth on its Head: Ambedkar and BJP Agenda
This 14th April (2025) the Nation celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti (Anniversary). Many aptly celebrate it as ‘Equality day’. Nationwide celebrations also witnessed the lectures and Seminars to recall the values and principles…
First They Came for The Jews… The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024
Parliament recently passed the Waqf Amendment Bill calling it ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995, UMMID, in short. In the wake of the LoP, Rahul Gandhi stated…
Modi’s Visit to RSS head office: Is it Sangham Sharnam Gacchami?
The recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to RSS headquarters in Nagpur and pay homage to RSS founder Dr. K.B. Hedgewar and its second Sarsanghchalak, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar elicited…
Learning from History: Or Taking Revenge of Past
Since the demolition of Babri mosque by RSS Combine(1992), history has started dominating the social space. A particular version of history which looks at history through the Kings, their religion,…
Striving to Promote Democracy: Values of Constitution
The V Dem observations about India as reported in The Hindu points out “Noting that almost all components of democracy were getting worse in more countries than they were getting…
Aurangzeb, Chhaava Movie and Selective Historiography
As Communal hate is on the rise through the use of History on political battle grounds, new dimensions are being added up to this during the last few years. Apart…
Hindu Festivals and Sectarian Nationalist Politics
RSS Combine’s agenda of Hindu Rashtra has been built upon the narratives through multiple mechanisms. The festivals have been the occasion for promoting its agenda. Also highlighting some deities for…
Economic Condition of Religious Minorities: Quota or Affirmative Action
The economic plight of minorities, particularly Muslims has been a very disturbing factor for all those who would like the society to strive for equality and justice. If we see…
Does only Hindu Society Carry the Responsibility of India?
“Hindu Society Nation’s Responsible Core- Sangh seeks to unite Hindu Society, as it is the Hindu Society…that carries the responsibility of Nation” (Mohan Bhagwat, Indian Express, Mumbai Edition, Feb 17,…
Sant Guru Ravidass ji: Embodiment of Humanism
India has a very rich tradition of saint tradition. The medieval saints came from both Hindu and Islamic tradition. These saints upheld the humane values of religion and build bridges…
Attempts to Undermine Gandhi’s Contribution to Freedom Movement
Eric Hobswam famously stated that History is as important to (sectarianism) Nationalism as poppy is to an opium addict. The right wing is surging with great speed; its ideologues keep…
Between Hope and Despair: 75 Years of Indian Republic
The coming of Indian Constitution on 26 January 1950 was the major landmark in the life of our country. It gave us the core values of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and…
When did India Get Independence?
Kangana Ranaut, the actor and MP was the first who spelt her understanding about India’s Independence when she stated that India became Independent in 2014; when Modi came to power.…
Is Narayana Guru Part of Sanatan Dharma?
Recently (31st December 2024) while inaugurating the Conference as a part of Sivagiri pilgrimage, Pinarayi Vijayan supported the proposal of Swami Satchitanand’s to stop the practice of removing shirts, to…
Does Babasaheb’s Ideology match with the Hindu Nationalist Politics?
As the insult hurled on Babasaheb by Amit Shah in Lok Sabha is coming under heavy criticism from all over the country, the right wing Hindu Nationalist ideologues are trying…
Hate transcending the boundaries: Whither dictates by Supreme Leaders
After RSS was formed it went on creating many organizations steeped in its ideology of Hindutva or Hindu Nationalism, a concept based on Aryan race, Brahminical values and the land…
75 Years Down the line, whither Indian Constitution?
The Indian Parliament spent two days discussing the Indian Constitution. While the opposition leaders argued that our Constitution has a large space for enhancement of the rights of weaker sections…
Taliban, Women’s Equality and Hindutva Nationalism
Tavleen Singh is a well known columnist. In a recent column (Religiosity is sick, not Secularism, I.E. 8 December 2024) writes about the barring the women studying medicine in Afghanistan.…
Sambhal Mosque, Ajmer Dargah-How far back can we go?
The decade of the 1980s saw a drastic downturn in the direction of peace and progress. The communal forces found a new tool to instill hate by misusing the history…
Worsening Spiral of Hate speech: Demonization of Religious Minorities
RSS-BJP and its affiliates take every opportunity to deepen the demonization of religious minorities. Though there are legal provisions for punishing these Hate speeches mostly they go unpunished. Last decade…
Communal Amity: Overcoming attacks on our Mixed Heritage
I did have great interest in understanding the society around me and was doing social work in due course. My first foray into social work was in trying to associate…
Love and Religious Boundaries: Love Jihad
This 1st Oct a Barially Court gave life imprisonment to a Muslim man in case of a complaint of sexual assault. In the judgment the justice commented that it is…
Hyderabad: Liberation or Transition from Monarchy to Democracy?
Princely state of Hyderabad had merged with India on 17th September 1948, through what is called a Police action, actually done by Indian Army. It was called operation Polo and General…
Combating Islamophobia: A task overdue
In July 2024 England witnessed riots and unrest in several cities. They were precipitated mainly due to misinformation and anti immigration sentiments among the people. In these riots Muslims were the main…
Caste Imbroglio: Changing Narrative of Hindu Right
One of the major issues during the last General Elections (April-May 2024) was about conducting a caste census. The INDIA Alliance put it forward very strongly, while BJP is opposing…
Should Government Employees be allowed to Join RSS?
