Afghan refugees weigh options as 2014 looms
With NATO withdrawing from Afghanistan by 2014, Afghan refugees in India predict an uncertain future. Baba Umar 14 Nov 2013 Mahmud Ahmad, an Afghan refugee who works as a waiter in the Indian capital, New Delhi, is worried whether he will ever be able to return to his homeland. Ahmad is among the more than […]
India planning a ‘separation wall’ in Kashmir
India plans to build a separation wall in the Himalayan region, but rebels have warned against such a move. Baba Umar 21 Dec 2013 Taking a cue from Israel’s proposed separation wall along the Jordanian border, India plans to build a similar but higher 179km long wall in the Indian-administered Kashmir to separate the southwestern […]
Indian journalist wins digital activism award
Shubhranshu Choudhary, founder of CGnet Swara – a mobile news service – beats Edward Snowden in a public vote. Baba Umar 21 Mar 2014 Indian journalist and founder of CGnet Swara, a mobile news service, has won the 2014 Freedom of Expression Award, beating the US whistleblower Edward Snowden. The award, organised by the UK-based Index […]
India’s Modi attacks ruling Congress party
Terming BJP as best option, opposition prime ministerial candidate accuses ruling party of failing to keep its promises. Baba Umar 4 Apr 2014 Gurgaon, Haryana – Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of India’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has accused the ruling Congress party of “failure to keep its promises”. “People gave ruling Congress 60 […]
Can India’s AAP repeat success outside Delhi?
Anti-corruption party tries to make inroads into Gurgaon as mainstream parties face scrutiny over past performance. Baba Umar 8 Apr 2014 Gurgaon, Haryana – Agriculturist Raam Swarup, 65, lives in an expansive house in Haryana, one of the wealthiest states of India. But, something as simple as having a reliable water supply, good roads and electricity […]
Polls offer little hope for India’s Muslims
Community in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar, divided on religious lines, look for relief and security in elections. Baba Umar 10 Apr 2014 Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh – Nearly seven months ago, Mehdi Hassan, 35, lost everything in Hindu-Muslim riots, including his faith in the government, which, according to him, did little to protect the lives of its own citizens. […]
Delhi goes to polls in heated contest
Voters in capital cast ballots with hopes of ending corruption and inflation in third phase of India’s elections. Baba Umar 10 Apr 2014 New Delhi – Voters in New Delhi waited in long queues to cast ballots in the third stage of India’s nine-phased parliamentary elections, with hopes of controlling inflation, ushering in development and ending […]
India PM: Secularism threatened by BJP
Manmohan Singh tells rally that a BJP election victory would be detrimental to India’s “secular personality”. Baba Umar 14 Apr 2014 Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh – India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has attacked the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at an election rally, warning that the latter’s coming to power would be detrimental to India’s “secular […]
Will India’s Mayawati hold on to Dalit votes?
Resurgent BJP, the election front-runner, could lure votes away from Dalit icon in her home state Uttar Pradesh. Baba Umar 16 Apr 2014 Lakhimpur-Kheri, Uttar Pradesh – In Kotharipurva village in Uttar Pradesh state’s Lakhimpur-Kheri district, chronic poverty displays itself everywhere. Mud huts with dung-polished porches line up the narrow lanes, naked children play on hay […]
Paid news clouds India elections
Critics say unregulated spending on India’s elections is subverting the vote. Baba Umar 21 Apr 2014 Last week, India’s Election Commission (EC) warned the country’s media houses against telecasting or publishing exit polls “by showing them as opinion polls”. The announcement came after English-language channel NDTV aired a survey showing nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and […]