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After the Supreme Court ruled on June 10 that a <keyword id="20100511" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Muslim-woman" source="keywords">Muslim woman</keyword> is entitled to claim <keyword id="22407616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maintenance-after-divorce" source="keywords">maintenance after divorce</keyword>, <keyword id="20066703" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Commission-for-Women" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="National Commission for Women" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="National Commission for Women">National Commission for Women</keyword> (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma welcomed the decision and stated that all <keyword id="20013419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-laws" source="keywords">personal laws</keyword> related to women should be equal across all religions. Speaking to ANI, Rekha Sharma said, "I always say that <keyword id="19927138" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="womens-rights" source="keywords">women's rights</keyword> should be universal and not determined based on <keyword id="19969367" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="religion" source="keywords">religion</keyword>. All personal laws related to women should be equal across all religions. Under the Hindu Marriage Act, you get alimony after divorce, so why should a Muslim woman not get it? I welcome what the Supreme Court has said." The Supreme Court on June 10 ruled that a divorced Muslim woman is entitled to seek maintenance from her husband under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), asserting that any discrimination against Muslim women in matters of alimony under the secular laws of the country would be regressive and against <keyword id="20809677" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gender-justice" source="keywords">gender justice</keyword> and equality. Earlier, the <keyword id="20066702" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NCW-chief" source="keywords">NCW chief</keyword> wholeheartedly welcomed the Supreme Court's landmark ruling, stating that the decision is a significant step towards ensuring <keyword id="20250318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gender-equality" source="keywords">gender equality</keyword> and justice for all women, regardless of their religion. The NCW Chairperson emphasised that the decision reinforces the principle that no woman should be left without support and protection under the law. The NCW remains committed to advocating for women's rights and ensuring that justice prevails for every woman in India, she emphasised. Rekha Sharma also addressed the "lewd" comment incident that occurred earlier regarding a picture of the widow of Kirti Chakra recipient Captain Anshuman Singh. NCW chief Rekha Sharma said, "It was a very derogatory comment that we saw on social media, and we immediately took suo motu cognizance of it. The police have filed an FIR against this person. However, the individual is most likely from Pakistan." "Many such comments are being made, and we are taking those comments very seriously and urging the police to file FIRs in those cases as well," she added. Delhi Police acknowledged the National Commission for Women's (NCW) letter to the Delhi Commissioner of Police, demanding the arrest of the man and submission of a detailed report to the panel within three days. The police said a complaint was received from the National Commission for Women, alleging that a social media user had made an extremely lewd and derogatory comment on a picture of the widow of a late soldier. Taking cognizance of the complaint and after a preliminary examination of its contents, a case FIR under Sections 79, BNS-2023, and Section 67 of the IT Act 2000 has been registered at the Police Station Special Cell, and an investigation is underway. Captain Anshuman Singh, a doctor, was posted with the 26 Punjab as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area. On the night of July 19, 2023, there was a fire incident at an Indian Army ammunition dump at the camp where he was posted. Captain Singh saw a fibreglass hut engulfed in fire and immediately acted to rescue four to five individuals trapped inside. He went inside the medical investigation room, which was also on fire, to retrieve the critical medical aid box but could not make it out due to heavy fire amid strong winds. He was awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously. Captain Singh's wife, Smriti, and his mother received the award from President Droupadi Murmu.

All personal laws related to women should be equal across all religions: NCW chief Rekha Sharma