RSS is the biggest organization in the World. It aims at working for Hindu Rashtra and also claims that it is a Cultural Organization. It is as such striving for Nationalism…
Elections 2024: Democratic Ethos and Plight of Minorities
The recent order requiring eateries in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to display name plates — which has been stayed by the Supreme Court — has drawn chilling comparisons to apartheid-era…
Why Babadom Flourishes: Insecurity is the Core
In Hathras in Uttar Pradesh in a stampede nearly 121 people died. Most of these were women, mostly dalit and poor. It was at the Satsang (Holy Discourse), organized for Bhole Baba,…
Rahul Gandhi’s Hinduism versus BJP-RSS’s Hindutva
After the mandate of recent Lok sabha elections (2024), the parliament has become a real ground where the voice of opposition also has a space. In the debate following the…
Emergency: Declared versus Undeclared
Om Birla, the speaker of Lok Sabha is mired in many controversies. When he started his 2nd term as Lok Sabha (Parliament) Speaker he read out a resolution against Emergency which…
Nalanda Mahavihar: Did Bakhtiar Khilji Destroy it?
The campus of Nalnda was inaugurated formally by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi on 19th June (2024) in presence of Ambassadors of many countries like Myanmar, Srilanka, Vietnam, Japan, Korea among…
Emergency 1975: Was it Fascism?
This will be 49th Year when the dreaded Emergency was declared by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During this period civil rights were suspended, there was censorship on the Press…
Father, Son and the Push Towards Hindutva Agenda
In the middle of the General elections BJP President, J.P.Nadda stated that BJP is now more capable and does not need the support of RSS for election work. It is…
NDA in Power 2024: Whither Hindu Nationalism?
The failure of BJP to get past 272 has brought back the NDA into the forefront. While Vajpayee came to power and led the NDA Government in 1998, still there…
Did the World not know about Gandhi till the film on him was released?
In an interview to ABP on 29th May, Prime Minister Modi stated that "In the last 75 years, wasn't it our responsibility to make Mahatma Gandhi known across the world? Forgive me, but nobody…
Narendra Modi, Authoritarianism and ‘God Complex’
Democracy is a system of society won after long and intense struggles. The preceding society had mostly Kingdoms. A typical kingdom was an alliance between the Feudal lord-King and clergy.…
Nadda on BJP-RSS relations: Father, Son and Political Equations
As the election season (April-May 2024) is in progress there are observations by some that this time RSS volunteers (swayamsevaks) are not on the field to help the BJP for…
Are Hindus in Danger due to rising Muslim Population?
As the election season is in progress the divisive propaganda is also peaking. Chief propagandist of the ruling BJP is Prime Minister Modi himself. In these elections his narrative has…
Modi’s Election Propaganda: Falsehoods and Sectarianism Galore
BJP has a strong electoral machine, well backed up by its parent organization, RSS. The core module of RSS-BJP is based on demonization of Muslims through distortions of the medieval…
Modi: Last ten Years of BJP rule was a trailer-More to come
Modi has many ploys up his sleeves when it comes to propaganda. On one hand he is turning many a pronouncements of Congress in the communal direction, on the other…
BJP: Communal Divisive Propaganda Yet Again
For majoritarian Nationalism communal, divisive propaganda has been a major plank for increasing their hold in the electoral arena through promoting Hate. The module of Hindu nationalist politics has been…
Does Congress Manifesto Reflect Muslim League thinking?
Last week (4th April 2024) Indian National Congress released its manifesto, called Nyay Patra (Promise for Justice), for 2024 General Elections. It prominently talked of Caste census, raising the cap of…
Films building up Majoritarian Narratives: Swatantraveer Savarkar
Films are a very powerful medium which create a social understanding in various ways. Till decades ago we had films which reflected social realities and promoted progressive values. The films like ‘Mother…
BJP rule and threats to Indian Democracy and Constitution
The leaders of BJP, the ruling dispensation have been claiming to be winning more that 400 (370BJP +30 Allies) seats in the forthcoming parliamentary elections (Char sau paar) of 2024. …
Majoritarian Nationalism: Undermining Scientific Temper
With Hindu Nationalist BJP in the saddle of power from the last one decade there has been a deliberate promotion of a pattern of policy making in education, which is…
Hate Speech in India: How to Promote Amity?
India has been ruled by Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party for the last one decade. BJP in turn is progeny of RSS, which has a goal of Hindu Rashtra. It…
Modi’s engagements with Temple Events are not Decolonization
The recent (22 January 2024) Pran Pratishtha (consecration) of Lord Ram in Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been a major spectacle. This has accompanied promotion of the mass display of religiosity in…
Indian Muslims and Electoral Choices
As the 2024 General Elections are looming on the horizon some Muslim elite are appealing to Muslim community to give a relook at BJP They claim that Indian Muslims are…
Lord Ram: From Divine Spirit to Hindu Nationalist Icon
This January 22, a massive spectacle was created when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated the idol of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Declarations were made that Lord Ram is the…
Defining Soul of India: Indian Constitution or Lord Ram
The vibrations of the spectacle of inauguration of Lord Ram’s temple are still in the air (January 2024). This inauguration was done by Prime Minister Modi, who was at the…
Restoring the Inclusive Idea of India in the Times of Sectarian Nationalism
Satyapal Malik, the ex-Governor of many states stated that the role of Pulwama and Balakot was very much there in the victory of Modi-BJP in the previous 2019 General elections.…
Sustaining Democratic Spirit: Movements and Yatras
As massive propaganda and mobilization for Ram Temple inauguration on 22nd January is on and there is a need to introspect on India's democratic and secular ethos. We recall that soon…
Modi’s Attempt to Woo Christian Community
On 25th December, Prime Minister Mr. Narnedra Modi invited many Christians for an interaction and to greet them. He lauded the community for their social work and hailed the inclusive teachings of Lord…
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