The Subcontinent: 18 February 2021
#MeToo: India's Former Minister Loses Defamation Suit Against Accuser
India Denies Permission to Sikh Pilgrims to Visit Pakistan
Taliban Tweets a Threat to Malala
Nepali-American Plans to Contest New York Council Elections
A R Rahman Releases Single from Ayalaan
1. India's Former Minister Loses Defamation Suit Against Accuser
A former minister of the Narendra Modi government and noted editor and journalist M J Akbar has failed in his attempt to sue his accuser of defamation (The New York Times) (BBC). Accusations by a journalist against Akbar had provided a filip to the #MeToo movement in India.
The judge ruled:
"A woman cannot be punished for raising her voice against sexual abuse".
Tell Me the Background
A journalist Priya Ramani wrote an article in The Vogue (October 13, 2017) describing her first male boss as a "predator” (To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world).
A year later, she named M J Akbar.
Her tweet triggered a number of complaints with 21 women coming out and accusing Akbar of harassment (India Today).
Akbar filed a case of defamation against Priya Ramani.
Following an outcry, Akbar had to resign from his position of Minister of State for External Affairs.
India’s #MeToo
Priya Ramani's article and subsequent tweet naming M J Akbar were an important milepost in India's MeToo movement. Yesterday's judgment, where Akbar unsuccessfully filed a case against Priya Ramani is being described as a landmark case and a vindication of the MeToo movement in India (The Independent).
Media, Cinema, Academia
India's #MeToo movement has included media, cinema, and academia.
Academia: Student's 'sexual predator' list names professors: BBC
Films: Here is the list of all men from the film industry who have been accused of harassment: The Indian Express
Films: Has #MeToo changed Bollywood?: BBC
Media: Dark Underbelly of Indian Media Revealed as Scores of Journalists Say #MeToo: The Wire
Also in Pakistan
Read Supreme Court Admits Meesha Shafi's Petition on Harassment (The Subcontinent: 27 December 2020).
Who is Priya Ramani?
Priya Ramani is an Indian journalist, writer, and editor. She has worked in The Asian Age, Reuters, Elle, India Today, Cosmopolitan, and Mint.
She was 23 when she went for an interview, where Akbar called her to a hotel room where he asked her personal questions, offered her alcohol, and sang songs.
Priya is married to journalist Samar Harlankar. Samar wrote a piece on the travails faced by Priya in an article titled: "My wife faces a union minister, his 97 lawyers. It takes special courage to do that" (Scroll).
Who is M J Akbar?
M J Akbar is an Indian journalist and politician.
Journalism
Akbar began his career with the Times of India in 1971, but it was his editorship of Sunday, a weekly magazine that took a adversarial position against the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, that gave him national fame. He followed it up by launching The Telegraph, which was a trendsetter in the newspaper industry. The subsequent launch of the Asian Age, touted as an Indian daily with international editions was another pioneering effort.
Politics
Akbar dabbled with politics contesting on a ticket of the Indian National Congress in 1989. He served as spokesperson for Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Later he joined the BJP. He was appointed Minister of State of External Affairs, a position he held for over two years.
Who is Rebecca John?
Rebecca John is a Senior Advocate and prominent criminal law expert who represented Priya Ramani.
Reactions
“I feel vindicated”: Priya Ramani
"Probably the most important case of my career”: Rebecca John (Bar and Bench).
2. India Denies Permission to Sikh Pilgrims to Visit Pakistan
India has denied permission to a group of nearly 600 pilgrims desirous of visiting Pakistan to mark the 100th anniversary of Nankana Sahib's massacre (The Hindu). The group was expected to visit between 18-23 February 2021.
Why?
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cited security threats stating that "recent inputs indicate threat to the safety and security of Indian citizens visiting Pakistan."
Further, MHA stated that it is "not advisable for a large group of our citizens to visit Pakistan for a week during pandemic" (Times Now).
Earlier the desirous pilgrims were told that a COVID-19 test is mandatory before travel (The Times of India). A special COVID-19 testing camp was also organised for the pilgrims (Outlook).
Suspension of Bilateral Travel
The MHA letter added that "traffic on India-Pakistan international border remained suspended since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
However, Pilgrims Were Allowed in Dec '20
Two groups of Hindu pilgrims had visited Pakistan in December 2021. They visited Shadani Darbar (Ghotkli, Sukkur, Sindh province) and the Katas Raj temple (Chakwal, Punjab province) (Times of India).
Read Also:
Hindu Devotees Arrive in Pakistan (The Subcontinent: 23 December 2020).
What is Saka Nankana Sahib?
Two-hundred-and-sixty Sikhs were killed on February 20, 1921, when they tried to free the Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) from the hereditary control of mahants, who the British Government supported. One of those killed was a little short of eight years.
The movement to free the Gurdwaras was a part of a larger Gurdwara Reform Movement.
The Saka Nankana Sahib is second only to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 in terms of its political significance.
3. Taliban Tweets a Threat to Malala
A Pakistani Taliban militant, Ehsanullah Ehsan, took to Twitter to threaten Nobel laureate Malala Yousufzai. Malala, who was shot in 2012 had survived the attack.
The tweet stated that next time, "there would be no mistake." Twitter has since then taken down the militant's account (SBS).
Malala's Response
Malala responded by tweeting to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), asking him: "How did he (Ehsanullah Ehsan) escape?"
Who is Ehsanullah Ehsan?
Ehsan is a former spokesperson for two terror outfits. In 2012, he announced and justified the near-fatal attack on the 15-year old Malala Yousufzai. Malala was shot in the head in retaliation for her activism and advocacy of girl's education.
Ehsan was arrested in 2017, but he escaped from custody in January 2020 (ABC). While in custody, he was allowed to appear in a TV interview, though the telecast was stopped by the regulatory authority (Samaa).
4. Nepali-American Plans to Contest for New York Council
Nabaraj KC may become the first person of Nepali origin to run for a New York Council seat in Queens. However, he has to first defeat four other aspirants in the Democratic primaries (KhasoKhas - Nepali language).
Who is He?
Nabaraj KC is a businessman and realtor who lives in Queen's College Point. He was born in Dhading, Nepal. He has also served as president of the Rotary Club of New York Queens, and he was recently honored as 'Brooklyn's COVID Hero' (India West).
5. A R Rahman Releases Single from Ayalaan
Music maestro A R Rahman has released a single from the movie Ayalaan titled Vera Level Sago. The song is in Tamil language.