India: Law commission continuing consulatations on uniform civil code

On uniform civil code, Law panel asks Muslim groups: Why deny some rights to women
Sources told The Indian Express that the panel asked about Muslim personal law not allowing a mother to be the natural guardian and also cited the differences in the interpretation of Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki or Hanbali law.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/on-civil-code-law-panel-asks-muslim-groups-why-deny-some-rights-to-women-5191525/

India: Ghettoisation and segregation in Gujarat

The segregated city

Ghettoisation and Disturbed Areas Act are dividing urban spaces in Gujarat, pushing Muslims to the edge.

Written by Christophe Jaffrelot , Sharik Laliwala | Updated: May 26, 2018

In the current debates on the place of Muslims in Indian society, a key dimension has remained unexplored: What is their physical place? Where do they live? This question has become topical given the accusation of “land jihad” that has emerged in different parts of the country and the attempts to drive Muslims out of mixed areas or to prevent them from settling down in Hindu majority localities. The issue has been particularly sensitive in Gujarat. Recent tensions in Paldi, an affluent locality of Hindus and Jains with some Muslim-dominated parts in Ahmedabad, shed fresh light on the faultlines of urban Gujarat. The issue involves a land re-development scheme owned mostly by Muslims which was protested against by the local Hindu and Jain residents. Finally, the collectorate office has withdrawn permission to the scheme.
Such accusations of “land jihad” are a continuation of the campaign in the run-up to the 2017 elections when posters urging the need to “stop Paldi from becoming another Juhapura” had come up. Juhapura is a Muslim ghetto on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. At that time, a GPS-tracking system of garbage collection by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation marking societies in Paldi with a cross had led to panic among Muslims, reminding them of 2002.

[ . . . ]

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/muslims-in-india-hindus-jains-gujarat-love-jihad-5191304/

India - Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu Yuva Vahini splits

Hindustan Times

Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu Yuva Vahini splits amid struggle to stay significant

The perceived sidelining of the once-powerful Hindu Yuva Vahini has resulted in the birth of a splinter group Hindu Yuva Vahini (Bharat).

May 25, 2018 18:12 IST

Rajesh Kumar Singh
Hindustan Times, Lucknow

 

Yogi Adityanath founded the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) on Ram Navami in 2002 with the objective of promoting “Hindutva and nationalism”. In subsequent years, it went on to play a significant role in his political rise in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.
When Adityanath became chief minister in March 2017 after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s spectacular performance in assembly elections, HYV members exulted in the belief that their fortunes would look up, too.
A little more than a year after his ascent to power, the HYV finds itself in unprecedented churn. On Sunday, May 13, 35 Adityanath loyalists in the organisation launched a breakaway group called Hindu Yuva Vahini (Bharat), amid seething discontent over the group’s perceived sidelining by the BJP. Sunil Singh, a former aide to Adityanath and president of the HYV (B), said the group would open offices in various states to spread its ideology. [ . . . ]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/relegated-to-the-margins-yogi-adityanath-s-hindu-yuva-vahini-struggles-to-stay-significant/story-K0wqv6e86VHzZK5XQ5uPgK.html
 

 

excerpt from Godman to Tycoon: The Untold Story of Baba Ramdev by Priyanka Pathak-Narain

Is Patanjali’s Desi Cow Ghee Even Cow Ghee?

By Priyanka Pathak-Narain | 2 August 2017

 

http://www.caravanmagazine.in/vantage/patanjalis-desi-cow-ghee-even-cow-ghee

Launch of Citizens Report on 4 Years of the Modi Govt (2014-2018)

 

Announcement: Jamia Milia Islamia University Discussion on Harmony and Satyagraha (23 May 2018, New Delhi)

Department of History & Culture, JMI [Jamia Milia Islamia] and
Sadbhav Mission organize a Panel Discussion
Harmony and Satyagraha
May 23, 20188, 4-7:30 PM

Seminar Room, Dept of History & Culture, JMI

Panelists include
 Shri Mohammad Adeeb
 Prof. SMA Azizuddin Husain
 Prof. M.H. Qureshi
 Prof. Shoeb Abdullah
 Prof. Rizwan Qaiser
 Prof. Nishat Manzar
 Prof. V.K. Tripathi
All are cordially invited.
RSVP
Noor Alam 8750473548, Asrar Ahmad 8802325852,
Mohd. Sajjad 9871446562

Full programme: Building an Inclusive India - Citizens Conclave May 25-27, 2018 (New Delhi)

CITIZENS’ CONCLAVE

25-27 May, 2018

CONSTITUTION CLUB

NEW DELHI

Highly perturbed by the growing violence, attacks on women and girls, atmosphere of hatred across the nation, attacks on dissent, further marginalization of Dalits and minorities, attacks on educational institutions; realizing the danger to our shared heritage, pluralism and diversity, a few friends got together and constituted a group ‘ India  Inclusive’  to safeguard not only the shared heritage, collective consciousness but also to protect the idea of an inclusive India. This India of our dreams is forward looking and free of fear. This inclusive India has existed for many centuries; it welcomed diversity with open arms. This India has encouraged and produced diversity of religion, ethnicity, language, habits, practices and ideas, by building a compassionate, peaceful and nonviolent cultural ethos.

  

Today we very strongly feel that the idea of this inclusive India is under sever threat. The divisive forces have contaminated all spaces of thought and expression. Hate and fear looms large. The democratic structures through which a common citizen expresses her/his aspirations and fulfills her/his dreams are under intense attack. We have learnt from the experience of neighboring countries, once these structures are allowed to crumble, nations pay huge prices to rebuild build them. We cannot be complacent and allow the forces of hate to grow on our soil and convert the subcontinent into a cauldron of intolerance.

There is no dearth of examples, where countries build on hatred towards, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities, economically and socially weaker sections have been torn apart. We fear that fascist forces today are pushing this land on that path. With a sense of urgency we rise to call upon all peace loving citizens of the country to come together and resist the onslaught on the Idea of inclusive India.

India Inclusive is an informal open platform; it will network with citizens , who want to preserve the constitutional values and it will strive to build resistance against the forces of hatred. India Inclusive strongly believes in safeguarding our Constitution in its letter and spirit. At the present political juncture, the attack on the democratic rights is vehement. Rise of hatred and revenge crimes have been fanned by well designed and motivated right –wing forces.  

Citizens Conclave is guided by the vision of reclaiming and realizing the idea of an inclusive India: an India that necessarily includes and respects all of our country's immense diversity of cultures, faiths, languages, peoples and communities - all held together, and mediated, by the core constitutional idea and values of citizenship, the touchstone of democracy.

It’s time to realize that the might of organized political forces of prejudice and hatred must now be confronted by the sovereign rights and might of democratic citizenship enshrined in the Constitution of India.

 Taking forward the deliberations, India Inclusive plans to organize similar conclaves in many other cities in the coming months. We also urge the fraternal organizations to organize similar conclaves in other parts of the country on their own initiative.

 The Citizens’ Conclave is non- funded and is being organized on contributions from individuals.