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Jyoti Punwani

Jyoti Punwani writes on human rights issues. You can e-mail the author at jyoti.punwani@gmail.com

All stories by Jyoti Punwani

A padyatra with Owaisi

A padyatra with Owaisi

Rediff.com19 Apr 2019

MIM workers tried to shoo the complaining woman and her silent husband away, but Owaisi insisted that she be heard. As he turned to leave, he told her: "Good that you spoke up. Keep doing that.

Tough battle for Ashok Chavan in Nanded

Tough battle for Ashok Chavan in Nanded

Rediff.com18 Apr 2019

While everyone says that in terms of actual contribution to Nanded or in moral authority, Ashok Chavan cannot compare with his father, in terms of contact with his voters, he beats S B Chavan hollow. 'Sab ko sambhaltey hain.'

'We preferred Rahul's speech to Modi's'

'We preferred Rahul's speech to Modi's'

Rediff.com16 Apr 2019

'Modi's speech was like one of our sour food preparations; Rahul's was sweet.'

'We laid foundation for alternative to Modi'

'We laid foundation for alternative to Modi'

Rediff.com2 Apr 2019

'The Congress should have accepted our demands.' 'Gone are the days when it could decide how many crumbs to throw at us.' 'Now, we make the demands.'

Why was Saibaba denied bail?

Why was Saibaba denied bail?

Rediff.com27 Mar 2019

'Rejection of bail means they want him to die.'

Complaint against police excesses? This could happen to you

Complaint against police excesses? This could happen to you

Rediff.com22 Feb 2019

Kailash Avhad told Rediff.com that when he appeared before DCP Sandeep Palve, the police officer expressed anger at his RTI applications, caught him by the collar, banged his head against the wall and rained blows behind his ear. He then forced Avhad to touch his feet in apology.

Mumbai's mohalla committees: Giving peace a chance

Mumbai's mohalla committees: Giving peace a chance

Rediff.com30 Jan 2019

The mohalla committee movement in Mumbai celebrated its 25th anniversary last weekend. The movement, which was born in the wake of the horrific Mumbai riots of 1992-1993, has played an important role in ensuring that Hindu-Muslim riots do not recur in the Maximum City.

Why India needs more mohalla committees

Why India needs more mohalla committees

Rediff.com30 Jan 2019

Mumbai's 45 mohalla committees and the many voluntary groups working to bring communities together in the city can be counted upon to do their utmost to stop riots.

Bhima Koregaon inquiry progresses at snail's pace

Bhima Koregaon inquiry progresses at snail's pace

Rediff.com22 Jan 2019

The reasons for the snail's pace at which the commission is proceeding are linked both to the government's indifference to it as well as the indifference of the parties appearing before it.

Bhima Koregaon hearing: Video reveals what happened

Bhima Koregaon hearing: Video reveals what happened

Rediff.com16 Jan 2019

=The video also confirms what initial investigations by the media into the Bhima Koregaon violence had found -- that it was a fallout of a Dalit-Maratha dispute in Vudu Budruk village.

Why are some lynchings front page news and some not?

Why are some lynchings front page news and some not?

Rediff.com10 Dec 2018

'Across the country -- in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Manipur, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal -- men were lynched on suspicion of being thieves by ordinary people armed with rods and sticks.' 'But none of these lynchings made big news.' 'None of these lynchings were cow/beef-related.' 'The perpetrators were unknown people, not so-called gau rakshaks.' 'So why were these instances of mob violence considered less newsworthy than cow-related lynchings?' asks Jyoti Punwani.

Bhima Koregaon hearing: Gaps in the police affidavit

Bhima Koregaon hearing: Gaps in the police affidavit

Rediff.com5 Nov 2018

The police were aware of the bandh since the gram panchayats had informed them about it. Yet, they did nothing to prevent it.

Bhima Koregaon hearings take a new turn

Bhima Koregaon hearings take a new turn

Rediff.com1 Nov 2018

Government rejects activists' request. Commission requests new witness to attend.

'Urdu writers don't want to get into trouble'

'Urdu writers don't want to get into trouble'

Rediff.com9 Oct 2018

'They will talk about secularism, but communalism -- they just won't say there exists such a beast.' 'It's harmful for society to brush it under the carpet.' 'If we talk about secularism, we must talk about communalism.'

Ex-cop faced caste abuse, injury at Bhima-Koregaon

Ex-cop faced caste abuse, injury at Bhima-Koregaon

Rediff.com27 Sep 2018

Curiously, on one aspect -- the large turnout of Dalits at Bhima-Koregaon -- both the counsel for the government and police, and the counsel for Milind Ekbote, an accused in the Bhima-Koregaon violence, pursued the same line of questioning. They asked Tukaram Gavare about the planning that must have gone behind this turnout.

'The government is linking us with Maoists to discredit us'

'The government is linking us with Maoists to discredit us'

Rediff.com25 Sep 2018

'The Elgar Parishad turned out to be the first rallying cry against the BJP and RSS in Maharashtra.' 'The speakers took a vow not to vote for the BJP.'

Bhima-Koregaon hearing: Enter Prakash Ambedkar

Bhima-Koregaon hearing: Enter Prakash Ambedkar

Rediff.com25 Sep 2018

Ambedkar told Rediff.com that he intended making an application that private witnesses not be cross-examined by the Bhima Koregaon Commission of Inquiry.

Bhima-Koregaon: CM promise to withdraw cases proves hollow

Bhima-Koregaon: CM promise to withdraw cases proves hollow

Rediff.com21 Sep 2018

'We are known political activists, so the police put our names in.'

Bhima-Koregaon: The family who lost their home in the violence

Bhima-Koregaon: The family who lost their home in the violence

Rediff.com19 Sep 2018

'The police are busy arresting people from Delhi, but not those we saw burning our home!'

'It is important to talk to a Muslim'

'It is important to talk to a Muslim'

Rediff.com12 Sep 2018

'For people who are fed on nothing else but the media, what were prejudices become facts of life.' 'What my neighbour may see as just news, for me is a source of fear, living as I do, surrounded by non-Muslims.' 'So I would say it is important to talk to a Muslim, be it your neighbour or your colleague.' 'Have that conversation about what's happening to Muslims.'

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