-The Hindu The decision follows Wharton India Economic Forum’s cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s live video keynote address scheduled on March 23. Following Wharton India Economic Forum’s cancellation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s live video keynote address, former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has pulled out of the event and the Adani Group of industries of Gujarat, the event’s “platinum” sponsor, has cancelled its sponsorship. Suresh Prabhu, a leader of BJP-ally...

-The Hindu Freedom of expression will continue to remain under siege unless all groups accept that people can have different opinions and beliefs in a free country “Our tradition teaches tolerance; our philosophy preaches tolerance; our Constitution practises tolerance; let us not dilute it.” These stirring sentiments were expressed by Justice Chinnappa Reddy in a Supreme Court judgment pronounced in August 1986 which invalidated expulsion from school of students belonging to Jehova’s...

-The Times of India Six years ago, the Sachar Committee reportshowed that the Muslim community in India suffers from severe deprivations in education, employment, health services, public infrastructure, access to financial services leading to much higher poverty than other religious groups, somewhat like the condition of scheduled castes and tribes. The government responded by setting up a separate ministry for minority affairs, and launching several programs to provide benefits to the...

-The Telegraph A Youth Congress member handpicked by Rahul Gandhi today sought an explanation from the party-led government in Maharashtra why Bal Thackeray was cremated with state honours. In his plea filed under the Right to Information Act, Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, who shares his surname with the Congress leader, also wanted to know how the Shiv Sena was given permission to hold their late patriarch’s funeral at Shivaji Park, a public place. The...

-The Indian Express An IIM-Ahmedabad analysis of education and employment amongst Muslims in the country has concluded that the minority community has a higher perception of “unfairness” and “discrimination” and that Muslims have, in fact, a stronger case for reservations than the Hindu OBCs. Incidentally, a Central government notification in December 2011 to effect 4.5 per cent minority quota in Central educational institutes was stayed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court earlier...