Founding Editor: Daya Varma (1929-2015)
Editors: Vinod Mubayi (New York) and Raza Mir (New Jersey).
Editorial Board: Ram Puniyani and Irfan Engineer (Mumbai); Pervez Hoodbhoy (Islamabad); Dolores Chew (Montreal); Vamsi Vakulabharanam (Amherst); Ajay Bhardwaj (Vancouver).
Circulation/website: Feroz Mehdi (On behalf of Alternatives, Montreal).
NEWS BRIEFS
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- HINDUTVA GODMEN EXPOSED AS MONEY LAUNDERERS
- AIR INDIA TRAGEDY OF 1985 AND LAX CANADIAN SECURITY
- AIR INDIA TRAGEDY OF 1985 AND LAX CANADIAN SECURITY
- INDIAN FILMMAKER RAKESH SHARMA WINS LAWSUIT IN NEW YORK COURT
- CERAS STATEMENT ON DR. BINAYAK SEN’S UNJUST ARREST
- BUDDHA JAYANTI IN TORONTO Read more…
HOMAGE TO PC JOSHI ON HIS 100TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY!
It is heartening to learn that both the Communist Party of India (CPI) and CPI (Marxist) are paying homage to Puran Chand Joshi (popularly known as elder PC to distinguish him from the other PC Joshi, also a communist and younger) on his 100th birth anniversary.
JUDICIAL ACTIVISM IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO PEOPLES’ PROBLEMS
Daya Varma
The Indian left is put to test time and again about what attitude to take on Judicial Activism. When judges’ decisions suit the left, such activism is hailed. When it does not, a critical appraisal is made. Obviously, any judicial decision will make some people happy and others unhappy. In the case of the present stay order by the Supreme Court on the issue of reservations for OBCs, the elite are happy and the left is unhappy.
OBC RESERVATIONS – MANDAL II – THE STRUGGLE FOR AN EGALITARIAN SOCIETY
Feroze H. Mithiborwala
Muslim Intellectual Forum, posted by Yogi Sikand)
[Given the social, economic and political effects of the Indian caste system, the Indian Constitution recognizes the marginalized section as OBC (other backward classes), SC (scheduled caste, commonly known as dalits) and ST (Scheduled tribes, which includes most of the indigenous people) ed.]
BJP’S ANTI–MUSLIMISM
Asghar Ali Engineer
(Secular Perspective April 16-30, 2007)
The CD controversy in U.P. election has proved once again, if any proof is needed, how much BJP hates Muslims. BJP’s anti-Muslim record has touched new heights. How can any politically responsible party taking part in democratic election and taking oath for secularism, can produce such propaganda stuff. The CD is full of hate for Muslims and uses very derogatory language. The only parallel one can find is Nazi’s hate of Jews, no other example could be found.
SOMNATH REQUESTS BJP MP TO STAY OUT OF PARLIAMENT
The Hindu (April 27, 2007)
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Thursday “requested” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Babubhai K. Katara, now in police custody in a human trafficking case; not to attend the House till party leaders decide on the further course of action.
PROTECTION OF WOMEN AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE
Ramya Chellapa
(Based on a report in the Hindu, March 31, 2007)
In a landmark judgment in the case of Visakha vs. State of Rajasthan in 1997, the Supreme Court defined a set of guidelines for institutions to follow on sexual harassment at the workplace. Later, a survey conducted by the National Commission for Women (NCW) revealed that 60% of women employees and many employers didn’t know about the guidelines. This led to the creation of the draft bill: ‘Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill 2007’. On March 31, the Hindu published comments from women from all walks of life on the effect of this bill on women in the unorganized sector. Here are some excerpts:
ARREST OF POLICE OFFICERS TRIGGERS MORE DOUBTS
Dionne Bunsha
(The Hindu, April 26, 2007))
The arrest of three police officers on Tuesday for allegedly killing three persons in a fake encounter outside Ahmedabad has opened up a can of worms, bringing up questions about Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders’ responsibility for the shootings and raising doubts about other police “encounters” in the State.
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND BAJRANGI’S ARREST
(Express News Service, Ahmedabad, April 25)
As a mark of protest against police inaction in arresting Babu Bajrangi (the word Bajrangi denotes a devotee of Bajrang Dal, a goon outfit of Hindutva fascism), the self-styled messiah of Hindu girls, civil society organizations staged a demonstration in front of the Ellisbridge Police Station in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
RATIONALISTS TARGET YOGA, SPIRITUALITY, ART OF LIVING
(Express News Service, Pune, April 26, 2007)
Indian spirituality, yoga and Art of Living have been accepted worldwide. But the Federation of Indian Rationalist Association (FIRA) has questioned the new age “pseudo science” which bank on spirituality, yoga and Art of Living that are “manipulating the masses.” The FIRA will undertake a campaign to question the beliefs of these gurus and ask them to present their evidence before the common man.
NEPAL’S TRYST WITH DESTINY
(Opinion, editorial, the Hindu, April 3, 2007)
The formation of an interim government in Nepal with the participation of revolutionaries who, until recently, were engaged in an all-out war to overthrow the state is an event of historic political significance. In 1996, when the Maoists walked out of the House of Representatives with a charter of demands aimed at deepening Nepal’s fledgling democracy, few expected them to have any impact on the course of the country’s politics.
OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS FREE, FAIR AND FEARLESS ELECTIONS, SAYS PRACHANDA
Maoist chairman Prachanda has said that the main priority of his party after having joined the interim cabinet will be to ensure that elections to the Constituent Assembly take place in a free, fair and fearless environment.
NEWS BRIEFS
- PRO-TALIBAN ELEMENTS IN PAKISTAN TERRORIZE PROGRESSIVE THEATRE GROUP
- DISGRACEFUL TREATMENT OF CANADA’S ABORIGINAL KIDS
- THE US SENATE LINKS MILITARY FINDING TO TIMED US WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ
- ANNIVERSARY (73RD) OF THE IRAQ COMMUNIST PARTY CELEBRATED
ANNIVERSARY (73RD) OF THE IRAQ COMMUNIST PARTY CELEBRATED
A public meeting was held at the International People’s Stadium in Baghdad on Saturday 31 March 2007, to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the Iraqi Communist Party.
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