India rail budget geared to ‘overhaul’ network
Indian minister announces mammoth $137bn budget to improve one of world’s largest rail networks. Baba Umar 27 Feb 2015 New Delhi, India – India’s new railway budget will pave the way towards overhauling the world fourth largest train network, the Railways minister has said. Suresh Prabhu, the country’s railway minister, told parliament on Thursday that the $137.49b budget will begin […]
India’s ‘new cities’ plan: Environment not included
Country’s rapid urban expansion brings an increase in sand mining – and concerns over ecological destruction. Baba Umar 5 Mar 2015 Thane, India – Every morning as the tide ebbs, Pralath Matre dives deep into a filthy creek not far from Mumbai to gather a bucketful of dark sand – a much-needed ingredient for the construction […]
India’s shocking farmer suicide epidemic
Falling into a debt-trap and besieged by bad weather, thousands of farmers are taking their own lives each year. Baba Umar 18 May 2015 Umbrale, India – After days of hushed chanting that “the sky betrayed” him, Datatery Popat Ghadwaje, 42, committed suicide by ingesting insecticides at his grape orchard. Crushed under a $41,000 debt and […]
India: One year after change of the political guard
Narendra Modi and his ruling BJP government receive a mixed response on the delivery of pre-election promises. Baba Umar 25 May 2015 Varanasi, India – Millions of Indian voters helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi rise to power last May when he promised to overhaul the economy, end corruption, and create jobs in the country. Modi sought a mere 60 […]
Revoke controversial law in disputed Kashmir – Amnesty
Rights group says special law continues to feed a cycle of impunity for human rights violations in region. by Baba Umar 1 Jul 2015 Local rights activists like Parveena Ahanger says that the Indian military courts are “unreliable” and “dishonest” [Baba Umar/Al Jazeera] Human Rights group says special law in the region continues to […]
Hundreds arrested in Kashmir ahead of Modi visit
Crackdown in India-administered Kashmir in bid to prevent ‘Million March’ called to protest weekend visit by Indian PM. Baba Umar 4 Nov 2015 Authorities in India-administered Kashmir have cracked down on hundreds of political activists and pro-independence leaders ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region. Modi will hold a public rally […]
Water wars: Sale of Indian rivers
January 29, 2011, Issue 04 Volume 8 You can lease a river in Chhattisgarh for 22 years. At just Rs. 1 per annum. While thousands go thirsty IN MAHMARA village of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, Ramoram Thakur, 70, recalls how as a boy he would sing and hear folklore about water, fishermen and farmers of his village, tucked into the western […]
Water Wars: First the dams. Then the damned canals
March 12, 2011, Issue 10 Volume 8 Defying court orders, the network of canals in the Narmada basin is destroying small farms that never needed the water, reports Baba Umar BHILALA TRIBALS often assemble next to what used to be their village, Atursumba of Khargaon district in southeast Madhya Pradesh. Dwarfing them is a 100-feet-wide canal laid high above the […]
17 Indian judges sacked. Was it because of their caste?
Baba Umar March 28, 2011, Issue 21 Volume 8 Ravi Shankar Sai, 53 PS Paikra, 51 Lakhan Singh, 59 Mansukh Karketta, 54 Narsingh Usendi, 55 FIGHTING DISCRIMINATION, can be a lifelong struggle for those born on the ‘wrong’ side of the caste divide — even if they have served as judges for 20 years. When 17 Scheduled […]
‘We aren’t fighting from Pakistan. We are fighting from liberated Kashmir’ – Syed Salahuddin
Baba Umar April 2, 2011, Issue 13 Volume 8 MUHAMMAD YOUSUF SHAH was born on 18 February 1946 in Budgam’s Soibugh village. He studied medicine and political science before becoming chief of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC), an amalgam of 14 militant outfits operating in Jammu & Kashmir that seeks the state’s accession to Pakistan. He […]