-IndiaSpend.org/TheWire.in Uttar Pradesh accounted for a fifth of all religious conflicts–or “communal incidents”, as they are officially called–in India between 2010 and 2014, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha. As many as 703 religious conflicts were reported in Uttar Pradesh (UP) during the past five years, leading to 176 deaths and 2007 injuries, the highest in India. The first six months of 2015 saw 68 such incidents in UP, India’s...

-Livemint.com Is widespread mobile phone use, especially when the penetration of cellphones is the highest among the youth of all strata, doing any good, or can it? There is something wrong with our society. It seems that we are driven more by emotions, non-issues, violence and calls for destruction than reasoning, common sense, non-violence and trust. We are choosing politicians who are dividing us; we are allowing the administration to use us...

-The Hindu The murder of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri should come as no surprise to those who have been closely following the ground level politics in western Uttar Pradesh. The murder of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri, on the edge of the national capital, by a violent Hindu mob on Wednesday should come as no surprise to those who have been closely following the ground level politics in western Uttar Pradesh and the...

-India Today Agriculture powerhouse Madhya Pradesh still suffers from high levels of malnutrition, a contrast that exposes our flawed food policies Madhya Pradesh in mid-March is heavy with the scent of the Mahua blossom. Heaped at village bazaars, and now restricted largely to brewing liquor, its pungent smell is fast disappearing from indigenous tribal stews and curries. On the road to Petlawad and Alirajpur on the western edge of the state, farmers...

-The Asian Age In granting anticipatory bail to Teesta Setelvad and Javed Anand on August 11, the Bombay high court noted: “A dissenting view cannot be said to be against the sovereignty of the nation.” Like several other recent rulings by the judiciary, the high court also reminded the state of its duty to protect a citizen’s right to criticise and disagree. Successive Indian governments have told the world proudly of the...