Religion

The state has been preparing for such a situation through various legislations and judgments inter alia - to make India Hindu.

Rape accused, fugitive and infamous Swami Nithyananda, according to various sources, has formed his very own nation and named it Kailaasa.

Sikhism crowned women with the identity of 'Kaur' (derived from the word kunwar) which means next in line for power, at a time 'when women were seen as man's shoe, the root of all evil, a snare, a temptress.

It is equally important to stop creating dichotomies like extreme Muslim women, who wear a veil and fulfill their duties as daughters, wives and mothers, and moderate Muslim women, who are westernized, who pursue a career,etc. Such binaries overlook the agency that these women exercise and uses only religion as a parameter to judge them.

The core belief behind Kumari Puja comes from a regressive and currently criticized narrative of Hinduism placing a higher value on a young girl who has not started menstruating yet.

Durga Puja and Dussehra, festivals that define our identity as members of the Hindu community, that create a mood of joy and celebration also exposes the patriarchal underpinnings of society. Sniff the air…it’s unmistakably there.

A contradictory festival in itself, Durga Puja is supposed to be that time of the year where the society embraces a daughter with open arms while also passing subtle derogatory comments when a girl is wearing shorts as a part of her festive apparel.

Hindutva Mobilisation is a strategic manifestation of systematic and well thought out strategy by which thousands of women are trained every year.

The main aim of the Lajna Ima'illah is well captured by its motto, "No nation can progress without educating their women". The Ahmadis worldwide insist on the need to educate their women.

In the times when communal passions are being fanned continuously, Know Your Neighbour is a powerful, essential and momentous campaign trying to narrow gaps between communities through initiatives at the grassroots level.