Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce postpones event after ABVP protests screening of Sanjay Kak’s Kashmir Film Close on the heels of the cancellation of author Salman Rushdie’s visit to the 7th Jaipur Literature Festival due to the storm over The Satanic Verses, documentary Filmmaker Sanjay Kak had to bear the brunt of Hindu fundamentalists. “Voices of Kashmir”, a seminar at the Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, Pune, stands indefinitely postponed...

-BBC   A university in western India has postponed a seminar on Kashmir after Hindu groups objected to its "anti-nationalist" programme. The Symbiosis University in the city of Pune also cancelled the screening of a controversial Film on the Indian army's role in Kashmir. University authorities say they will "revisit and rethink" the seminar programme to make it "more balanced". Kashmir is divided into Pakistani- and Indian-administered areas. Both nations claiming the region in its entirety....

The government’s recent actions in notifying the Intermediary Guidelines for the internet with minimal public debate have resulted in the creation of a legal system that raises as many problems as it solves. The regulations as presently notified are arguably unconstitutional, arbitrary and vague and could pose a serious problem to the business of various intermediaries in the country (not to mention hampering internet penetration in the country) and also...

Here is a fundamental question to friends and supporters of Salman Rushdie: Is the right to speech and expression absolute, without any restrictions, in any democratic society? The right to freedom of expression is recognised as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 goes on to say that the exercise of this right carries “special duties and responsibilities” and may “therefore be...

-PTI   In remarks that could stoke a fresh controversy, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Tuesday night said a person is left with no option other than going for a slap when his power of tolerance of corruption runs out. "When a man's power of tolerance runs out, then whoever is in front of you, if a slap is given, then the brain is put back in place. That is the only road open...