In Manipur, ‘Peace’ Must Not Be Sought at the Cost of Justice

In Manipur, ‘Peace’ Must Not Be Sought at the Cost of Justice

Manipur’s Governor appears to be calling for peace without addressing justice, accountability or institutional reforms, despite the previous state government being accused of supporting one side and enabling the systemic targeting of one community. The Governor’s current stance suggests an expectation for the people of Manipur to simply “move on,” as if the past can be set aside without justice or accountability.

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Sajjan Kumar Gets Life Sentence in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Sajjan Kumar Gets Life Sentence in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case

A Delhi court on Feb 25 sentenced former Congress party MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for the killings of a father-son duo during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. Disappointed by the verdict after more than 40 years, many Sikhs insist that the death penalty was the only suitable outcome for a deliberate act of violence.

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Why Tamil Nadu Rejects Centre’s Three-Language Policy in Schools
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Why Tamil Nadu Rejects Centre’s Three-Language Policy in Schools

A renewed language conflict has erupted between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu state government and the BJP-led central government over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its three-language policy. The DMK believes that enforcing a third language in Tamil Nadu’s education system is unnecessary, would burden students and would indirectly push Hindi.

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Rape in Kerala: Does Middle Class Overlook Dalit Women’s Safety?
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Rape in Kerala: Does Middle Class Overlook Dalit Women’s Safety?

India’s middle class appears to care about women’s safety only when the woman in question belongs to a privileged caste or social class, leaving countless vulnerable women neglected. This may explain the absence of public outrage and the minimal reaction to reports of a Dalit teenager who suffered rape and abuse for five years in Kerala.

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‘$21 Million USAID Fund to India’: What’s the Controversy About?
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

‘$21 Million USAID Fund to India’: What’s the Controversy About?

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the Biden administration allocated $21 million through USAID for “voter turnout” in India, now calling it a “kickback scheme” without providing evidence or elaborating on who really benefitted. He suggests that the funds were meant to influence India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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Is the Targeting of Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina a Prelude to Censorship?
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Is the Targeting of Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina a Prelude to Censorship?

An op-ed in The Hindu by Apar Gupta, a lawyer and advocate for digital freedom, suggests that the central government might be leveraging controversies involving crude remarks made by YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Samay Raina on their show, “India’s Got Latent,” to advocate for stricter regulation of digital media.

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Nepalese Student’s Death in Odisha Spurs Demands for Justice, Anti-Racism Protections
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Nepalese Student’s Death in Odisha Spurs Demands for Justice, Anti-Racism Protections

A 20-year-old Nepalese engineering student, Prakriti Lamsal, at the private university Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, died in an alleged suicide on Feb. 16, sparking demands for justice for her family and enforce measures against racial mistreatment.

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Manipur’s ‘Territorial Integrity’ Is a Risky Narrative

Manipur’s ‘Territorial Integrity’ Is a Risky Narrative

In his resignation letter, former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh urged the Central government to protect the state’s “territorial integrity.” And then days after President’s Rule was imposed, his BJP colleague Sambit Patra gave the same assurance. Both politicians seem to have ignored the risks of refusing to consider state reorganisation, which is not the same as separatism.

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Delhi Earthquake: Why a 4.2 Quake Felt Strong; What Comes Next?
NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, February 2025 Vishal Arora

Delhi Earthquake: Why a 4.2 Quake Felt Strong; What Comes Next?

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck the Haryana-Delhi-Uttar Pradesh region early on Feb. 17, at 5.36 am, sending tremors across the National Capital Region. Occurring at a shallow depth of 10 km, the earthquake felt stronger than expected and led to concerns about the possibility of aftershocks, and whether it could be a precursor to a larger event.

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President’s Rule Alone Can’t Resolve Crisis in Manipur

President’s Rule Alone Can’t Resolve Crisis in Manipur

Manipur’s Governor has imposed President’s Rule days after N. Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister – a belated official acknowledgment that the state government could not function according to constitutional provisions. The critical issue now is whether President’s Rule can ensure that Manipur will be able to operate within the constitutional framework within its maximum allowable period of three years.

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Manipur Chief Minister’s Resignation: What Next? How Soon?

Manipur Chief Minister’s Resignation: What Next? How Soon?

The February 9 resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, which conveys little remorse or admission of failure, must at least be followed by swift and constitutionally sound action from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ensure that this potential first step toward resolving the prolonged conflict is effective.

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