Tehelka August 8, 2009.

Men underestimate despair. But despair can be a deadly weapon. When you lose faith that a system will protect and play fair by you, it breeds fatal recklessness. It makes you abdicate from the rules that cement human relations. Despair can turn you from citizen to perpetrator. From the hunted to the hunter.

by Pratap Bhanu Mehta

“It is not overdramatic to say that we are nearing a precipice, and only something quite drastic can prevent our steep fall,” states Pratap Bhanu Mehta in an incisive and well written piece that appeared in the Indian Express on November 18th, 2008.

An extract: "Whatever may be the facts of the case, the aftermath of the inquiry in the Malegaon blasts has already become an ominous watershed in our politics. Much of the debate has centred on peripheral issues: the semantic squabble over what this kind of terrorism should be called, if the facts turn out to be true. Then there is the numerical worry: if true, how widespread is this kind of activity? But these questions simply deflect attention from the seriousness of the crisis. We are now moving towards a monumental tragedy. To see how deep the rot is, just think of the following five issues. "

When we link to articles or websiites elsewehere, we do so in the belief  that the viewpoint(s) expressed on those are worth reading. Citizens for Peace aims for dialogue, and the first step towards constructive conversation is the recognition of and respect for views other than one's own. Unless the introductory copy specifically states otherwise, such links should not be construed as an endorsement from Citizens for Peace.

by Dilip D'souza

Lage Raho Munnabhai is a superb film: clever, funny, fast-paced and never a dull moment. Yet I think its best virtue is what it did for one Mohandas Gandhi. I use that “one” deliberately, for this is an increasingly forgotten — and if not forgotten, reviled — man in India. In an era when a Times of India poll (October 30 2007) asks “Did Gandhi divide the country on caste lines?” and finds more people clicking “Yes” than “No”, the film put Gandhi back into public consciousness. It made people think about him and his message, and managed to do so without being ponderous at all. That’s the spirit, I believe, that was the soul of the Citizens for Peace / Times of India “Peace Mela” on October 2.

Sanjana, Tehalka 1 October 2009

The ban on Muslim students wearing burkas and head scarves has spread to Christian missionary colleges as well. Dr. (Sr.) Prem D’Souza told TEHELKA that while they respect all religions and faiths, they couldn’t accept headscarves as an expression of faith or as a religious choice for Muslim women.

by M.J Akbar

This article, written by M.J Akbar appeared in the Times of India on Sunday, the 5th of October, 2008. A heart warming and hopeful narrative in these times of despair.

An extract: “On October 2, Gandhi’s birthday and Eid launched the annual Bengali festive season that will last into the third week of the month. Eid in India is determined by the visibility of the moon; the Saudis, who check the sky with technology, celebrated the end of Ramadan a day earlier. Since one of the many definitions of Indian secularism is proprietary rights over holidays, some Calcutta companies shut down on October 1. The origin of holiday is ‘holy day’. Bengal has always been holier than thou.”

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When we link to articles and websites elsewhere, we do so in the belief that the viewpoint(s) expressed on those are worth reading. Citizens for Peace aims for dialogue, and the first step towards constructive conversation is the recognition of and respect for views other than one's own. Unless the introductory copy specifically states otherwise, such links should not be construed as an endorsement from Citizens for Peace.