Weaponizing Faith, Normalizing Hate: The Political Project Behind ‘I Love Mohammad’ FIRs
A peaceful Milad-un-Nabi banner reading ‘I Love Mohammad’ triggered police action and unrest across several districts. The controversy highlights India’s growing intolerance, where love for the Prophet becomes a political weapon, exposing how religion is manipulated to marginalize Muslims and polarize society for electoral gains
From 1943 Bengal to 2025 Gaza: Behala Friends’ Durga Puja Strikes a Chord
Behala Friends’ Nabanna Pandal in Kolkata connects the 1943 Bengal famine with the 2025 Gaza genocide. Through art, poetry, and music, the installation portrays war, hunger, and survival, reflecting human suffering and resilience. Visitors experience a powerful blend of history and contemporary crises, evoking hope amid tragedy
When Pather Panchali Challenges Bengal Files: A Puja Tells Kolkata’s Forgotten Story
Samajsebi Sangha’s Pather Panchali puja revisits 1946 Kolkata, highlighting how Bengalis resisted communal riots and upheld unity. Against the distortions of Bengal Files, the pandal celebrates secularism, communal harmony, and humanity, honouring historical figures like Leela Ray while reminding visitors of Bengal’s enduring tradition of solidarity and resistance
London Dreams, Kolkata Nightmares: Why the City Deserves Better, Not Bigger Promises
Kolkata doesn’t need London’s grandeur but urgent fixes to everyday decay. Encroached sidewalks, broken roads, garbage piles, vanishing parks, and hospitals where patients sleep on cardboard define the city. Small reforms — clean water, storage for the poor, night cleanups, and restored public spaces — could restore dignity and livability.
Largest Democracy, Smallest Justice: How India’s Courts Fail Muslim Prisoners
In India’s “largest democracy,” justice bends to power. Political prisoners like Umar Khalid languish in jail without bail or trial, while the influential walk free. The judiciary speaks of liberty and human rights but delivers selective relief. Law is no shield—today, it is wielded as a weapon
Who Owns Urdu? Javed Akhtar, Religion, and the Fight for a Shared Language
“Bahut Samjhe the Hum Is Daur Ki Firqa Parasti Ko
Zubaan Bhi Aaj Shaikh -o-Brahaman Hai Ham Nhi Samjhe” (Rashid Banarsi)
Around 225 years ago, in...
