'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked outrage after he praised his Bangladeshi counterpart for her courage to fight terrorism “despite being a woman”, triggering an avalanche of criticism on social media site Twitter. #DespiteBeingAWoman was one of the top trends on the micro blogging site on Monday, with users expressing anger at what they said was a bigoted and sexist remark and posting pictures of famous female scientists, politicians and athletes...'
"Raigarh in Chhattisgarh has elected the country’s first transgender mayor, nine months after a court ruled that transgender be recognised as a legal third gender, local media reported. Madhu Kinnar, 35, won the mayoral election in Raigarh on Sunday, beating her opponent from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes, the Press Trust of India reported in a story published on the news web site Firstpost.com. Television images showed a sari-clad Kinnar, with a large red bindi on her forehead, greeting supporters who placed marigold garlands around her neck.
"For few months now after BJP has won the election with a clear majority, the rights wing agenda has picked up more intensification. They have shapely intensified their campaign against muslims and this time they have given it a name “love jihad”. Love Jihad crudely but effectively argues that Muslim men are waging jihad in India through so-called love- marriages. The young men apparently waging war through love – through the capture of innocent Hindu women – are also referred to as “Love Romeos”. ABVP, The student wing of BJP has announced an intensive campaign against ‘love jihad’.
" In a latest twist in the alleged “love jihad” case in Meerut, the father of the girl at the centre of the controversy has said she can marry the Muslim youth she claims to love. Narendra Tyagi, the father of the girl and a resident of Sarava village just a few kilometres away from Meerut, told The Hindu on phone, “She is a grown up girl now. Who are we to force her? Even if it is a case of ‘love jihad’ she can marry Kaleem if she loves him. It is ok if she would be happy that way”. The statement by the 52-year-old Mr.
'Another politician has blamed girls for rapes. Karnal BJP MLA candidate Manohar Lal Khattar has said that girls must be dressed decently and not 'lure' boys. On a question about Khap panchayats and their rulings, Khattar said that to an extent Khap rulings were justified as they 'tried to abide by the Indian culture'. Khattar, who is also being seen as a possible CM candidate if BJP wins the October 15 Assembly elections in Haryana, said that girls need to be dressed decently so as to 'not attract the opposite sex'.
"A four-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and former state minister from communally sensitive Akola takes pride in calling himself the original campaigner against "Love Jihad". In all seriousness, Govardhan Sharma, 59, says no interaction should be allowed between Hindu girls and Muslim boys; girls should not be allowed the use of mobile phones and should have a stricter dress code. Worse, Hindu women should not be allowed to go grocery shopping. Sharma's efforts have yielded political dividends. Akola is seen as the BJP's safest seat in the district.
"After winning the Delhi University Students' Union polls, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has started a campaign to dissuade students from live-in relationships. The live-in-relationships are against the institution of family, the student union's national secretary was quoted as telling a newspaper. "Such relationships hardly succeed. We will form group of students in all colleges in DU to create awareness against such relationships," Rohit Chahal told The Indian Express.
"Actress-turned-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini on Monday sparked a controversy saying that all states should keep widows in their regions instead of Vrindavan. The BJP MP from Mathura said that she does not see any reason that widows of West Bengal and Bihar stay in Vrindavan as the states have also good infrastructure for the widows. Reacting to Hema Malini’s comment, Congress leader Shobha Oza said it is unfortunate. She said she fails to understand that why BJP leaders are attempting to divide the country and society.
"One hundred days of Modi Sarkar and the feedback from much of the thinking class has been gushing. Nothing extraordinary here because governments have traditionally been allowed a grace period when they are not judged. And there is bound to be more than the usual euphoria when the government in question comes in with a full majority, interpreted as a clear mandate to break free from the past.
"After an excited start to push “Love Jihad” as the new Bharatiya Janata Party slogan ahead of the by elections in Uttar Pradesh, top leaders of the party who were falling over each other to take credit for the idea, are now distancing themselves from the slogan after New Delhi frowned on the idea that had all other political parties and women’s organisations up in arms within hours of the announcement.
