Romila Thapar: Why Indian History Cannot be Reduced to 'Hindu vs Muslim' (CD Deshmukh Lecture, 2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0i5YqaYREo
The WireJan 19, 2023
Titled “Our History, Your History, Whose History?”, her speech delivered at the annual C.D.Deshmukh memorial lecture at the India International Centre brought out the primary contradiction between professional historians who depend on methodological analysis that “demands a training in reading sources” to give an understanding of how our past came to be and popular historians who lack training but more often than create an imagined history to establish majoritarian supremacy.

Ex-Foreign Minister Jack Straw Confirms UK Report that ‘Modi Directly Responsible’ for 2002 Riots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gYkcqExkac The Wire
 Jan 21, 2023
Jack Straw, who was Britain’s Foreign Secretary in 2002 when the Gujarat killings happened, has confirmed that the British High Commissioner in India sent a report to the Foreign Office in London which said “Narendra Modi is directly responsible” for the killings in 2002 in Gujarat. “That was the feeling of those on the ground”, he said. Mr. Straw has also said that “the allegation and belief at the time (2002)” was, as the British High Commission report put it, “Narendra Modi met senior police officers on the 27th of February and ordered them not to intervene in the rioting”. Mr. Straw has also confirmed that the report he received said the killings in Gujarat “has all the hallmark of ethnic cleansing”. He said he was “very concerned indeed about that”.

https://youtu.be/8gYkcqExkac?t=211

According to a new study, climate change is threatening the health and survival of trees grown in urban areas to keep them cool, with more than half of the species already feeling the heat. https://thredmedia.medium.com/cities-are-becoming-too-hot-for-trees-59b14192c571

If you spent your summer in a city, likelihood is you were forced to endure intense, record-breaking heatwaves throughout July.

According to the findings, climate change is threatening the health and survival of the trees we rely on to make cities liveable, with more than half of them worldwide (including oaks, maples, poplars, elms, pines, and chestnuts) said to have already been pushed beyond their comfort zones.

Within the next decade or so, this figure is expected to hit two-thirds, unless of course scientists act now — and fast — by better protecting existing trees and planting a much higher number of drought-resistant varieties.

‘We emphasise the importance of taking immediate actions in terms of the climate emergency to secure the survival and persistence of urban forests,’ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX-0szAK9Bg

Mhadei dispute: Crisis in Goa scales up challenges for CM Sawant, puts BJP in tight spot https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mhadei-dispute-crisis-goa-scales-up-challenges-cm-sawant-puts-bjp-tight-spot-karnataka-2321481-2023-01-14 The controversy between Goa and Karanataka over the Mhadei river basin has opened a new front of a challenge for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules both states. Pamela D’Mello  Jan 16, 2023

Karnataka's argument is that its only demand was to have a rightful share of the Mhadei's fresh waters, much of which was being wasted and drained into the Arabian Sea in Goa.

Rebutting Karnataka’s claim, Goa submitted that besides being stored in several reservoirs in the state for drinking water and irrigation schemes, fresh water sustains the forest sanctuaries and prevents saline ingress further upstream, which would alter the ecosystem.

What is it about the river that gets Goans riled up? That any thought of its freshwater being diverted, is viewed as an ‘Apocalypse Now' moment? Geography has much to do with it.

The Mhadei/Mandovi river basin spans 1580 sq km, nearly half the Goa's total 3702 sq km area that calculates to 43 per cent of the state's area. It runs 76 km in north Goa, 78 per cent of the Mhadei's total 111 km.

It passes through 194 (Goa has 334 villages) of its most populous villages and towns, including the capital, Panjim.

The Mhadei/Mandovi is critical for the region's water supply, agriculture, fishing, irrigation, navigation and tourism in six of the state's twelve sub-districts. Religious, cultural and daily practices are also woven around the river.

Legalise hunting wild animals that pose threat to humans: Madhav Gadgil . Onmanorama Staff  https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/01/19/legalise-hunting-wild-animals-pose-threat-humans-madhav-gadgil.html killing wild animals, which are harmful to human lives, should be made legal. He opined that the control over hunting should be handed over to local self-governments..He said, “Banning the hunting of wild animals that pose threat is not logical. It should be allowed outside national parks. Animals are facing issues like extinction due to problems like pollution.”

About 10 tigers are likely to stray into the inhabited areas in Wayanad, Aralam in Kannur soon, according to the Department of Forests and Wildlife.

