Court Affirms Right to Express Views, Even If Controversial
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Court Affirms Right to Express Views, Even If Controversial

The Supreme Court has observed that protecting freedom of speech and expression, even when what is said is unpopular or disliked, is essential and must be respected in a healthy democracy. The observation came in a case involving Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi, who was accused of promoting enmity through a poem shared in a social media post.

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US Panel Cites Rising Attacks on Muslims, Christians in India
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

US Panel Cites Rising Attacks on Muslims, Christians in India

The 2025 annual report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) accuses India of a sharp decline in religious freedom, particularly for minorities such as Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. In response, India has vehemently rejected these claims, labelling them as biased and politically motivated assessments.

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Does the Law See Sexual Assault on a Child as Attempted Rape?
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Does the Law See Sexual Assault on a Child as Attempted Rape?

The Supreme Court has decided to take up a case on its own – called a “suo motu” action – to review a controversial ruling made by the Allahabad High Court, that actions such as grabbing a child’s breasts, breaking the string of her clothes and trying to drag her to a secluded spot do not qualify as either rape or an attempt to commit rape.

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Musk’s X Challenges Indian Government’s Censorship in Court
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Musk’s X Challenges Indian Government’s Censorship in Court

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government, alleging that the country’s IT Ministry has overstepped its legal authority by unlawfully expanding censorship powers. The legal dispute centres around new mechanisms introduced by the Indian government that, according to X, allow for more widespread and unregulated content removal from online platforms.

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Punjab Government Forcibly Evicts Farmers after Year-Long Protest
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Punjab Government Forcibly Evicts Farmers after Year-Long Protest

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab on March 19 forcibly removed farmers who had been demonstrating at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab for more than a year, detained farmer leaders, and cleared the temporary shelters and trolleys that had housed farmers. On March 20, several demonstrations to condemn the government’s move, described as backstabbing, were held, leading to more detentions and arrests.

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Where Does India Stand in Free Speech Ranking?
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Where Does India Stand in Free Speech Ranking?

India ranks 24th out of 33 countries on the “Future of Free Speech” index, which measures global support for free speech and identifies which topics people believe should be open for discussion and criticism. The report show that while many Indians express belief in the importance of free speech, the country’s legal and political environment does not reflect these sentiments.

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Curfew Imposed in Nagpur After Communal Tensions
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Curfew Imposed in Nagpur After Communal Tensions

Curfew was imposed for the second consecutive day in Nagpur, Maharashtra, following communal tensions sparked by demands from Hindu nationalist groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, to remove the tomb of 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The groups argued that Aurangzeb’s legacy was emblematic of historical oppression against Hindus.

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Is India’s $1 Billion Push for Influencers a Political Strategy?
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Is India’s $1 Billion Push for Influencers a Political Strategy?

The Indian government’s decision to allocate $1 billion (about 8,300 crore rupees) to promote the influencer economy may not reflect just economic aspirations, but also potential political calculations. Does this initiative purely aim to expand India's digital economy, or could it subtly serve to extend ideological influence in the rapidly evolving landscape of social media?

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Telangana CM Threatens to ‘Strip and Parade’ Social Media Trollers
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Telangana CM Threatens to ‘Strip and Parade’ Social Media Trollers

In an assembly speech, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed his outrage over the use of abusive language directed at his family on social media, particularly against the women in his household. His anger is understandable, but not the threat he issued to "strip" and "parade" offenders on the streets, nor his proposal to amend laws governing media and social media use. 

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Judge Calls for Greater Representation for Women in Legal Profession
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Judge Calls for Greater Representation for Women in Legal Profession

At a recent seminar, Supreme Court Justice B.V. Nagarathna drew attention to the lack of adequate representation of women in the legal profession, judiciary and political leadership roles in India. She also called for ensuring at least 30 percent reservation for women advocates in legal panels representing state and central governments, as well as in the panels advising public sector units.

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Journalists’ Arrest in Telangana Raises Press Freedom Concerns
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Journalists’ Arrest in Telangana Raises Press Freedom Concerns

Two YouTube journalists in Hyderabad, Telangana—Revathi Pogadadanda and Tanvi Yadav—have been arrested for airing a video critical of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of the Congress party. The video allegedly contained “derogatory” and “vulgar” content. However, arresting journalists for their work, even if it is considered offensive, doesn’t set a good precedent for democratic freedoms.

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Kerala Church Endorses BJP Leader’s Unfounded ‘Love Jihad’ Claims
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Kerala Church Endorses BJP Leader’s Unfounded ‘Love Jihad’ Claims

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Kerala, P.C. George, who is facing charges of hate speech, made unsubstantiated claims at a public event that around 400 girls from the state’s Meenachil Taluk in Kottayam district were victims of the so-called “love jihad.” The Syro-Malabar Church chose to publicly endorse George’s narrative.

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Immigration Bill 2025 Raises Concerns for Citizens and Foreign Journalists
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Immigration Bill 2025 Raises Concerns for Citizens and Foreign Journalists

The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, proposes a major overhaul of India’s immigration laws. While its stated intent is national security and efficient immigration control, several of its provisions have significant potential for misuse, particularly against citizens, creating an NRC-like situation, and foreign journalists and human rights researchers.

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‘Peace’ Efforts in Manipur Result in Violence; 1 Dead, Dozens Injured
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

‘Peace’ Efforts in Manipur Result in Violence; 1 Dead, Dozens Injured

Efforts to restore “normalcy” in Manipur after nearly two years of violence, by enforcing free movement on highways, have triggered an indefinite shutdown in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas. The shutdown follows deadly clashes in Kangpokpi district between security forces and Kuki-Zo protesters, resulting in the death of 30-year-old Lalgouthang Singsit.

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