Challenging essentialist histories: Ayesha Jalal’s nuanced portrait of South Asian Muslims
Ayesha Jalal’s Self and Sovereignty: Individual and Community in South Asian Islam Since 1850 stands as a monumental and intellectually profound work, meticulously exploring the complex evolution of Muslim identity and political consciousness within South Asia. This dense, scholarly tome, spanning over six centuries of tumultuous history from the mid-19th century CE through colonialism, nationalism, […]
Bengal to Kerala: How Indian Communism serves Brahmanical interests- Part 1
Looking at the genealogy of Communist parties in the Indian state, one could trace them to Brahminical revivalist movements of the British era in Bengal and Maratha – technically shaped as Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj respectively. It was this movement, which was utilised effectively as the primary tool of anti-Muslim propaganda, eventually developing to […]
Waqf Amendment Act: Exposing systematic lies while vanishing debate
It is one of the big lies that the Sangh Parivar has been spreading for some time that the Waqf Boards own 38 lakh acres of land, the largest land holding after the Defense Department and the Railways. Since 1913 to 2013, the Waqf Boards were in possession of 18 lakh acres of land. Only […]
The hidden dangers of India’s Waqf Amendment Act 2025
Against the backdrop of the passage of Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 by the Narendra Modi dispensation, I believe we need to set certain records straight. In contrast to NDA regime claims, they aim for neither transparency nor efficiency. Recent ‘amendments,’ for instance, change Waqf Boards from being elected bodies to nominated ones—which is not at […]
184 Anti-Muslim hate crimes reported across India after Pahalgam Attack: APCR Report
New Delhi: In the wake of the April 22 militant attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, a sharp spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes has been reported across India, according to a detailed report released by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR). The report documents 184 incidents of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination within a 17-day period, […]
ICC Netanyahu warrant: Why South Asia’s criminal rulers enjoy impunity
The issuance of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marks a significant shift in the global pursuit of justice. Charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for actions against Palestinians, the warrant underscores the role of international justice mechanisms in holding state leaders accountable. The decision is seen […]
The Hindu military ethos and strategic thought in post-colonial India: Part 2
Hinduism and India’s Conduct of Conventional Warfare On 9 May 1929, M. K. Gandhi declared: This I know that if India comes to her own demonstrably through non-violent means, India will never want to carry a vast army, an equally grand navy and a grander air force. If her self-consciousness rises to the height necessary […]
The Hindu military ethos and strategic thought in post-colonial India: Part 1
With the British departure from India in 1947, British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Though India officially claims to be a secular state, Hinduism continues to influence statecraft. At the beginning of the new millennium, India is a rising power, if not a mini-superpower. India’s economy is growing at an annual rate of […]
From Babri to Sambhal: the systematic stripping of Indian Muslims’ dignity
On January 22, 2024, as the Ram Temple was inaugurated in Ayodhya, where the Babri Masjid once stood, social media flooded with images of the Indian Constitution’s front page. Many self-proclaimed secularists—activists, actors, and others—posted these images with statements like “It is not in my name.” This irony was stark. The Babri Masjid’s demolition in […]
Complicit courts and a blood-thirsty regime: Dissecting Anti-Muslim violence in Sambhal
In the smoke-filled aftermath of Sambhal, where the echoes of police gunfire still haunt its streets, the complicity of India’s judiciary in enabling a divisive political agenda must be laid bare. Five lives—five young Muslim men—were taken under the pretense of maintaining “law and order.” This massacre is no isolated incident. It is the grim […]