Comments:
Vinith Kumar tribals are Co exist with tigers In forest Problem is politicians and people who are greedy want to destroy tiger territory in the name of development . Problem is people residing next to forest want to destroy forest for agriculture land and local politicians support the idea of converting reverse forest and revenue land to agriculture land

Ullash Kumar:  Tiger is a scam. Tiger project is a failure. Tiger project destroyed human tiger relationship. Tiger projects are cash cows for government, forest department, tiger scientist s and city environmentalists.

all places tribals coexist, tiger projects are breaking the relationship.

unless conservation is people centric, u will not see any wildlife

Vikram H - Simple fact is that our tiger population is less than our carrying capacity. So, there's space. Gadgil is using one incident to make a case for having a more people-centric wildlife policy. Many of us will take that approach head on. It's not about emotions - it's about whose side one wants to be on, unfortunately.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-64300390 
 to add on number are added by tiger project people. Not others. Hardly 1000 tigers in the wild and u keep saying 2300 etc to backup for the money you took from the funder. Yet the number is too low. In 49yrs if u got just 700 more tigers,..

You can make up whatever numbers you want, but the reality is different. Your passion is clearly misguided, and you're making things worse for both wildlife and tribals by making their supporters enemies in your narrative. The negative impact of that on both wildlife and tribals rests on shoulders of people like you

Vikram H Do go & ask those tribals' current generation where they want to live. Ask those who have done those surveys. Ask what lifestyle they want to lead. You're romanticizing their current lifestyle and making massive assumptions on behalf of so many tribal communities across the country. Each of their situations is unique, to start with

Tribals are not one uniform entity for you to speak on behalf of all of them just because you work with a few of them, right? I'm not romanticizing tigers - I'm standing up for wildlife.
I can point you to tons of examples where locals have destroyed the wildlife populations of their region. Go ask who killed the rhinos until protection was stepped up. Don't assume everyone lives the way the people of Rajasthan do around many of their protected areas

Kalanand Mani
It is a very unfortunate statement by Dr. Madhav Gadgil. It is the prime duty of the humans to control their population and limit their habitation, movement and pleasure centric development. The population of the humans in India has gone up more than 3 & 1/2 times in just 75 years. The humans have encroached the space of other creatures. Is this the equitable way of living on the Earth?? Thinking about the killing of wild animals entering into humans habitation is selfish thought, not based on environmental justice. In fact, the human who has invaded and destroyed the natural habitats of the Wild Animals must vacate the places which were historically meant for the other creatures.
This is not an emotional, but logical argument based on justice. How long humans will have supremacy over exploiting natural resources???

Karthik Selvakumar
Humans must control their population not tigers... Already we are about to beat china in population.... Such a small area compared to china and we are talking about shooting tigers...insane. Humans again proved themselves as the dangerous species of this planet.

Aminuddin Owaisi
Licensed hunting basically is permission to hunt very few old tigers who have been pushed out of there areas due to competition from younger males and who will not breed anymore , these tigers can be hunted with a license and the license fees can be very high like a crore rupees, This not only controls human wildlife conflict but also generates revenue which can be used to protect the areas which are not prime tourist destinations, every country in the world follows this , it's not something weird infact prior to 1972 wildlife act this kind of proposal had already been started in india

Joseph Hoover  A lot of water has cascaded down the bridge, then and now.
Forest landscapes have shrunk and have been fragmented.
Human population has grown exponentially.
Tiger numbers have increased only in a few designated reserves. Transient tigers have moved into unprotected areas in the last few years. Tiger numbers have been exaggerated to hoodwink people.
So the tiger population is, at times, shown as being beyond the carrying capacity of the habitat.
Earlier, tigers had larger territories. Now, with prey density increasing, tigers have adapted to smaller territories, some as less as 8sqkm.
There is no need to earn revenue through trophy hunting, as nature has a mechanism to take care of the old and injured. In any case, tigers which move around human settlements, are captured and confined in rehabilitation centres.
Tiger tourism is hugely profitable for investors in ecotourism. The government should collect fees for every individual who checks into a resort or homestay to enjoy the flora and fauna.
We can't compare to what is being done in Africa and the West. The dynamics are vastly different. What is good for Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, wouldn't be good for India.
If tigers are allowed to be killed, poachers will be more than happy to share their spoils with the government. Our tigers will disappear.
We breed like rabbits, but we complain about an increase in tiger numbers.
We respect Gadgil for his contribution, but he seems to be living in the past.

