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u/KenSuvy

▲ 58 r/atheismindia

Heated Clash At Karnataka's Badami Cave Temples After Tourist Objects To Staff Wearing Slippers

>A heated argument broke out at the historic Menabasidi site in Badami town, Karnataka, after a tourist allegedly objected to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) staff member entering the monument wearing footwear. The confrontation, captured in a video from the Badami Cave Temples in Bagalkote district, has sparked widespread debate over temple decorum, heritage site regulations, and public conduct.

>In the video, the tourist was seen confronting an ASI employee, questioning why she was inside the premises wearing slippers. She also demanded that senior officials address the issue. According to those present, the tourist accused the staff member of disrespecting religious sentiments by walking or sitting inside the temple complex with footwear.

>The staff member responded that she was following existing duty instructions and asked the tourist to verify the rules with higher authorities regarding footwear regulations for staff working within the protected monument area. As more people gathered around, the exchange became increasingly emotional. In the video, the staff member appeared visibly distressed and was later seen crying while speaking to her supervisor over the phone.

>The incident has sharply divided opinion online. Many social media users supported the tourist, arguing that the 6th-century Badami Cave Temples are sacred spaces where everyone, including government staff, should remove footwear to preserve religious sanctity.

>Others, however, criticised the manner of the confrontation and accused the tourist of selectively enforcing rules. Several users noted that the tourist herself, other visitors, and even security personnel visible in the video were all wearing footwear in the same area.

>Some also noted that the Badami caves function primarily as protected historical monuments rather than active places of worship, making footwear norms less clearly defined. A few, however, claimed that the staff member was wearing shoes in the 'garbha gruha', where footwear is prohibited.

>The ASI has not yet issued an official clarification regarding footwear rules or designated footwear-free zones for staff inside the monument complex.

-NDTV

Video source

u/KenSuvy — 2 days ago
▲ 59 r/Antitheism+1 crossposts

Rights groups demand repeal of Taliban regulation they say legalizes child marriage

>Over 100 rights groups and organizations in a statement called for “immediate, unconditional, and complete repeal” of a new Taliban regulation on marriage and family law, saying that it legitimizes child marriage and forced unions.

>The declaration was issued in response to the “Regulation on Spousal Separation,” published in Taliban Official Gazette No. 1489, which the organizations said creates a legal framework that strips girls and women of fundamental rights and institutionalizes discrimination against children.

>The groups argued that several provisions of the regulation formally recognize the marriage of minors and deny children the ability to challenge marriages arranged for them by male guardians. According to the declaration, Articles 2, 5, 7, 8 and 9 effectively remove legal agency from girls by allowing marriages arranged during childhood to remain binding after they reach adulthood.

>One provision cited by the organizations states that if a girl remains silent after reaching puberty, her silence may be interpreted as consent to marriage. The signatories said such a standard ignores the social pressure and coercion many girls face in Afghanistan and effectively legitimizes forced marriage.

amu.tv
u/KenSuvy — 2 days ago
▲ 621 r/unitedstatesofindia

Couple thrashed with bamboo sticks on Odisha road, video sparks outrage

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>A young couple was assaulted with bamboo sticks in the middle of a busy road in Odisha’s Berhampur city on Monday, triggering outrage after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

>The video showed two men repeatedly attacking the couple in full public view as commuters and pedestrians watched in shock. A few bystanders attempted to intervene while many others appeared helpless as the attack continued.

- India Today

u/KenSuvy — 2 days ago
▲ 13 r/atheismindia

BHU exam row erupts over question on 'Brahmanical patriarchy'

>The controversy erupted after students shared a question from the MA History fourth semester examination paper which asked: “What do you understand by the term brahmanical patriarchy? Discuss how brahmanical patriarchy impeded the progress of women in ancient India?”

>The term, commonly used in academic discourse and gender studies, received criticism from some groups who claimed the question portrayed the Brahmin community negatively and reflected ideological bias in higher education.

indiatoday.in
u/KenSuvy — 2 days ago
▲ 15 r/atheismindia

Beyond elections, a reading list to understand the rise of Hindutva and the BJP

TL;DR:

