The United States Supreme Court has today overturned Roe vs Wade, a 1973 case that ensured recognition of womens’ constitutional right to abortion! This effectively strikes down federal abortion rights that were thought to be settled law of the land. Though this was expected thanks to documents leaked a few weeks back, this is still…
Social Media thoughts!
I am not sure why social media gets such a bad rap. I not only thoroughly enjoy spending time on Facebook and Twitter but I also learn a lot from these platforms. I get news from all over the world within seconds of things happening and a really wide range of opinions and views on…
English-vinglish!
I read today that a certain state in India has built and runs a large number of government English medium schools. As is the norm these days, social media has exploded in a storm of political mockery and nationalistic outrage at the fact that that state chose English as the medium of instruction, and not…
To Hijab or to Hijab is the question!
I don’t know whether the Hijab has been prescribed by the Quran. Even Muslims are divided in their opinion. Accordingly, some wear the Hijab and some don’t. Really, I don’t care either way. The High Court of Karnataka decided that the Hijab is not prescribed by the Quran. The Court’s other observation is that schools…
India makes progress on LGBTQ / Transgender issues! Thanks to Bollywood!
I saw the movie Badhai Do yesterday and Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui a few days back. Just some random thoughts based on those movies: I think India is becoming far more progressive and liberal on LGBTQ and Transgender issues than the US, which seems to be regressing on all LGBTQ, Transgender and Abortion issues. The US…
Elephantine memories!
My maternal grandfather was terribly mischievous. He created and got into a lot of serious trouble throughout his life. Once my grandfather coated the insides of a coconut with a whole lot of ‘chunnambhu’ or ‘chuna’ (I think it is called lime cement in English, the kind used in our ‘paan’), fed it to an…
Bull(dozer) in a China shop of legality!
Shri Adityanath Yogi, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and presumptive Prime Ministerial nominee, has started another trend as he often does. This time, he has blazed his way into the news as ‘Bulldozer Baba’. I remember the movie, Trishul, in which Amitabh Bachchan arrives at a goonda’s lair with an ambulance in tow. That…
The passing of an old man
When I see the kind and number of vicious and malevolent messages on social media about the death of Fr. Stan Swamy, my mind goes back to the time when Indira Gandhi was murdered. She had a lot of haters too, millions on millions hated her, especially after the atrocities during the Emergency. And yet,…
Real real-life heroes!
The fastest bowling I have ever faced in my life were the 3-4 balls bowled by my uncle. He was an excellent all round cricketer who should have gone on to much greater things, had it not been for ‘those days’ when cricket as a career was not encouraged. He bagged many an award during…
India’s annual Budget a meaningless exertion!
In developing countries like India, citizens expect the government to do almost everything for them. In the process, they end up handing over too much power and control to it. The government has a say in almost everything, from the daily lives of the poor by way of sops and handouts to the productivity of…