'It seems like the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the political wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), believes in doing away with cultural diversity and crushing cultural dissent. This can be seen in the recent move by a BJP MP from Mysuru, Pratap Simha, preventing an event called ‘Mahisha Dasara’, which was scheduled to be held on September 27. Mahisha Dasara is an event organised by various dalit organisations, progressive organisations from Karnataka as a counter to the Dasara celebration in the Mysuru palace and elsewhere in the state.
'Four Kashmiri students at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have been served show-cause notices by the authorities for holding a protest at the campus, said the official sources on Friday. The action comes a day after a group of Kashmiri students had taken out a march from the AMU library to the Bab-e-Syed gate and raised slogans against the alleged atrocities by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir during the past one month...'
'Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement leader Shehla Rashid has been booked for sedition over her tweets in which she alleged that the Armed Forces tortured civilians and ransacked houses in the Valley after Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was revoked, police said on Friday. Rashid has called the charge “frivolous, politically motivated and a pathetic attempt to silence” her.
'In yet another instance of an institution bowing to political pressure, the Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya Memorial Trust, created in memory of the pre-independence nationalist leader and educationist, cancelled permission for a seminar on democratic rights. The Trust had given permission to the organisers to use the premises of the Malaviya Smriti Bhawan, which it owns, to hold a seminar titled ‘National Convention in Defence of Democratic Rights’ on August 31 and September 1.
'The Press Council of India (PCI) has sought permission from the Supreme Court to intervene in a petition filed by Kashmir Times executive editor Anuradha Bhasin which demands an end to communications restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir.
But though the statutory object of the country’s media watchdog is to “preserve the freedom of the press”, the PCI petition describes the ban on communication and free movement, which many local journalists say has severely affected the functioning of the press in J&K, as being “in the interest of the integrity and sovereignty of the nation”.
'...During my more than a decade-long career in journalism, I’ve been mobbed by the most relentless and ruthless trolls that inhabit the orbits of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. From ultra-Zionists to Assadists to New Atheists to the MAGA crowd, I’ve had my replies and private message inboxes overwhelmed by them all. One particular group of an online troll stands out above all others, however, at least in my experience. I’m referring to Modi and BJP/RSS-supporting Hindu nationalists.
'The Jharkhand high court on Friday declined to quash an FIR against four tribals for allegedly ‘seditious’ Facebook posts supporting the Pathalgadi movement of Munda tribal community, according to a report in LiveLaw... The prosecution, arguing that the petitioners had incited hatred and violence, cited Facebook posts by the petitioners which said, “I don’t want your Aaadhar card; My identity is ‘Pathargari'” and “All constitutional steps should be taken so that England, USA and UNs feel compelled to act for the freedom of tribals”.
'Mainstream media was delegitimised over the past five years by the BJP government. Co-option and self-censorship by this media have followed. Alongside, the use of social media has grown hugely, making the likes of Whatsapp powerful weapons in elections.
'A Mumbai-based doctor who was arrested for allegedly posting “anti-Hindu” comments on Facebook was granted bail on Thursday, The Indian Express reported. Sunilkumar Nishad claimed his posts did not criticise any religion. According to ANI, a resident had complained that Nishad had made derogatory remarks about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur as well as anti-Hindu and anti-Brahminical comments. Nishad was arrested on Wednesday. “I don’t even know who the complainant is,” Nishad told The Indian Express.
'On February 26, Ashish Joshi, a department of telecom (DoT) official, was suspended. The suspension came one day after Joshi filed a complaint against Kapil Mishra, a controversial MLA, reporting a Facebook video posted by the latter. In the video, Mishra calls for attacks on several prominent actors, activists and politicians including Barkha Dutt, Prashanth Bhushan, Kamal Hassan and Naseeruddin Shah. He claims these individuals are “enemies of the nation” and that they support Pakistan. Additionally, he suggests that they should be dragged out of their homes onto the streets...'
