Eight threats to free expression in India that lay the ground for attacks on Taslima, Bhansali: Some years ago, I characterised our country as a “50-50 democracy”. India is largely democratic in some respects, such as free and fair elections and the free movement of people, but only partly democratic in other respects, such as…
How India can bank on the unbanked with reliable internet network: Digitisation and universal access to financial services that have the potential to transform lives of millions of citizens in a short span of time, should get prominence in this budget. A large share of India’s population is either un-banked or under-banked. The percolation of…
Kaspersky Lab says India is at risk of security attacks because of poorly secured infrastructure: There is a rise in the number of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure in India and it will not stop as most of the sectors are poorly protected, a top executive from the global internet security giant Kaspersky lab said…
Rohith Vemula’s death: HRD Ministry rejects RTI query to make panel findings public: The Human Resource Development Ministry has reportedly rejected an RTI appeal that asked for the Roopanwala commission’s report on the death of University of Hyderabad (UoH) research scholar Rohith Vemula to be made public. According to a PTI report, the HRD ministry stated…
Madhu Kishwar And Other Cases: Criminal Defamation Has No Place In A Free Society: Another session of Parliament has passed by without any movement on attempts to decriminalise defamation, despite the fact that such a move would enjoy the support from politicians cutting across party lines. While lack of political momentum has doomed any hopes…
Aadhaar for street children on cards: New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) Street children will be provided Aadhaar cards to enable them to take admission in schools and access government health services. The Standard Operating Procedure for Care and Protection of Children in Street Situations, approved by the Women and Child Development Ministry and due for…
SC issues notice to WhatsApp, Centre on data privacy: “Take it or leave it !” is how the Supreme Court reacted first as it Monday started hearing a PIL that has sought to assert right to privacy for WhatsApp and Facebook users in India. But minutes later, a bench led by Chief Justice of India…
Kerala Chief Minister criticises ‘those’ suppressing freedom of expression: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said the most befitting reply to ‘those’ who try to suppress freedom of expression is to “express all creativity much stronger and louder.” Without naming RSS-BJP, he said a number of people ranging from late M F Hussain and Narendra Dabholkar…
Freedom of Press Index: Last thing Indian media needs is more regulation: India ranks an abysmal 133rd among 180 countries in the Freedom of Press Index. Moreover, a 2011 survey by a Hong Kong based research firm had said that India is the most over-regulated country in the world. But all this has not quelled…
Visible rise in intolerance in India: N. Ram: The state of free speech is fraught in India, with a massive misuse of laws producing a “chilling effect” on the media, N. Ram, Chairman and Publisher of The Hindu group of publications, said in Galle on Friday. Speaking on ‘free speech deficits’ at the Galle Literary…