Indian Mandala

After they fled persecution in Myanmar, dozens of Rohingya families have now been evicted under pressure from Indian authorities, amid a climate of mounting hostility towards the presence of these Muslim refugees. Lacking any legal status recognised by New Delhi, many now face the risk of repatriation, even as the civil war in Myanmar continues to rage.

A week after the announcement, the Indian government has yet to utter a word about Navi Pillay, even though she openly embraces her Tamil identity and Hindu roots. Beyond the caution exercised due to relations with Israel, the sticking point primarily appears to be her assessments of human rights violations in Kashmir.

More than 23,000 Union police personnel have been mobilised and transport restrictions imposed ahead of tomorrow’s rally. Police denied the youth group Cockroach Janta Party the right to gather. For its part, the Conference of Religious India (CRI) said that it “cannot be silent spectators”.

While 71.8 per cent of workers who moved to southern India report a better quality of life following migration, 73.3 per cent face obstacles in accessing social welfare benefits. Healthcare, employment contracts, and awareness of their rights remain key areas of vulnerability.

Two of the three election commission members raised concerns at least 14 times over ten months regarding voter registration, deletions, and the digital management of electoral rolls. An investigation sparked a swift reaction from the opposition and young people.

The University of Oxford has approved the repatriation to Nagaland of ancestral remains held at the Pitt Rivers Museum, which were brought to England between 1910 and 1940. The repatriation follows six years of dialogue with representatives of the Naga communities, who plan to mark the return with traditional rituals and a burial in Kohima.

"4 Rivers 6 Ranges" hits theatres today. The work of a director born to Tibetan exiles in Darjeeling, the film relates the story of the Dalai Lama’s flight to India in the 1950s, seeking to link the theme of the diaspora to the evolution of India's policies. Chinese state television has accused the film of being separatist propaganda.

Just four months after taking office, the BJP-run state government announced a plan for a massive expansion of educational facilities linked to the Hindutva movement, in open competition with Christian and Islamic schools. Even the patriotic song "Vande Mataram" is becoming a source of controversy.

The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) highlights the critical issues surrounding the initiative launched in 2014 by the Modi government. Poor planning, shortcomings in implementation and a lack of monitoring are among the main causes of the failure. The strategy centred on ‘green cover’ appears to be insufficient.

Mohan Bhagwat – the head of the RSS, which has been accused of violence against Christians in India – is due to appear at Madison Square Garden on 29 August for an event on ‘universal unity’. The Congressional Commission on Religious Freedom is calling for his visa to be refused. Indo-American NGOs denounce the infiltration of radicalism even within the diaspora.

The violence that broke out in late July has spread to Madhesh. In the lowland bordering India, symbols and the language of Indian nationalism are increasingly visible, while the secularism enshrined in the 2015 Constitution is being challenged by movements calling for the return to a Hindu state.

For the first time, a Dalit candidate wins top place in entrance examination to the country's most prestigious medical schools. Meanwhile, the government promises to reform the controversial admissions system following student protests. In the background, the debate rages on over reserved quotas and meritocracy in India.