Getting away with hate speeches in India
Flurry of provocative speeches by politicians during campaigning raises questions whether current laws are lax. Baba Umar 24 Apr 2014 A series of back-to-back provocative speeches during campaigning in India’s parliamentary elections has brought the issue of “hate speech” in focus. But politicians accused of inflammatory speeches have rarely been punished, leading to questions about […]
Politics of visiting Dalit homes in India
Sunita Kori in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi says politicians visit her home during polls but never act on their promises. Baba Umar 30 Apr 2014 Amethi, Uttar Pradesh – Amid the political campaigning for India’s ongoing parliamentary elections, Sunita Kori’s newly erected mortar and brick shelter serve a perfect platform for politicians of all hues to jostle […]
Why India’s Amethi still swears by Gandhis
Despite any visible signs of development, this VIP constituency is still loyal to first family of Indian politics. Baba Umar 7 May 2014 Amethi, Uttar Pradesh – Just a few months before the 2009 parliamentary elections, Shiv Kumari Kori hosted two unlikely guests: David Miliband, the then British Foreign Secretary and Rahul Gandhi, the ruling Congress […]
India’s Congress party clueless after defeat
Crushing loss in country’s elections has put the dominant role of the Gandhi dynasty within the party under scrutiny. Baba Umar 23 May 2014 New Delhi – India’s Congress party has begun the painful process of soul searching after crashing to its biggest political defeat since its creation 128 years ago. Influential Congress leaders have gathered […]
Modi supporters: ‘Love has no logic’
Narendra Modi, the frontrunner in India’s elections, has been drawing huge crowds as country prepares to vote. Baba Umar 26 May 2014 On Thursday, the dust never settled at a public park in Gurgaon – a suburb of India’s capital, New Delhi, which is dotted by offices of multi-national corporations and call centres. Interminable columns […]
How India’s common man’s party lost the plot
Questions being asked about future of AAP party as internal bickering comes to fore after party’s election loss. Baba Umar 28 May 2014 New Delhi, India – Inside his softly-lit car rental office in India’s capital, New Delhi, owner Sangat Singh – a supporter of anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – is a frustrated man. “At […]
India Elections Diary: Muzaffarnagar
Elections seem to have further divided the communities in Muzaffarnagar which witnessed Hindu-Muslim riots last year. Baba Umar 31 May 2014 Between the flashes of development and long stretches of poverty, western Uttar Pradesh displays everything that is not right with India’s policy-makers. The northern Indian state sends 80 members to country’s parliament, making it […]
India’s AAP leader: Held unrealistic expectations
Rajmohan Gandhi of India’s common man party and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi says there is still potential. Baba Umar 6 Jun 2014 New Delhi, India – India’s anti-corruption party, Aam Aadmi Party, has been reeling from the crushing defeat in the last month’s parliamentary elections, with many senior AAP leaders have resigned citing lack of inner-party democracy. […]
Indian Shias sign up to fight in Iraq
Shia group Anjuman-e-Haideri claims it already has 25,000 volunteers and floats tender for flights to Baghdad. Baba Umar 1 Jul 2014 A top Shia group in India has called for thousands of volunteers to travel to Iraq to fight “terrorism” by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) rebels, “protect Shia shrines” and […]
India’s ‘balancing act’ on Gaza crisis
India’s policy of equidistance between Israel and Palestine faces criticism amid mounting death toll in Gaza. Baba Umar 27 Jul 2014 India’s opposition parties walked out of the upper house of parliament last week after the government refused to pass a resolution condemning Israel for its invasion of the Gaza Strip. The government, led by […]