Analysis

  • Salman Rushdie and Freedom of Expression

    By Shahid Siddiqui
    Feb 08, 2012

    Did Mr. Rushdie and his friends who are questioning Indian democracy, raise their voice when a renowned Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was banned from entering Britain in June 2010 and latter banned by US.

  • Cater to public demand and shape it: Hamid Ansari

    Jan 27, 2012

    + Pic Following is the text of Vice President’s inaugural address: Today’s distinguished gathering is a proclamation to the world: Saare jahan main dhoom hamari zubaan ki hai, and it gives me great pleasure to be amidst you...

  • Team Anna’s Political Ploy: Muslims Ignored

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Jan 27, 2012

    Politically, as Indian citizens the so-called members of Team Anna have the democratic right to raise their voice on issues concerning them. They have been doing so for several months now, drawing attention to the need of a strong Lok Pal bill ...

  • Biased Media

    By Ghulam Muhammed
    Jan 14, 2012

    India’s English language newspapers on 8 January completely ignored the news of Andhra Pradesh government offering compensation cheques of Rupees 3 lakh each to innocent youth freed by courts of all charges relating to Makka Masjid blast....

  • Thank Allah for MP’s refusal of AMU centre

    By AG Khan
    Jan 14, 2012

    There seems to be a blessing in disguise in MP’s refusal of an AMU centre. It has saved both parties a lot of embarrassment. There would have been a lot of unpleasant occurrences creating more of ill-will than goodwill. The tussle would h...

  • Muharram: Tapestries of Harmony

    Jan 14, 2012

    By Ali Khan Mahmudabad bilehra14@gmail.com + Pic The first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, often brings with it headlines of Shi’a-Sunni tensions in some parts of the Muslim world. Sadly, this year was no exception and t...

  • Reservation Issue: Political Hype!

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Jan 14, 2012

    The political irony linked with voices being raised for and against reservation for Muslims cannot be ignored for several reasons. The issue has never been viewed as an insignificant one but has tendency to hit headlines more for electoral reas...

  • Inventing The Enemy

    Dec 30, 2011

    By Patricia Mukhim     + Pic Wendy Goldman’s “Inventing the Enemy” describes how, during Stalin’s rule, terror was unleashed by the regime on anyone suspected of being disloyal to the state. In ...

  • Hazare: Only A Protestor

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Dec 30, 2011

    Anna Hazare is back on the political stage threatening a “jail bharo” protest movement from January 1, if an effective Lok Pal bill is not passed during the winter session of the Indian Parliament. He has also announced his intentio...

  • Divided We Stand

    Dec 15, 2011

    + Pic A friend, who has sufi leanings and a PhD in Urdu literature, wrote a 200-page book on the 13th century sufi poet Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi last year. That friend, whose scholarship I have every reason to trust, told me recently...

  • Sibal’s “Censorship Agenda”

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Dec 15, 2011

    There is something amiss in the hype raised on Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal’s intention to censor social networking sites. He favours blocking of material he views as dangerous, which can incite communal ...

  • Are we a pseudo-secular state?

    Nov 29, 2011

    + Pic By Abdul Khaliq akhaliq2007@gmail.com Last week, that inveterate hate-monger Pravin Togadia made an impassioned plea for a new Indian Constitution that allows for “anyone who converts Hindus to be beheaded.” He w...

  • Anti-Muslim Bias Denies Them Fair Trial

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Nov 29, 2011

    Who is to be blamed for Indian Muslims being denied a fair trial and their being wrongly accused of being “terrorists”? Consider the irony of the situation, seven Muslims were released on bail earlier this month due to there being l...

  • Establishing Democracy in Libya will be a hard task

    Nov 14, 2011

    + Pic The atrocious murder of Colonel Gaddafi engineered by the US-led NATO forces, after Saddam Hussein’s hanging in 2006 proves that in the current world order, the United States of America can do whatever it wishes with other n...

  • Media and Democracy in a Globalising World

    Nov 14, 2011

    + Pix Globalisation is largely good for capitalism, democracy and media, although there is a downside to it as well. One has to keep it in mind that media operations are driven by a business logic and a clear profit motive, rather than ...

  • UP Polls: Muslim & Dalit Votes!

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Nov 14, 2011

    With Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections less than a year away, strong speculations and calculations are afoot regarding which party or coalition will head the next state government. The UP results are expected to play a crucial role in deciding t...

  • UP Polls: Muslim & Dalit Votes!

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Nov 14, 2011

    With Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections less than a year away, strong speculations and calculations are afoot regarding which party or coalition will head the next state government. The UP results are expected to play a crucial role in deciding t...

  • Justice Katju interacts with mediapersons

    Oct 29, 2011

    + Pic I have only recently become the Chairman of the Press Council of India. It is a new job for me as I was earlier in the legal world for 40 years, 20 years as a lawyer and 20 years as a Judge. Now, that I have come into your world I...

  • Advani’s Yatra: Totally Off-Track!

    By Nilofar Suhrawardy
    Oct 29, 2011

    Notwithstanding the hype raised against corruption by Bharatiya Janata Party and its associates, particularly those belonging to the Saffron brigade, what are these politicians really gaining in the process? A little bit of media coverage, some...

  • BJP in U.P.

    Oct 15, 2011

    There are reports in the media that the BJP through it’s Muslim showboys is making attempts to woo the Muslim electorate in UP in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. This is a subterfuge indeed. No sane person can expect a Muslim to ...