Howdy Modi? 'Houston Chronicle' recalls Kashmir, human rights, attack on minorities

By A Representative
Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big show in the town, "Houston Chronicle" (HC), even as calling Modi visit "historic for a foreign leader", as it "strengthens bonds between the world’s two largest democracies", has warned that "Texas’ hospitality should not be confused with an endorsement of India’s recent actions in Kashmir nor of Modi’s troubling brand of Hindu nationalism.
In an editorial, "Howdy, Modi! Now, about Kashmir…", HC says while "Modi could not have chosen a better place than Houston", seeing India's economic interests behind the big show in the NRG Stadium where more than 50,000 had gathered to welcome him.
It says, "Our region boasts a vibrant Indian-American population that enriches us culturally and economically", with Houston proposing to be a "major player" as sanctions on Iran "spur India’s need to look elsewhere for oil and gas", adding, "The country has already committed to billions of dollars in new imports, and Modi was scheduled to meet with major energy company executives while in town. Several deals are in the works."
However, the editorial underlines, "But neither increasing business ties with India nor their economic benefits should lead us to turn a blind eye to concerns among human rights groups over increasing hate speech, alienation and violence targeting religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians, and Modi’s empowerment of Hindu hard-liners."
Especially referring to Kashmir, the editorial states, "The ongoing problem in Kashmir is of particular concern. In August, Modi revoked the constitutional autonomy granted in 1949 to Jammu and Kashmir, with security forces taking control of the region, detaining thousands and instituting an ongoing communications blackout."

An anti-Modi rally in Houston

It adds, "Indian officials defend the move as a way to curb terrorism and bring the region in line with more progressive social and economic federal policies, but the crackdown on the Muslim-majority area follows other accusations of targeting religious minorities.
The editorial quotes Nidhi Trehan, a visiting scholar at the University of Texas’ Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs as stating, “There has been an erosion of constitutional norms under Modi.There’s been an attack on minorities, hate crimes have increased, and Rohingya asylum-seekers have been mistreated.” It adds, "These accusations may sound familiar; in some circles, Trump is known as the 'American Modi'.”
The editorial says, "This hasn’t stopped a bipartisan call — including by Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham — for the president to press Modi on Kashmir. In a letter to the White House earlier this month, a group of senators asked that India fully restore telecommunications and internet services, lift the lockdown and curfew completely and release detained Kashmiris."
It urges Trump "to take this high-profile moment, with the eyes of the world on Houston, to demand nothing less", as India is and will "continue to be an important partner for America".

The editorial concludes: "Friends also tell each other the truth. And the truth is it’s time for Modi to clearly signal — through action, not words — his respect for human rights. That starts with ending the crisis in Kashmir."

Comments

Pace bowlers who transcended pace bowling prowess to heights unscaled

By Harsh Thakor* This is my selection and ranking of the most complete and versatile fast bowlers of all time. They are not rated on the basis of statistics or sheer speed, but on all-round pace-bowling skill. I have given preference to technical mastery over raw talent, and versatility over raw pace.

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

When grief becomes grace: Kerala's quiet revolution in organ donation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Kerala is an important model for understanding India's diversity precisely because the religious and cultural plurality it has witnessed over centuries brought together traditions and good practices from across the world. Kerala had India's first communist government, was the first state where a duly elected government was dismissed, and remains the first state to achieve near-total literacy. It is also a land where Christianity and Islam took root before they spread to Europe and other parts of the world. Kerala has deep historic rationalist and secular traditions.

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria* As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Beyond the conflict: Experts outline roadmap for humane street dog solutions

By A Representative In a direct response to the rising polarization surrounding India’s street dog population, a high-level coalition of parliamentarians, legal experts, and civil society leaders gathered in the capital to propose a unified national framework for humane animal management. The emergency deliberations were sparked by a recent Suo Moto judgment that has significantly deepened the divide between animal welfare advocates and those calling for the removal of community dogs, a tension that has recently escalated into reported violence against both animals and their caretakers in states like Telangana.

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks and America’s search for healing

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.

Declaration on raw cotton imports contradicts claim: 'Agriculture outside US trade deal'

By A Representative The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has alleged that recent remarks by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on raw cotton imports from the United States contradict the government’s claim that agriculture is not part of the proposed India–US trade arrangement.

Search This Blog