The election of Narendra Modi as the choice for millions in the world’s largest democracy is a bit galling to those whose concept of ‘democratic’ resembles Lenin’s armed force against the elected government of Alexander Kerensky in revolutionary Russia. Yet even before Modi’s election in what proved to be a pivotal moment in Indian democracy [...]
May 18, 2014
Ranbir Singh
Analysis/Insights, World Focus
Ayodhya October 1990: A tale of Fascism, police Brutality and Hindu Massacre In month of October 1990, about 1.1 million (11 lakh) Hindus had assembled in Ayodhya to peacefully protest and raise the centuries old demand for the rebuilding of Ram Mandir, at the site where Hindus believe that Lord Rama was born. However under [...]
Washington (AFP) – Several US lawmakers voiced concern Friday for the future of religious minorities in India in a hearing critics denounced as an attempt to influence upcoming elections. With polls starting Monday in the world’s largest democracy, several activists testifying before the US Congress’ human rights commission expressed fear for the treatment of Muslims [...]
April 5, 2014
HHR
Articles, News updates
Three of the world‘s top religious leaders – Pope Francis of the Vatican, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr Mahmoud Azab have joined hands in the biggest ever push to eradicate modern day slavery and human trafficking in India by 2020. On the surface this may look laudable. But [...]
March 24, 2014
Ranbir Singh
Archives, India, News updates
At long last, shortly before he would turn 100, Khushwant Singh has gone. India loses a pleasant writer and frequently humorous political and social commentator. He was a forthright spokesman of the Nehruvian English-speaking elite, at one time even the direct press chief of Jawaharlal Nehru himself. He also served as an assistant to Sikh [...]
March 21, 2014
Dr Koenraad Elst
Analysis/Insights
This article has been generated assuming that majority of the readers are familiar with the background of Arya Samaj, how it got started, its initial association with Brahmo Samaj and the later break off, its founder (Dayananda Saraswati), etc. The focus of this article is more on the situation of the Arya Samaj today and [...]
I was shocked and aghast to read the comments of author Wendy Doniger calling Indian Judiciary as the main villain in this case. Equally shocking was the article of Ram Chandra Guha carried by your esteemed newspaper stating that courts have failed to protect artistic rights. Equally stunning was the letter of Arundhati Roy calling [...]
February 13, 2014
HHR
Articles, India, News updates
Dr Koenraad Elst and HHR member discuss the discrimination against Hindus under Article 30 of the Indian Constitution Why this discrimination against Hindus? Apart from anti-secular and discriminatory governmental control of all prominent Hindu temples (whereas no Christian church or Muslim mosque has been touched by government control), another issue tormenting Hindus and demolishing [...]
December 16, 2013
HHR
HHR Videos
“On Hinduism is a treat. For those who already know and admire Wendy Doniger’s work, this is a handy (if hefty) compendium of many of her essays…. For those who are reading her for the first time, the book is a marvellous introduction to the multiple ways that Hinduism can be approached and understood through [...]
December 1, 2013
HHR
Analysis/Insights
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh on Sunday defended the Uttar Pradesh government’s notification providing for a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh only to Muslims affected in the recent Muzzaffarnagar communal riots. “Injustice cannot be done to those Muslim families who have lost not only their members but all possessions and did not want to return [...]
November 25, 2013
HHR
India, News updates