The election manifesto should be an enforceable social contract between political parties and citizens. The political manifesto or its idea thereof has a long history. As early as 1848, the Communists released their manifesto; in 1850, the Anarchists, believing in a stateless society, released their manifesto. Then it was the Fascists who issued the Manifesto […]
Posts in the Articles Published category:
Conversion, re-conversion and its limit! – Published in Millennium Post
How can the RSS and its affiliates establish markers of Hindu religious identity, and promote re-conversion, when they are not in consonance with the understanding held by a majority of people from their own faith? The concept of belonging to a particular religion or identity in a diverse country like ours has been a contentious issue. […]
Fighting Old Battles With New Tricks – Published in Millennium Post
The issue of ‘Love Jihad’ has drawn attention of many activists, academicians and lawyers and everyone who has taken a stand. Recently, two different views were published in one leading national daily, one after another. Madhu Kishwar wrote justifying the existence ‘Love Jihad’ and opined that ‘the angst about ‘love jihad’ has to do with surreptitious […]
Control, Alter and Encounter – Published in The Millennium Post
The Supreme Court, speaking through the Chief Justice of India, has laid down the norms, which will certainly create accountability on the police personnel involved in the killing of civilians in encounters. This is an another example where the Indian executive and legislature have failed despite recurring and repetitive grievances from the citizens and civil society […]
Curious Case of Hobby Lobby – Published in Millennium Post
Few weeks before, a nine-judges’ bench of the Supreme Court of the United States took a view on the issue as to whether a for-profit business corporation can take the plea of violation of religious freedom and belief for not complying with the contraceptive mandate coverage for women under the medical insurance flowing from the Patient […]
Separate Law Needed for Organized Violence – Published in The Milli Gazette
One of the chapters of our Constitution makes certain duties “obligatory” and “fundamental”. These duties have put the citizens under certain obligations towards the Nation and Society. These duties include: duty to develop scientific temper, protect rich heritage and composite culture, environment, National Flag etc. This is different from the Chapter of Fundamental Rights wherein […]
Fatwa and Problem of Perception – Published in The Millennium Post
If a formal opinion is sought from an Islamic scholar, competent to issue such opinion, on an Islamic issue that may be understood as a ‘fatwa’. To put it more succinctly, it’s the formal opinion given on a judicial or legal question to understand the legal position as per Islamic law. It is like an […]
Minority Question: Is Heptulla Right or is Antony? – Published in India Today
AK Antony of the Congress and Najma Heptulla of the BJP, and the current Minister for Minority Affairs, have both made statements in the last one month about minorities, mainly inferring to Muslims. Heptulla said, “Muslims are many to be called minority, it’s Parsis, who need special attention”, adding “I am not in favour of […]
Legal Notes: Can the State Impose the Medium of Instruction? – Published in The Milli Gazette
Recently the Supreme Court examined the legality of fixing the medium of instruction at the primary level. In a country, like ours, where mother tongues are innumerable, whether the executive can bind the children to a particular medium of instruction in his primary education either in his mother tongue or in a particular regional language? […]
Trial of Akshardham Attack Exposes Criminal Justice – Published in The Milli Gazette
“…we intend to express our anguish about the incompetence with which the investigating agencies conducted the investigation of the case of such a grievous nature, involving the integrity and security of the Nation. Instead of booking the real culprits responsible for taking so many precious lives, the police caught innocent people and got imposed the […]