Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai | “Settling” forest rights in “campaign mode” | For Pakistani Hindus in India, hopes start to sour

CURRENT AFFAIRS

MUZAFFARNAGAR RIOTS Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai : Unique example of solidarity Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in western Uttar Pradesh had their long standing communal harmony destroyed by the riots that took place there in September 2013. Shoma Chatterji reviews the powerful documentary Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai which looks closely into the how, why and the aftermath of these riots.

REFUGEE WOES For Pakistani Hindus in India, hopes start to sour Hundreds of Pakistani Hindus have taken refuge in India, seeking a better life, especially after the present ruling party had promised in its election manifesto to make India the ‘natural home’ for all persecuted Hindus. But has India kept its word? Devanik Saha meets the refugees to seek an answer.

FOREST RIGHTS Is “settling” forest rights in “campaign mode” a good idea? The central government is pushing state governments to give forest rights to tribals by the end of this year. Kanchi Kohli cautions that the intent behind settling these rights claims under the Forest Rights Act in such haste is not what it appears to be.

HEALTH CARE

ACCESS TO HEALTH Nowhere near to being a healthy nation The out-of-pocket health expenditure by the poor is spiraling and the government spending on public health care is reducing. The existing public health programes and insurance schemes are failing; private health care sector is not properly regulated; Shambhu Ghatak finds the health of our nation worrisome.

CASTE ISSUES

INDIAN NAMES From Hema to Hemiya, the complex world of Indian names What’s in a name? Apparently a lot in a country like ours, where even today regressive practices like identifying a person’s caste by his or her surname or identifying a woman by her husband’s name continue unabated, writes Navya P K.

CASTE CRIMES Why do these ghastly stories rarely make news headlines? Crime and atrocities against Dalits is on rise, while support and justice in these cases are long delayed and the coverage of these crimes is inept, biased or voyeuristic. Pushpa Achanta finds out why media, the fourth pillar of our democracy, is falling short in its duty.

BLOG

BLOG: RESISTANCE & RECONSTRUCTION Pope’s Encyclical: Is this the push the world needed? Pope Francis’s Encyclical ‘Care for our Common Home’ talks about poverty, social inequality, climate change, violence and other global crises mankind has created and proposes newer ways to resolve them. Ashish Kothari finds the Encyclical lacking in certain aspects but hopes that other religious and political leaders will learn to stand up and speak up like the Pope.

OP-ED

FOREST DIVERSION Euphemising forest diversion? Plantations or reforestation cannot replace natural forests, which provides an essential ecosystem. Unless policy makers realise this, our natural forests will continue to be used for various purposes shrinking the forest cover further, says Meenal Tatpati.