South Asia

By declining contempt proceedings, denying guidelines, and acquitting the accused without inquiry, the Court in Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay undoes what it spent years building

On Birsa Munda’s death anniversary, over 200 renowned Adivasi-Mulvasi leaders, representatives of people’s organisations, traditional self-governance representatives, academics, and activists have issued a joint statement appealing to Adivasis and all Jharkhandis to observe next Tuesday, June 9, the martyrdom day of Dharti Abba Birsa Munda, across every corner of the state by commemorating his Adivasi culture, struggles, and the Ulgulan. Crucially, they have urged them to declare a solemn pledge to protect his legacy from manuvadi organizations such as the RSS, the Janajati Suraksha Manch, and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

The Transgender Community in Varanasi, the Prime Minister’s constituency has demanded penal action against those social media posts that fan intra-community tensions; they submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner of Police today

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities demolished the Barkat Ali Shah Baba Dargah in Mumbai under heavy police deployment. The action reportedly followed a notice seeking legal papers and came amid the civic body's anti-encroachment drive. Most ancient places of worship do not have “documents to prove their existence.”

Authorities reportedly carried out a heavily guarded overnight operation in Varanasi riding roughshod over history in a crude bid for clearing land for an ambitious transport hub project linked to Kashi railway station.

A joint statement signed by more than 140 activists, academics, former ministers, artists and scientists has warned of “all out fratricide” in India following violent attacks on opposition leaders in West Bengal.