Dear Friend,
In the two days demolition drive by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in assistance with Delhi Police demolished more than 1000 houses at Kathputli Colony, in West Delhi on October 30th and October 31st 2017. People from different communal groups living in the vicinity of each other for decades now. In the early 1970s, a handful of performers from Rajasthan settled in West Delhi’s Shadipur region. Artists who were primarily puppeteers and musicians often moved throughout the capital to perform and over a period of time Shadipur became a convenient location for the same. Over time, they were joined by a variety of artists and people from states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand and together they formed a single settlement known as Kathputli colony (The term refers to string puppet theatre).
Yesterday Communist Party of India and National Federation of Indian Women leader Annie Raja got gravely injured while resisting the demolition drive.
The demolition drive in Kathputli reminds us of the dark days of Indian emergency under Indira Gandhi.
Also more stories from around the world.
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Binu Mathew
Editor
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Kathputli, Artist’s Colony Demolished In Delhi: Thousands Rendered Homeless, Death Of Democracy!
by Ankit Jha
In the two days demolition drive by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in assistance with Delhi Police demolished more than 1000 houses at Kathputli Colony, in West Delhi on October 30th and October 31st 2017. People from different communal groups living in the vicinity of each other for decades now. In the early 1970s, a handful of performers from Rajasthan settled in West Delhi’s Shadipur region. Artists who were primarily puppeteers and musicians often moved throughout the capital to perform and over a period of time Shadipur became a convenient location for the same. Over time, they were joined by a variety of artists and people from states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand and together they formed a single settlement known as Kathputli colony (The term refers to string puppet theatre).
Murder Of Democracy In Kathputli Colony, Houses Demolished, People Beaten Up, Annie Raja Injured
In the heart of the country’s capital, DDA and police forces murdered democracy; forcibly demolished houses and beaten up people in Kathputli Colony. National Federation of Indian Women’s Annie Raja got gravely injured and is currently admitted in RML hospital. Women and youths were lathicharged mercilessly by DDA and Police officials, while residents scrambled to save their belongings from the demolition drive.
Can We Get Rid Of Nuclear Weapons And War Itself?
by John Scales Avery
"This is a moment of crisis for human civilization and the biosphere. Can we not rid ourselves of both nuclear weapons and the institution of war itself? We must act quickly and resolutely before everything that we love in our beautiful world is reduced to radioactive ashes."- John Avery
The Assertion Of Identity
by Dr Chandra Muzaffar
News reports about communities and regions asserting their identity are capturing media headlines everywhere. While the media gives a lot of coverage to an event or action connected with the phenomenon — a referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan or a vote in the Catalonian parliament — the reasons that explain the assertion of identity are seldom analysed in depth.
When Afghan Mothers Speak, The World Must Listen
by Kathy Kelly
“I have debts that I cannot pay,” whispered the first woman
“My children and I are always moving from place to place. I don’t know what will happen.”
“I am afraid we will die in an explosion.”
“My husband is paralyzed and cannot work. We have no money for food, for fuel.”
“My husband is old and sick. We have no medicine.”
“I cannot feed my children.”
“How will we live through the winter?”
“I have pains throughout my whole body.”
“I feel hopeless.”
“I feel depressed, and I am always worried.”
“I feel that I’m losing my mind.”
The Early Years In America
by Sally Dugman
I’m not surprised at all that some people in the USA want to remove statues and paintings of Tom Jefferson, George Washington and other fore-founders of the USA despite their myriad positive contributions to the country. I’m not stating that the removal should or shouldn’t be done. I’m just suggesting that this perspective is altogether understandable.
The World Not Through With Thoreau
by Annapurna Tosca Sriramarcel
There was a strange view expressed about the worldwide status of Henry David Thoreau in the New York Review of Books on August 17: “Thoreau hardly makes it onto the list of notable American authors outside of his home country.”
Reflections On How Little Is Revealed By Just Released JFK Assassination Documents
by John Chuckman
REFLECTIONS ON HOW LITTLE IS REVEALED BY JUST-RELEASED JFK ASSASSINATION DOCUMENTS AND JUST SOME OF THE MANY REASONS WHY THERE HAD TO BE A CONSPIRACY
The Canada-Israel Nexus
by Jim Miles
For a complex and critical examination of the relationship between Canada, Israel, Judaism, and Zionism, Eric Walberg’s new work The Canada-Israel Nexus provides a challenging perspective.
Tale Of Despair : Patients Living On The Pavements Outside AIIMS
by Rajat mishra
With a large number of patients and a shortage of night shelters, Thousand’s of patients are spending days in the subway of AIIMS metro station or on the pavement outside AIIMS, as they wait for treatment.
Bertold Brecht: Collectivism And Dialectical Materialism In Practice
by Gaither Stewart
Bertold Brecht put into everyday practice Marxist collectivism and dialectical materialism in his art as few other Western writers have ever achieved.Despite accusations of avidness for money, the German poet and playwright belied any doubts about his ultimate goals: education of the people in Socialism. Moreover, the existence of some thirty volumes of Brecht’s works will bewilder readers who may limit his art to The Three penny Opera and images of Satchmo singing Mack the Knife.
Acharya Narendra Deva : Life And Politics
by Dr Prem Singh
Today is the birth anniversary of Acharya Narendra Deva, known as the patriarch and doyen of Indian socialism
Wonders!
by Sheshu Babu
Hate Taj Mahal as ‘ Muslim’ mausoleum
After visiting it applauding as India’s ‘ priceless gem’
A wonder!
