The regimes that followed the Emergency (1975-77) did nothing to free the establishment from the stranglehold of the communist mafia. Members of the mafia have continued to occupy seats in the nation’s parliament and state legislatures, and man many other prestigious institutions. It retains control of two strategic states* on the borders with Bangladesh. In [...]
September 22, 2013
HHR
Analysis/Insights
The Rise of Hindu Anger across India has nothing to do with ‘Modi’, the RSS/VHP or the BJP or some imaginary Hindutva Fascism Phantom but the root cause is Indian ‘Secularism’ itself.And it will go out of control if the Indian ‘secular’ state continues with its anti Hindu policies. Muzaffarnagar is just one of many [...]
September 21, 2013
Rajesh Patel
Analysis/Insights, Archives, India
When Nina Davuluri of New York won Miss America 2013, she said in her first press conference after the victory: “I’m so happy this organization has embraced diversity. I’m thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America.” However this crowning of the first Miss America of Asian [...]
September 20, 2013
Ranbir Singh
Analysis/Insights, Archives
The Hindu psychology throughout this exercise is one of apology, of shamefacedness, of defence against what is initially conceded as a valid criticism of the idioms and forms in which Hindu spirituality has been spelled out in its shastras. This is a disastrous psychology. It leads to a supine surrender on the one hand, and [...]
September 15, 2013
HHR
Analysis/Insights, Archives
Four Hindu temples in the Batticaloa District were ransacked and damaged by unidentified persons back in June The well-crafted sculptures and other idols at the temples were vandalized and jewellery and money were looted, sources said. The vandalized temples are Sri Sellakathirgamar Temple, Maangadu Pillaiyar Temple, Kirankulam Iyanaar Temple and Pandiruppu Draupathai Amman Temple. According [...]
September 15, 2013
HHR
Articles, Sri Lanka
Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat, was already a controversial figure before the BJP nominated him as party candidate for post of prime minister. But ‘controversial’ to whom? And for what? The constant attacks on Modi have actually had the reverse effect of increasing the popularity of what otherwise would have been one of many [...]
September 15, 2013
Ranbir Singh
Analysis/Insights
A nation’s theories about education depend upon its theories about man. Its definition and understanding of education depend upon its definition and understanding of man. If we regard man as a physical entity, our approach to education would be of one kind; if we regard man as a mental being, our approach would be of [...]
September 15, 2013
HHR
Analysis/Insights, Archives
Though I live in India since long, there are still some points that I find hard to understand – for example why many so called educated Indians on TV discussion forums become agitated whenever ‘Hindutva’ is mentioned. The majority of Indians are Hindus. India is special because of its ancient Hindu tradition. Westerners are drawn [...]
September 12, 2013
HHR
Analysis/Insights
Hinduism is the religion where women are honoured as sacred. Lakshmi bestows wealth. Durga vanquishes evil. Yet since the brutal rape of Jyoti Singh in December 2012 there has been a sustained campaign by various organisations to lay the blame of this and other manifestations of sexual violence at the door of Hinduism itself. The [...]
September 8, 2013
Ranbir Singh
Analysis/Insights
On 27 August 2013, the Jesuit think-tank UCSIA inside Antwerp University (Universitair Centrum Sint-Ignatius Antwerpen) hosted, as part of its series on “Religion, Culture and Society”, a lecture by the sociologist of religion, José Casanova of Georgetown University. He spoke with a heavy Spanish accent about “Types of Secular States and Regimes of Religious Pluralism: [...]
September 6, 2013
Dr Koenraad Elst
Analysis/Insights