India
The New Kashmir Insurgency
Throughout the last decade, as internet penetration deepened and the number of social media users grew in Kashmir, a young generation of militants emerged from the ashes of a dying movement. This generation weaponized social media, setting the stage for a unidirectional conversation in which the insurgents showcased their lives and ideology.
The Ill Fruits of Demographic Engineering in Kashmir
A hilly, snowcapped terrain leads to the village, which has witnessed one of the harshest winters in the Kashmir Valley in decades. The Forest Department managed to cut the trees before anyone could protest, as people had been braving subzero temperatures inside their homes.
How the Idea of ‘India’ Came About
For the Mughal rulers, whose control covered much of the subcontinent, India could be imagined as something close to a unified state. However, for the millions of people beneath their rule, no sense of a “nation” or being part of “India” is evident.
Between Muhammad Ali and Me
Bangladesh’s independence was, and remains, a taboo topic in Pakistan, and much of it is blamed on the Cold War, Bhutto, and Indian political machinations. I had to reassess that post-independence propaganda I had been fed in later years. And, of course, the biggest shock was my discovery at 11 that Muhammad Ali was not Bengali!
Wading through the Mumbai Blues
In the three weeks of strict lockdown that ended up being extended to three months, millions of Mumbai residents watched the bare bones of the mega city being revealed.
The ‘Love Jihad’ Conspiracy Theory
Hindu extremists are spreading beliefs about a “love jihad” – an alleged plan in which hyper-masculine Muslim men seduce gullible Hindu women into converting to Islam. Indian politicians have vowed to fight the “menace”, despite the lack of evidence that the “love jihad” actually exists.
The Onion Bomb and Hindu Nationalism
India's prime minister Modi once said he would bring development and unity to his country, eradicate poverty, and end corruption. But the issues he once campaigned on could lead to his own undoing.