Islam in Southeast Asia
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Modiʹs identity politics
Islamophobia threatens to engulf India
Indiaʹs constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, but the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not care. Run by Hindu-supremacists, it is enforcing aggressive anti-Muslim policies. By Arfa Khanum Sherwani
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Islamism in Southeast Asia
Islamic State's latest breeding ground
A recent knife attack on the security minister of Indonesia is a reminder of the danger of Islamist extremism in Southeast Asia. Security measures alone are not enough to combat radicalisation, say experts. By Rodion Ebbighausen
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India's Muslims under Narendra Modi
Gandhi bows out
150 years after the birth of the Indian freedom fighter, the Hindu nationalist government in Delhi has distanced itself from Gandhi's legacy of peace more than any other preceding administration. This is highlighted by the continuing systematic marginalisation of Muslims in India. By Dominik Muller
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Rapprochement between India and the Gulf States
The realpolitik of Modi and MbS
Abu Dhabi and Riyadh see a natural partnership with Modi’s government, a co-operation that could change the dynamics of the South Asian-Gulf nexus. By Jean-Loup Samaan
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Cultural politics in India
India's celebrities confront Hindu nationalism
In July 2019, with hate crimes against minorities in India rising sharply, 49 eminent personalities signed an open letter to Narendra Modi, stating that the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram' – Hail Lord Rama – a Hindu chant usually reserved for prayers or religious gatherings had become a war cry. By Amrita Das
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Instant Islamic divorce in India
Triple talaq ban divides Muslims
Lawmakers have passed a bill to outlaw the centuries-old Muslim practice of instant divorce in India. While conservative Muslim sections slammed the move, liberal groups hailed it. Murali Krishnan reports from New Delhi
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India, Modi and the Muslim minority
"Not yet a Hindu Pakistan"
Many regard Modi's Hindu nationalist policies as an attack on India's pluralism. But does this mean that pluralism has really died a death? Marian Brehmer reports from the Muslim pilgrimage city of Ajmer
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Hindu nationalist election victory in India
Modiʹs credo of divide and rule
India is following an international trend: with the victory of the Indian Peopleʹs Party or BJP, we are again witnessing the success of a party that can clearly be located on the extreme right of the political spectrum and that is at the same time courted by international companies and economic heavyweights. By Dominik Muller
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Interview with Indian novelist Arundhati Roy
"India is much more dangerous than it was ten years ago"
Celebrated Indian novelist Arundhati Roy, best known for works such as "The God of Small Things" and "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness", has also made a name for herself as an essayist and critic of the political situation in India. Dominik Muller spoke to her in New Delhi about changes in India over the last decade
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Modi, the BJP and social media
Indiaʹs WhatsApp elections
As Indiaʹs general election continues, there has been little progress in stopping "fake news", arresting its perpetrators, or limiting its spread. Thatʹs because the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is responsible for disseminating much of it. By Shashi Tharoor
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Interview with writer Rahman Abbas
Overcoming Indiaʹs social divide
More and more Indian writers are picking up on the right-wing theme in response to the growing strength of India's Hindu nationalists. Among them, Bombay-based author Rahman Abbas, who writes in Urdu and who scooped India's highest literary accolade in 2018 for his novel "Rohzin". Interview by Dominik Muller
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Interview with Indian-American author Fatima Farheen Mirza
"What kind of system are we trying to pass on?"
In her debut novel "A Place for Us" about an Indian-American Muslim family, Fatima Farheen Mirza conveys a universal and unique story, revealing the generation gap between the parents and their three children. In conversation with Schayan Riaz, the author talks about the lack of Muslim characters in fiction and moving out to become a writer