Detention centre in Ghaziabad 'suggests' anti-minority, anti-Dalit mindset of UP govt

Prafulla Samantara, Sandeep Pandey

By A Representative

Several well-known social and political activists from across India fear that the “decision” of the Uttar Pradesh government to to convert an Ambedkar hostel in Ghaziabad into a detention centre will be used for detaining those who are declared foreigners after they are unable to prove their citizenship, insisting, this is happening on lines of the detention centres for alleged foreigners set up in Assam.
Pointing out that this is contrary to the claim by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who during the last Delhi state assembly polls had said that there are no detention centres in the country, the activists, who include Magsaysay award winning academic and social-political activist Sandeep Pandey and environmentalist Prafulla Samantara, winner of ‘green Nobel’, said, “Foreigners staying illegally in India and persons who will be left out of National Register for Citizens (NRC) will be detained here.”
The statement, also signed by Rajeev Yadav, Shreekumar and Anish Lukose of the People’s Politics Front; Ajit Singh Yadav of Lok Morcha; Lubna Sarwath of the Socialist Party (India); and ID Khajuria of the J&K Forum for Territorial Integrity, said, the purpose of the detention centre is to “keep Muslims perpetually under threat and in a state of fear”, adding, it also reflects “anti-Dalit mindset of BJP.”
Th statement insisted, “The government should have been building more Ambedkar hostels. If the Ambedkar hostel in question was not being used the government should have made an attempt to ensure that Dalit girls came and stayed here. Instead of feeling ashamed of its ineptness in using the hostel for its intended purpose, the government is using its remaining unused as a pretext for converting it into a detention centre.”

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

Garba on the tarmac and other lessons in tourist arrogance

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat A video of a group of Indian tourists, reportedly from Gujarat, performing Garba on the airport tarmac in Vietnam has gone viral on social media. The group, consisting of men and women, was seen dancing in front of their aircraft, making considerable noise, ignoring instructions from airport staff, and disrupting the boarding process for other passengers. The incident triggered widespread criticism online. Many viewers expressed outrage and began recalling similar episodes in which Indian tourists have displayed a disregard for local norms, civic behaviour, and public etiquette while travelling abroad.

Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities.

Counterview

Search This Blog