Misplaced Evangelism

IT IS THAT TIME of year when the US Commission on Inter­national Religious Free­dom (USCIRF) releases its annual report. As always, the report is a blend of fact, fic­tion and fantasy and singles out countries for violation of religious freedoms. As in other years, India has been singled out as a “Country of Particular Concern”.

The USCIRF is a creation of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law was enacted to “elevate religious freedom as a higher priority in US foreign policy”. The Com­mission classifies countries into CPCs and countries on the Special Watch List (SWL). Countries listed as CPCs are defined as “countries whose governments either engage in or tolerate ‘particularly severe violations’ of religious freedom during the reporting year. Particularly severe viola­tions of religious freedom are defined as ‘systematic, ongoing, and egregious viola­tions of the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion’, such as prolonged detention without charge and torture or degrading pun­ishment.” Countries in the SWL list are accused of less serious infractions compared to those in the CPC list.

This year, there are 16 countries in the CPC list and another 12 in the SWL. India has been clubbed with Afghanistan (where no other religion bar Islam is tolerated) and Pakistan (where minori­ties have virtually no rights and forcible conversions of Hindu girls to Islam after unspeakable sexual atrocities is ‘normal’). Syria—a country where the Alawite Muslim minority has been butchered in broad daylight and districts where they lived have been ethnically cleansed—is in the SWL list and not the CPC one. These examples are enough to blow holes into the empirical basis for this current classifica­tion. India is nowhere near the levels of violence experienced in these countries.

The real reason for Ameri­can angst (or rage?) against India lies elsewhere. The enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that gives succour to perse­cuted minorities in Muslim countries in India’s neigh­bourhood; the tightening of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and, in general, closer scrutiny of the so-called civil society organisations irk the cabal of liberals in the US and their native proxies. That these measures impart a degree of cohesion to India is not lost on these forces. It is another matter that more, much more, needs to be done on this front. It is also worth noting that these measures are not geared towards religious minorities.

The USCIRF and the IRFA are relics of a time when the US had primacy in the global system. Their origin, during the second Bill Clinton admin­istration, was also something of a contradiction. Globally, the Clinton administration— along with like-minded governments in Britain under Tony Blair and Gerhard Schröder in Germany—was aggressively breaking down all barriers and integrating the global economy at a breakneck pace. Religion, or any traditional idea for that matter, had no room in this system. The later tribulations of the global liberal order were seeded in this period. But even at that time, the conservative section of American public opinion had to be placated. USCIRF served that purpose even as it remained an instru­ment of persuasion for the US, one that was frequently used against recalcitrant countries like India.

These tools—much like the recently demised USAID—are beyond their ex­piry date. The liberal order is in trouble, as is globalisation and nationalism—a force that was unjustly castigated as the root of evil in most discords—is springing back to life. It is not surprising that nation-states are trying to acquire cohesive­ness, something that was lost in the age of globalisation. India is no exception to this trend. It is another matter that allegations against it are often unfounded and made due to questionable motives.

 

Rahul’s Casual Outlook

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has made wearing white t-shirts his trademark while in public and in Parlia­ment as well. The idea perhaps is to present a youthful and informal look that connects with the people, particularly younger voters. There is no rule banning t-shirts in Parliament. Yet, almost no one, not even Congress MPs, attend Parliament in casual outfits. Men and women MPs are sharply turned out, whether in Indian or Western attire. Formals are the norm for the press corps who regularly report on Parliament. Jeans are okay but shirts are formal with collars, and often enough, full sleeves either rolled up or buttoned. Hardly any t-shirts, if at all. Again, no rules dictate this but a sense of decorum and respect for Parliament prevails. Most journalists understand the need to be presentable. In any case, experience shows that sloppily dressed people are less likely to be taken seriously. On March 26, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla singled out Rahul for an admonition. “Members, it is expected you uphold high standards of dignity and decency…In this House, father, daughter, husband, wife have been members [and] in this context I expect the Leader of the Opposition that his behaviour should be in keeping with Rule 349 and in sync with the dignity and prestige of the House,” said Birla. A video released by the BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya showing Rahul cupping sister Priyanka Vadra’s cheek seems to provide the context. Congress and Rahul took umbrage and the leader said the House is being run in an undemocratic way and the remarks against him are unsub­stantiated. The point, however, is simple—Lok Sabha is not a private drawing room; it is not a public space either. Congress MPs met Birla to protest Rahul not being allowed to speak. Even party seniors like KC Venugopal, K Sunil and Gaurav Gogoi are never casual in their choice of clothing for Parliament. (By Rajeev Deshpande)

The Big Picture

Srinagar, March 26, 2025: Spring Blossoms Visitors at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden after it was thrown open to the public for the annual Kashmir Tulip Festival held between late-March and mid-April. The tulip garden covers an area of about 30 hectares and is the largest in Asia.

Newsmaker: Kunal Kamra
The Provocateur

Being targeted by Shiv Sniks is the latest in a long history of controversies for the stand-up comedian

A VIRAL AUDIO CLIP has an exchange between Kunal Kamra and Shiv Sainiks belonging to the Eknath Shinde faction who vandalised a venue that hosted comedy events because they thought he had performed there and alluded to their leader as “gaddar” or traitor. The clip is a phone call they make to Kamra. One of them demands to know where he is so that they can come and teach him a lesson. He replies he is in Tamil Nadu. Another Shiv Sainik comes on the line and asks, very seri­ously, how they are supposed to come to Tamil Nadu.

