-Suno India podcast/ TheWire.in   In conversation with Pia Oberoi, senior advisor on migration, UN Human Rights Office. A few days ago, the United Nations Human Rights Office issued a statement condemning the “fundamentally discriminatory” Citizenship (Amendment) Act. While welcoming the goal of protecting persecuted groups, the UN Body called out against the exclusion of Muslims including minority sects. The statement pointed out that the new law “undermines” the commitment to equality enshrined in...

-TheWire.in The Narendra Modi government's push to have research institutions depend less on public funds has been turned into a bad idea by the government's own priorities. “Innovate, patent, produce, prosper.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered these words in his inaugural address at the 107th Indian Science Congress, now underway in Bengaluru. Modi’s prescription (first advanced in early 2018) describes a straightforward path to success but it also quietly assumes an environment and...

-The Hindu Delays in local body polls can be avoided with sterner fixing of accountability It’s been more than two decades since the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments were passed by Parliament, which accorded constitutional status to local administration bodies across India. Yet, the Tamil Nadu government delayed holding rural local body elections, due in 2016, by three years. This unconstitutional delay started when the Madras High Court cancelled the notification put...

-The Indian Express "I assure all the people, specially from the minorities, that NPR is not going to be used for NRC. It’s a rumour,” Amit Shah said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday drew a distinction between the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) saying both were governed by different laws and NPR data would never be used for the NRC exercise. In an interview to...

-Firstpost.com * A total of 31,313 persons belonging to minority communities, including "25,447 Hindu, 5,807 Sikhs, 55 Christians, 2 Buddhists and 2 Parsis" will be immediate beneficiaries of the amended Citizenship Act * In a parliamentary committee report of 2016, the Intelligence Bureau told the panel that those from the minority groups will have to prove that they came to India due to religious persecution A total of 31,313 persons belonging to minority...