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Religious Minorities and Sectarian Nationalism: Which Way is India Going?
As RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat concludes his international tour praising Hindutva’s inclusive vision, a stark reality unfolds at home. From systematic voter disenfranchisement and anti-conversion laws to target-driven violence against Christians and Muslims, state actions tell a very different story. Can Hindutva truly embrace India’s rich pluralism, or is “diversity” merely an ornamental slogan?
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To whom does this land belong?
As new archaeological discoveries and DNA genetics reshape ancient history, politicians rush to claim native roots while weaponizing the “firstcomer” myth. From ancient iron tool discoveries to migrant pastoralist waves, modern science shatters sectarian narratives. Digging into the past for political dominance ignores who we actually are today.
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Undermining Gandhi’s Legacy: Reflections on Martyrdom Day
In an era where systematic efforts attempt to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s monumental role in shaping a united India, this essay critically examines recent distortions around his legacy. From historical revisionism to ideological attacks, explore how his vision of secularism and mass consciousness built the foundation of an independent nation.
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Election Season and Return of Lord Ram
Discover how the BJP and RSS strategically deployed the Ram Temple issue and religious identity to polarize voters and consolidate political power. Highlighting the shift from socio-economic governance to emotive communal rhetoric, the piece demonstrates how this electoral strategy impacts India’s democratic values. Click through to read the complete analysis.
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Confusions around the term Hindutva
Is “Hindutva” a cultural way of life or a political tool altering India’s secular fabric? As the Supreme Court revisits its landmark rulings, this case presents a historic opportunity to reinforce constitutional secularism. Because Hindutva centres fundamentally on religion, strict separation of faith and politics is essential to safeguard the basic structure of Indian democracy.
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Is there an undeclared Emergency Today?
From media bans to the tragic suicide of scholar Rohith Vemula, India faces a dangerous shift toward authoritarian control. Democratic rights, institutional autonomy, and minority protections are under systematic attack. Is this setup even more sinister than the Emergency? Read this critical analysis on the ideological threat to the Constitution and why we must resist.
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Can Compulsions Elicit Respect? Singing of National Anthem in Cinema Halls
The Supreme Court’s mandate requiring the national anthem before movie screenings has reignited an intense debate over legal obligation versus civil liberties. Is forced nationalism genuine patriotism, or an encroachment on individual freedom? Examining historic precedents like the Jehovah’s Witnesses case, this article explores how state-enforced loyalty risks undermining the democratic values guaranteed by the…
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Fascism and the BJP
Drawing parallels with Nazi Germany, this article argues that the BJP-led government employs a combination of state power, cadre violence, and strategic propaganda to suppress dissent in India. Examining incidents like the Dadri lynching, Rohith Vemula’s suicide, and JNU arrests, Subhendu Sarkar highlights a systematic effort to erode democratic pluralism and establish a monolithic right-wing…
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Kandhamal: Long Wait for Justice
Reflecting on the 2008 Kandhamal violence, this article exposes the systematic, low-intensity persecution faced by India’s Christian minority. Driven by hate propaganda and false narratives surrounding forced conversions, right-wing outfits targeted vulnerable rural Adivasi belts. The author highlights the alarming apathy of the state and media, underscoring systemic failures in delivering justice to targeted minority…
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Did Ashoka’s embracing Buddhism and promoting Ahimsa Weaken India?
Long before modern borders were drawn, an emperor renounced military conquest to build a state on compassion and pluralism. Today, that legacy is under attack. Blaming ancient non-violence for national vulnerability masks a deeper motive: discrediting an anti-caste transformation. Behind the nationalist critique of Ashoka lies a centuries-old struggle between egalitarian ideals and the revival…
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Three Murders and a Lynching
Prompted by the assassinations of rationalists and the Dadri lynching, Ram Puniyani analyzes the wave of intellectuals returning state awards. Puniyani argues that this collective protest marks a qualitative shift in India’s social atmosphere, exposing how systematic hostility and political polarization threaten the foundational, pluralistic values of the Indian Constitution.
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Worshipping Cow: Killing Humanity
Lynchings and state bans over beef consumption signal a alarming shift where animal veneration overrides human lives. Examining history from Vedic traditions to Ambedkar and Vivekananda, Ram Puniyani exposes how cow protection has been weaponized as a tool for religious polarization, arguing that true communal harmony requires respecting individual freedom and diversity.
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Assault on Syncretic Traditions
Targeting literary scholars, rationalists, and artists marks a dangerous shift toward destroying India’s rich syncretic heritage. From silencing columnists to hounding cultural icons, sectarian politics seeks to erase centuries of shared Hindu-Muslim traditions. Ram Puniyani highlights the urgent need to defend India’s deep-rooted cultural and literary pluralism against rising intolerance.
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Looking at the Past: Jaundiced Views
Communal forces heavily rely on distorted, jaundiced histories to spread hatred against other communities. This animosity stems from British colonial legacies and modern communalists who selectively manipulate and misrepresent historical incidents to fit their divisive agendas.
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Killing a Rationalist: Silencing Reason
Examining the tragic assassination of M.M. Kalburgi alongside Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, Ram Puniyani critiques the violent suppression of rational thought in India. Linking historical resistance—from Cārvāka to the Bhakti movement—to modern anti-superstition campaigns, this essay exposes the rising tide of religious intolerance while affirming hope through collective democratic resistance.
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Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka: It’s Not About King George
Debates surrounding India’s national anthem often involve myths that Rabindranath Tagore’s Jana Gana Mana was written to honor King George V. This article addresses these misconceptions, examining how colonial media errors perpetuated the rumor, how Tagore clarified his focus on human destiny, and why the anthem’s pluralism remains vital today
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Modi on Rampage: Reckless Abuse of History
History is increasingly weaponized for contemporary political agendas in India. This article examines how communal politics abuses both ancient myths and modern historical events—from temple destructions to the tragedy of Partition—to undermine democratic nationalism. It offers a critical analysis of the long-term colonial, feudal, and ideological factors that truly drove Partition.
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Lord Ram’s Story: Many Tellings
When Delhi University dropped A.K. Ramanujan’s landmark essay Three Hundred Ramayanas from its syllabus, it ignited a major debate over academic freedom and religious politics. This article explores the rich, diverse storytelling traditions of the Ramayana—spanning Buddhist, Jain, and Southeast Asian cultures—and how communal forces seek to censor these multifaceted narratives.
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Godse’s Children : Hindutva Terror in India
Subhash Gatade’s Godse’s Children: Hindutva Terror in India offers a rigorous investigation into sectarian violence and extremist networks linked to Hindutva ideology. Exposing compromised investigations, institutional biases, and organizational front groups, Gatade dismantles popular misconceptions surrounding terrorism, delivering a vital, eye-opening account of the threats facing Indian democracy and secularism.