The theatre of the absurd has followed Kamra often, as has controversies. He became a figure known beyond the audience of comedy when, in 2020, he waylaid television anchor Arnab Goswami on a flight and made a video railing against him. It went viral. A flying ban and later, even a contempt of court case followed.

Kamra has huge social media reach with just his YouTube channel having 2.5 million subscribers. His reputation is as a political humorist-activist, but he also often makes headlines in other ways. Last year, he had a spat on X with the CEO of Ola, Bhavish Aggarwal, over the company’s issues with scooter deliveries and service. The current controversy stems from a new stand-up routine uploaded on YouTube in which he tweaked a Bollywood song to poke fun of Shinde. The controversy has led to it clocking eight million views in three days on YouTube. It also got him police summons which he is evading for the moment citing threats to his life. (By Madhavankutty Pillai)

Noisemaker DK Shivakumar
Constitutional Gaffe

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is a political strongman and does not hesitate to speak his mind. Sometimes his naturally combative approach creates a problem for him and Congress as when he seemed to suggest that reservations for Muslims could become constitutionally viable one day. “Let us wait for the good day; good day will come. A lot of changes are there and the Constitution will be changing. There are judgments that alter the Constitution also,” he said, while noting people are likely to approach the courts. The context was the 4 per cent reservation announced by the Karnataka government for Muslim contractors. After BJP raised Cain over the issue, Shivakumar swiftly clarified that he had not spoken of changing the Constitution. The damage, however, had been done and Congress found itself on the backfoot, both in Karnataka and Parliament. Meanwhile, BJP latched on to the opportunity of accusing the party of “appeasement politics”.

Ideas
Extrajudicial Punishment

The concept of “bulldozer justice”—where the state, bypassing judicial process, punishes an accused by demolishing his or her property on some pretext—has been around for a while. And although many have spoken against it, this phenomenon of extrajudicial punishment has become so popular that many states continue to emulate it.

It should come as no surprise that the prevalence of such a practice would sink into the larger population too. A Gujarati family in the state’s Bharuch district recently appeared to have taken a leaf out of the state’s handbook when it had a bulldozer raze down portions of several homes belonging to another. The family was enraged, according to media reports, because a member of its family had eloped with a woman belonging to the other whose properties were razed.

Demolition of properties as a punitive measure is of course illegal. The Supreme Court declared it as against the law in November last year, and provided detailed guidelines for any property to be demolished. This includes giving the affected party at least 15 days’ notice and a personal hearing. Four months on, however, bulldozers continue to be called in and the guidelines frequently flouted. Just a few days ago, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation demolished the house of a key accused in the communal violence that recently rocked the city. Another demolition took place in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, where the shop of a man whose son had been accused of shouting anti-India slogans during a cricket match was razed down. This will continue to occur unless the judiciary takes some hard measures.

 

Money Mantra
Tariff Threats
Donald Trump’s warning will not impact long-term investing in Indian markets

DONALD TRUMP’S ERRATIC trade policies periodically send shockwaves through global emerging markets. However, for those invested in India’s stock markets, such disruptions are momentary.

India’s economic resilience is rooted in its strong domestic consumption, which shields it from external shocks. Unlike many export-driven economies, India thrives on its vast internal market, driven by a rapidly expanding middle class.

Consumer spending powers key sectors like banking, FMCG, and real estate, providing a stable foundation for long-term equity invest­ments. Even if Trump were to return with renewed tariff aggression, India’s economy is unlikely to falter under its weight.

Beyond domestic demand, India has strategically diversified its trade partnerships, reducing over-reliance on any single nation. By forging agreements with the European Union, the UAE, Australia, and the ASEAN countries, India ensures that its economic engine keeps running smoothly, regardless of geopolitical turbulence.

This diversification is crucial for investors looking to mitigate risks in sectors like pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and specialty chemi­cals. Moreover, India’s IT and services sector remains largely insulated from tariff threats. Additionally, the country’s ambitious Make in India initiative and production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes are fostering a robust manufacturing ecosystem. As global companies seek alternatives to China, India is emerging as a preferred destination for supply-chain diversification. This transition fuels growth in industrials, infrastructure, and capital goods, creating lucrative opportunities for long-term investors. Tariffs may create short-term hiccups, but they won’t derail India’s economic ascent. India’s strong domestic market, diversified trade partnerships, and industrial growth strategies make it a resilient investment destination.

While markets may react in the short term, long-term investors have little to worry about. Instead of focusing on temporary disruptions, investors should keep their eyes on India’s structural growth story, a narrative that continues to unfold with promise and potential.  (By Ramesh Singh)

Viral
Aamir Khan’s Rejection

The audition tape of a pivotal character – that of the police official Shyam Manohar – in the film Laapataa Ladies went viral recently. It wasn’t that of Ravi Kishan, who eventually performed the role in the film. But that of the superstar Aamir Khan, who as it came to be known, was rejected for the role. Khan isn’t just the ex-husband of the film’s director Kiran Rao, with whom he continues to share a cordial relationship, but also the film’s producer. The superstar was believed to be very keen on taking on the role, he revealed in an interview, but Rao put her foot down, believing Kishan was the better choice. Khan has been known to push his way to acquire roles meant for others in the past, something few would have any quibbles about since his participation would mean better business for the film. Now, not only did he have a sterner director to contend with, but, at the age of 60, he is probably also in a less competitive frame-of-mind.

CAADK ShivakumarFCRAIndian politicsKunal KamraRahul Gandhi