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Read more at: https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/01/19/legalise-hunting-wild-animals-pose-threat-humans-madhav-gadgil.html

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Read more at: https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/01/19/legalise-hunting-wild-animals-pose-threat-humans-madhav-gadgil.html

Supreme Court seeks Central government's response to expert committee report on tree-cutting for developmental projects https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/supreme-court-seeks-central-government-response-expert-committee-report-tree-cutting-developmental-projects
The top court took the report on record and praised it for being 'commendable', noting the 'herculean' efforts involved. The Central government has to specify how it plans to put the recommendations into effect.

https://indiankanoon.org/doc/187366700/

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/The-architect-of-an-omnibus-forest-protection-case/article14470903.ece

Of rights new, and prejudice old: A response to Justice Chauhan’s speech at Madurayam 2022
Ujjaini Chatterji·January 15, 2023 https://theleaflet.in/of-rights-new-and-prejudice-old-a-response-to-justice-chauhans-speech-at-madurayam-2022/ retired Justice Dr. B.S. Chauhan, being one of the key speakers, emphatically stated that women in India need no empowerment because the Manusmriti already granted them all rights.

The shocking statement by a former Supreme Court judge is particularly worrying as it appears to be a part of a growing echo that seeks to replace our secular and democratic constitutional principles of equality and justice with that of the regressive Manusmriti, and hence I feel the need to respond to it.

There is growing disinformation around Manusmriti that is being categorically spread. One such instance I came across was when, in a gender equity forum by BRICS, Union Minister and Parliamentarian Meenakshi Lekhi referred to the Manusmriti to suggest that Manu’s laws gave women the right to succession of property. Thankfully, this blatant misinformation was countered by entrepreneur Anuradha Exwaized, who in turn quoted the precise shlok from Manusmriti that forbade women, sons, and slaves from owning any property. The shlok states that whatever they earn are properties of the man to whom they belong.

Similarly, last year, Delhi High Court judge, Justice Prathibha M. Singh publicly stated that Manusmriti gave women “respectable position” and women were blessed by his laws. She was speaking at an event on the subject – ‘Facing the unseen barriers: Addressing challenges faced by Women in Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship and Mathematics (STEM)’.

the Manusmriti served as the constitutional law of Brahmins and legitimised the absolute objectification and subjugation of women. The Constitution of India introduced the values of equality before law and fundamental rights that were available to all citizens...However, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was the architect of our Constitution and a member of the untouchable Mahar community, continued his struggle for greater freedoms. As the Union Law Minister, Dr. Ambedkar reintroduced the Hindu Code Bill before the Parliament in 1947. These were bills that proposed to grant women the right to marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption, and guardianship along with the right to own property, the right to equal inheritance as that of men.

Tracking rising religious hatred in India, from half a world away By Pranshu Verma January 16, 2023 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/01/16/hindu-hate-crimes-raqib-hameed-naik/ Raqib Hameed Naik, a Kashmiri Muslim journalist hiding in America, is ready to bring his data project out of the shadows  -- Naik, 29, is the founder of HindutvaWatch.org, one of the most robust real-time data sets of human rights abuses in the world’s largest democracy. Using video and picture evidence submitted by a network of Indian activists, along with news aggregation, the site tracks hate crimes by Hindus against Muslims, Christians and members of the lower-ranked castes. Since its founding in April 2021, it has catalogued more than 1,000 instances of violent attacks and rhetoric. 

“गुजरात दंगों में मोदी सीधे ज़िम्मेदार”BBC की इस फ़िल्म को भारत में ‘देखना मना है’ |Modi Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9GXCk-sj_k Jan 19, 2023
A BBC documentary, ‘India: The Modi Question,’ looks at “the tensions between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country’s Muslim minority”, as well as “investigating claims” concerning his role in the large-scale communal violence that erupted in Gujarat in the months of February and March, in 2002 that left “over a thousand dead.”

In the first part of a new series aired in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on Tuesday evening, a UK government report, earlier marked as “restricted”, that has never been published or revealed so far, has been shown in detail. The documentary has a series of images of the text of the report, and in one statement, the inquiry report says that “Narendra Modi is directly responsible”. It refers to the chain of events as a “systematic campaign of violence” which has “all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.”

गोधरा के 20 साल: दीवारें लगाकर बाँट दिये गये हिंदू-मुसलमान | Gujarat Election 2022 | Arfa Khanum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXiVviB3q_4&list=PLzia1qLN9v2AHSiNcnbKDpcn3L17RuAIb&index=14&t=0s

The Wire Meets Victims Of 2002 Riots, 'Wounds Of Riots Still Fresh' | Gujarat Election | Arfa Khanum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkG1HAJvsfw&list=PLzia1qLN9v2AHSiNcnbKDpcn3L17RuAIb&index=5&t=0s

Complaint Issues Against BBC Documentary On Gujarat Riots Targeting PM Modi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTQnSf8CvAc Jan 20, 2023 Advocate Vineet Jindal  20 Jan, 2023 argues that the documentary has the effect of dividing the country..