By Mosarrap H. Khan
There is a great churning happening with the Indian Muslim community. Delhi assembly elections once again gave us a chance to grasp those changes. If we fail to take note, it will be one more missed opportunity for Indian Muslims and for all Indians.
By Cafe Dissensus
My government will ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence. My government will not allow any religious group, belonging to the majority or the minority, to incite hatred against others, overtly or covertly. Mine will be a government that gives equal respect to all religions.
By M. Ghazali Khan
Murderers, looters, rapists and arsonists are being issued clean chits one after the other but those who dared challenge these injustices, like Teesta Seetalvad, Javed Anand, late Ahsan Jafri’s son, Tanveer Jafri, are implicated in court cases while killer cops and politicians are being let off the hook one after the other.
By Amartya Banerjee
Jana-Sanskriti, has been working in these areas since the mid-1980s and through its untiring efforts, it has been able to instill a sense of belonging, a sense of responsibility amongst the people. This responsibility refers to the belief that things and situations will not change if one gives up hope. It will change only when they themselves unite in their efforts and harness the collective energy for constructive work.
Compiled by Mosarrap H. Khan
Here is a compilation of R.K.Laxman’s ‘The Common Man.’
By Sonnal Pardiwala
What made us at ease was the outlook of these parents – instead of judging their kids through the eyes of a teacher or through their own notions of what the child “should do,” they focused on actually taking a peek into who their child was. If he/she does not like reading Hindi, maybe he does not. If he does not like a certain math problem, he does not. This philosophy says “the child does have a right to not like something. Does he have to be compelled and made guilty for getting it done?”
By Nilanjana Dey
A poem on Fatehpur Sikri
“The red sandstone burnt in the scorching heat
Holding memories of the city that was.
Engulfed by vague curiosity and idle hours
The city is no more than a distant spectacle today.”
By Mary Ann Chacko
Walking through the Butterfly Garden was an invigorating and calming experience. But I felt a tinge of sadness when I realized that these breathtakingly beautiful creatures had such a short life span. To make matters worse, during this walking tour I learned that the natural habitats of many butterflies have been destroyed due to human interference thereby threatening the survival of many species.
By Chhaya Kaul
A former colleague, during a casual discussion on the plight of government schools rightly commented that what our education system needs is NOT just an overhaul but a complete reboot, even if that means bringing it to a halt and starting anew.
By Mujeeb Vallapuzha
Following the demolition, places such as Delhi, Bhopal, Kanpur, Bombay, Ahmadabad, and Surat became cauldrons of communal resentment. Following the Bombay Riots, B.N. Srikrishna Commission Report had also pointed out how these communal conflagrations could vilify the Muslim community.
By Abdul Hafees
Still traumatized by the incident that snuffed out their dreams, some of the survivors had gathered here at Jantar Mantar about a month ago with placards in their hands and fire in the hearts. Many of them were old women. Five young women were observing indefinite waterless strike. As a result of the protests and timely intervention of the Amnesty International, the government further hiked the proposed compensation a little.
By Mosarrap H. Khan
Black bodies matter as a source of cheap labor in coffee shops, supermarkets, Ikea, and Walmart shopping centers. The white folks make a lot of noise about labor abuse in the Middle East and other parts of the world. I live close to a government apartment block occupied by black folks. If you ask me, it’s nothing but a labor camp in a modern metropolis.
Cafe Dissensus Everyday 