Neil Pagedar

When Shankar’s Weekly started in May 1948, Shankar described it "fundamentally anti-establishment". Nehru was fully aware of Shankar’s sharp and unrestrained takes. Despite this, it was Nehru who himself released the first issue of the Weekly & famously said "Don't spare me!" Shankar made 4000+ cartoons on Nehru, most very critical including this in the pic. Nehru remarked on Shankar’s critical cartoons on him - "Shankar has that rare gift, rarer in India than elsewhere, and without the least bit of malice or ill-will, he points out, with an artist’s skill, the weaknesses and foibles of those who display themselves on the public stage. That is a service to all of us for which we should be grateful. For we are apt to grow pompous and self-centred, and it is good to have the veil of our conceit torn occasionally.“ Nevertheless, despite his relentless criticism, Shankar himself described Nehru as a “great man, a truly great man”. He also added Nehru often thanked him “for helping him spot his inherent weaknesses. He liked to be reminded that he too was mortal. Perfection is not for any man, however powerful and highly placed he may be. Nehru had the wisdom to realise that.” And this, too, happened in an India that did not yet call itself the “Mother of Democracy” but put ban on social media posts from a twelve year old child to comedians, Cartoonists, critics, journalists anyone who dissent. If this is progress then what the hell is decline? If this is Democracy what the hell is Dictatorship?

We have now reached the final stage of the Gaza genocide. Israel has passed a law permitting state administered murder to Palestinians in their prisons- about half of whom have no charges. The final stage of extermination. We've watched Palestinians dehumanized for decades. Each stage so predictably met. That the law applies to Palestinians and not Israelis should be enough to horrify even those still blind to Israelis apartheid. And yet it's entirely predictable. The world was quiet when Israel targeted children, starved an entire population, bombed all their hospitals and universities, raped their illegal detainees, murdered health workers in front of the world to ignore all of it. There will be those who will always deny this is what it is- a genocide. The impetus on us is to act to prevent genocide wherever it occurs..."never again" In that pledge,the international political power elite has so comprehensively failed.

How we live and die in Bombay.

"Throw away 25% Muslims" "Make India Hindu Rashtra" "Mass Conversions by force" These were some of the demands made at Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam. Modi govt gave Rs 63 lakh to Sanatan Sanstha for it, RTI response reveals thequint.com/news/politics/…

We need to stand in solidarity with @t_d_h_nair

I reiterate that Israel will not exist in its current form much longer. But I believe they will use a nuclear weapon before then. I don't have a crystal ball, but I pay attention to their internal discourse and rhetoric. That's why what they're doing in Gaza has not come as a surprise. They've been talking about it for at least two decades, couched under the banner of "demographic threats" and "greater Israel." As a psychopathic state, they have delusions of grandeur and deep seeded jealousy, not only of the indigenous Palestinian population who possess the culture, history, and stories that are deeply rooted in the land, all of which they covet, but also of the United States' imperial power. This jealousy and desire to possess the realities of other nations is the reason they often analogize and reference American moments and crimes to their own. For example, recall how they used the bombing of Dresden to justify their carpet bombing of Gaza; or how they kept referring to October 7 as their "9/11 moment." I have no doubt that they are looking for their "Hiroshima and Nagasaki moment." They will keep pushing the boundaries, committing more war crimes, bombing more countries until the region—even the craven client autocrats—can either no longer remain silent or are killed or overthrown by their own people. At which point, any substantive military response will be met with their ultimate jewish supremacist insanity. But it will not work. all they will accomplish is what they've accomplished now: unyielding bloodshed, demise, ruin, death, and darkness that will haunt humanity for generations to come.

It's remarkable just how utterly terrified the Indian state is of educated young Muslims. Throw poor Muslims across the border, bulldoze their homes and keep students and activists in jail interminably without trial. Truly new vocabulary needed to describe this brazen cowardice

While granting bail to Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Bhima Koregaon case, Supreme Court said prolonged incarceration could not be justified solely on the basis of serious accusations. That case also involved UAPA. What happened to this principle in Umar Khalid's case?

INJUSTICE #UmarKhalid

I propose a new category under insurance claims: 'Death by India.'

My name is Aamir Aziz. I am a poet. My poem Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega has been used without my knowledge, consent, credit, or compensation by the internationally celebrated artist Anita Dube.

Tomorrow, 9th April will mark 5 yrs of incarceration for Gul. Do you know how long 5 years are? Google says it's 1825 days, but can one measure the time, the hours, the seconds spent deprived of the embrace of your loved ones, of seeing the night sky, of walking the city streets

Happy Birthday to @Aakar__Patel's brilliant non-apology; 11 years and counting.

we are lucky to have @kunalkamra88. in bad times, laughter and courage are both necessary, rarely does anyone combine them so well.

Hate speech dene waale mast khulle ghoom rahe hain, kyonki system ko comedians se hi fursat nahin.

Flawed argument. "Well educated" Indians wake up every morning and mix Patanjali honey in warm water as a "weight loss" remedy. Then send pro-BJP whatsApp forwards filled with bigotry and conspiracy theories. What Indians lack is culture and critical thinking skills.

limb amputation without anesthesia. these are CHILDREN. It’s horrifying beyond comprehension.

8 days ago Devendra Fadnavis said #Aurangzeb's grave should be removed. This is how messaging begins from the top. His view was soon amplified. Yesterday, riots broke out. These are the priorities of #newIndia hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-…