Book Title Author(s) Year Reason Recommended
Elite Parties, Poor Voters Tariq Thachil 2014 Explains how elite parties like the BJP built unlikely coalitions by using social service provision to attract marginalized groups, showing the groundwork for BJP’s dominance.
The Brotherhood in Saffron: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism Walter K. Anderson & Shridhar D. Damle 1987 Classic insider study of the RSS, unpacking its organisational strength and cadre loyalty, foundational to BJP’s survival and rise.
The RSS: A View to the Inside Walter K. Anderson & Shridhar D. Damle 2018 Follow-up to the earlier book, offering updated insights into RSS workings, though the first remains more impactful.
The Hindu Nationalist Movement in India Christophe Jaffrelot 1996 Encyclopedic reference text on Hindu nationalism, covering ideological, electoral, and organisational aspects with deep fieldwork.
Hindutva and Dalits: Perspectives for Understanding Communal Praxis Edited by Anand Teltumbde 2005 Examines how Hindutva expanded appeal beyond upper castes, including Dalit participation, especially after Gujarat 2002 violence.
Everyday Nationalism: Women of the Hindu Right in India Kalyani Devaki Menon 2010 Ethnographic study of women’s roles in Hindu nationalist organisations, challenging assumptions about gender and conservative politics.
Riot Politics: Hindu-Muslim Violence and the Indian State Ward Berenschot 2011 Shows how everyday patronage networks are intertwined with orchestrated violence, explaining Hindutva’s use of riots in Gujarat.
The Greater India Experiment: Hindutva and the Northeast Arkotong Longkumer 2021 Explores Hindutva’s expansion into Northeast India, adapting ideology to indigenous contexts and regional politics.
Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism, and Political Change in Egypt Carrie Rosefsky Wickham 2002 Comparative perspective: parallels between Muslim Brotherhood and BJP in organisational resilience and strategy.
Counting Islam: Religion, Class, and Elections in Egypt Tarek Masoud 2014 Comparative perspective: examines class-based support for Islamist movements, useful analogy for BJP’s appeal shifts.
What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America Thomas Frank 2004 Analogy for BJP’s appeal to less privileged voters despite elite-oriented policies, similar to US Republicans.
The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker Katherine J. Cramer 2016 Comparative lens on rural working-class support for elite-oriented parties, offering parallels to BJP’s unexpected voter base.
scroll.in
u/KenSuvy — 3 days ago
▲ 1.5k r/unitedstatesofindia

"Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to."

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>"Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to.

>Norway has the number one spot on the World Press Freedom Index, India is at 157th, competing with Palestine, Emirates & Cuba.

>It is our job to question the powers we cooperate with."

-Helle Lyng

u/KenSuvy — 3 days ago
▲ 166 r/atheismindia

Bajrang Dal men barge into Dehradun showroom, write ‘jihadi’ on managers’ name tags

>The incident happened on Thursday but came to light after a purported video was widely circulated on social media on Saturday. In the clip, the right-wing group members could be purportedly seen selectively confronting Muslim staff and even snatching their name tags and writing “jihadi” on it. TOI, however, cannot confirm the veracity of the video.

>Asked about it, Verma confirmed the incident and said they went inside only after receiving a letter from a “person there alleging harassment of the Hindu employees by the showroom’s two Muslim managers”.

>“The two of them were targeting Hindu employees by making them work for 14 hours without giving them overtime wages,” Verma told TOI.

>Police are yet to register an FIR in the incident. “We’ve yet to receive a complaint from anyone in the matter. We’ll act as per the law if anyone approaches cops,” said SI Sandeep Kumar, in-charge of Dhara police check post near the showroom.

-TOI

Video source: @zoo_bear

u/KenSuvy — 5 days ago
▲ 25 r/AtheisminKerala+1 crossposts

Wedding procession stopped over Dalit groom riding horse in Mehsana, FIR filed

>According to the FIR, the Rawat family had organised a traditional wedding procession in which the groom was mounted on a horse, accompanied by relatives, villagers and music as the procession moved through the village before departing for Ahmedabad for the marriage ceremony.

>Police said the confrontation occurred near the village dairy around 10am on Sunday when the accused allegedly entered the gathering and objected to a Dalit groom taking out a horse-mounted procession in the village. The FIR stated that the accused claimed that only members of the Darbar community had the right to conduct such processions and allegedly hurled caste-based abuses at the family.

>Bhavik further alleged that the accused pushed and manhandled his brother (groom) and assaulted him when he intervened. The family also claimed that the accused threatened that they would not be allowed to leave the village alive if the procession continued.

>The incident triggered panic among relatives and guests, forcing the groom’s family to stop the procession midway. The wedding party later quietly left for Ahmedabad where the marriage ceremony was completed without further disturbance.

>Riding a horse during weddings, considered a symbol of status and equality, has repeatedly led to confrontations involving Dalit families in several villages across the state.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com
u/DioTheSuperiorWaifu — 5 days ago
▲ 431 r/atheismindia

‘Felt insulted’: Dalit bride forced to get off horse in Rajasthan, protest escalates a week later

>The incident happened in Hariau village under Dabok Police Station limits, where Pooja Meghwal, who comes from the Dalit community, was forced to dismount a mare during the wedding procession, PTI reported.

>The family claimed that the local strongmen opposed to the celebration, which led to a protest.

>"People forced me to dismount the mare. I felt insulted. My family members were assaulted," Meghwal reportedly said.

>While the incident unfolded on April 29, the simmering anger evolved into a full-blown protest on Thursday. Members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and people from the Dalit community marched to the district collectorate in Udaipur.

>The incident also gained traction on social media with users sharing similar experiences.

>During the Thursday's protest, Meghwal joined the procession at the collectorate riding the mare again. The protesters raised slogans against the administration and submitted a memorandum addressed to the governor, demanding a fair probe.

-HT

Video source

u/KenSuvy — 6 days ago