freedoms – All Indians Matter

World’s largest democracy is among the worst for journalists

by admin|20 August 202220 August 2022|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer August 20, 2022 EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. I am Ashraf Engineer. On Independence Day, a little girl stood on her school stage and said: “I am Mehnaz Kappan. Daughter of journalist Siddique Kappan,...

Audio podcast: ‘Govt must have sensed SC would review or throw out sedition law’

by admin|25 May 202225 May 2022|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer May 25, 2022 Dr Kumar Askand Pandey, Associate Professor of Law at Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University in Lucknow, points out that sedition cases rose sharply after 2014, gravely threatening civil liberties. Though the sedition law has...

Audio podcast: ‘Key laws affecting citizens’ lives were passed without consulting them’

by admin|18 May 202218 May 2022|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer May 18, 2022 The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy says the government should place a draft version of any law it makes before the people for their inputs. This is important for a truly participative democracy. However, at last count,...

Audio podcast: Why the BJP government is targeting Amnesty International

by admin|24 July 202124 July 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer July 24, 2021 PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. I am Ashraf Engineer. Over the past few days, as the media blew the lid off the Pegasus internal surveillance operation, the Bharatiya Janata Party government...

Audio podcast: The space for dissent and freedoms is shrinking in India

by admin|31 March 202131 March 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer March 31, 2021 Recently, the V-Dem Institute declared India an ‘electoral autocracy’, pointing to a sharp decline in democratic freedoms. This is in line with what we’re seeing on the ground – the space for dissent, opposition, freedom...

Audio podcast: Time to throw out the sedition law

by admin|06 March 202124 May 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer March 6, 2021 Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. I am Ashraf Engineer. Sedition is the buzzword of these times. The charge has been slapped against climate activists, journalists, social activists, comedians, politicians, student protestors and authors....

Audio podcast: Why are internet shutdowns so common in India?

by admin|03 March 202124 May 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer March 3, 2021 We’re barely into 2021 but already there have been at least eight internet shutdowns in India. The latest round followed the protest by farmers against three new agriculture laws. India shuts down the internet more...

Audio podcast: The false war against imaginary love jihad

by admin|21 November 202024 May 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer November 20, 2020 Podcast transcript Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. I am Ashraf Engineer. The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh is introducing a ‘love jihad’ law, ostensibly to discourage conversions at the time of...

Audio podcast: Censorship monster creeps up on digital content

by admin|13 November 202024 May 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer November 13, 2020 Podcast transcript Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. I am Ashraf Engineer. The Indian government’s move to bring digital content companies, from OTT platforms to news providers, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting...

Audio podcast: The UAPA sword hanging over our freedoms

by admin|21 September 202024 May 2021|All Indians Matter

Ashraf Engineer September 22, 2020 Podcast transcript Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter. The recent arrest of Indian student activist Umar Khalid (pictured above) brings into focus yet again the controversial and draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, better...