The counting of votes cast by 64.2 crore hopeful Indian voters during the six-week-long 18th <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> officially began at 8 AM today and it is suffice to say that the air is crackling with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Over 700 aspiring parties participated in the world’s largest democratic exercise. But the main duelling parties remain consistent with previous trends: the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) led by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> and the opposition bloc led by the <keyword id="19964138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-National-Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian National Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</keyword> (INC). Modi is shooting for a third, historic win after spending the last ten years in office, but the road ahead does not seem as smooth as anticipated. A political party in India requires at least 272 seats to cross the majority mark in the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament, the Lok Sabha. The PM has audaciously declared that he is expecting a huge win exceeding 400 seats, the slogan ab ki baar 400 paar is stuck in every Indian’s head — irrespective of their political inclination. The Congress-led India bloc, on the other hand, is aiming for a relatively modest 295. On Saturday, most exit poll surveys predicted 350-370 seats for the BJP and between 107-140 seats for the opposition. However, the early trends are showing a very different picture with the INDIA bloc exceeding expectations in many states. Polls have been off the mark a few times before, but as NDA looks poised to win a third term, albeit with a few last-minute struggles, here’s a look back at the previous elections responsible for Mr Narendra Modi’s unmatchable dominance over <keyword id="20184421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-politics" source="keywords">Indian politics</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak" comment="subhead" text="Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak">Inside BJP’s decade-long winning streak </cmsannotation>The BJP has come a long way since 1984 when the party won just two seats. Its pro-Hindutva stance pushed it to prominence over the decades, especially in the 1990s. The BJP was in power for a considerable amount of time under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership at the turn of the century. But the kind of support that Narendra Modi has received since 2014 has been unmatched in the history of modern Indian politics. In 2014, the BJP saw a surprising landslide victory with 282 of the 543 seats. But what factors contributed to its sweeping win with a 31.3% majority? Throughout its campaigning ahead of the general elections that year, the BJP kept stressing its interest in fixing the economy and combating corruption allegedly caused by the Congress party’s rather inept governing. Modi, who called himself a chowkidar or watchman, vowed to set the government and bureaucracy to rights. He promised more jobs for young Indians and even launched a social media campaign to appeal to the younger generation. Many experts suggested that Modi created the brand “NaMo'' for himself through relentless media campaigning, something that <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> and other major political leaders could not do at the time. Additionally, he is also said to have had the support of the 45,000 country-wide RSS branches — the Hindu cultural nationalist parent of the BJP. However, after the leader had managed to comfortably settle into his new role as the Prime Minister of India, he announced the demonetisation of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series on 8 November 2016. As per a 2018 report from the Reserve Bank of India said that “the effort had failed to remove black money from the economy”. Modi was widely criticised for the way this move impacted the middle-class people of India. Despite this setback as well as criticism against his economic reforms like GST, he continued to implement bold policy changes to strengthen the core economy. His tilt towards a digital economy and seemingly tough actions against corrupt practices received widespread acclaim. He also successfully invoked a strong sense of nationalism and security in the people through the Balakot airstrike, a bombing raid conducted by Indian warplanes in February 2019. And it worked! BJP came to power again in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, this victory being bigger than the last. The BJP won a whopping 37.36% of the vote — the highest by a political party since the 1989 general elections with 303 seats. However, similar to 2019, towards the end of his second term in 2024, joblessness appears to be on the rise and incomes of farmers continue to plummet. Amid major issues like food inflation and the threat of AI to the job market, the ruling party relied on not-so-subtle religious polarisation and a ton of welfare programmes. From being chowkidar in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been depicted to be a saint today by many of his followers. While past leaders in India have tried to hold on to their secular image, Mr Modi has been seen flouting this convention on multiple occasions, expressing that he takes pride in his religion. With crores of followers still supporting him, the PM seems to be already on a path to victory. Only time will tell if the struggles during the last phases of this year’s election will come back to haunt him. In the meantime, stay tuned to Business Insider India for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms">more updates on the Lok Sabha elections 2024</a>.

As PM Modi awaits his third big win, here’s how BJP created history during the 2014 & 2019 Lok Sabha elections

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The death of Babuji the bull has sent an entire Indian village into days of mourning.</li><li>Around 3,000 villagers held a grand death feast for Babuji on Saturday, as well as funeral rites and social ceremonies, reported The Times of <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>.</li><li>Babuji was considered by some in the village to be the incarnaton of a Hindu guardian deity called Nandi.</li></ul>Ceremonial rites, cremation, and a grand feast for thousands of people - a village in India has rolled out the works for the funeral of a beloved bull that lived with them for 20 years, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/village-mourns-babuji-the-bull-holds-shraddh-feast-for-3k/articleshow/85550297.cms">reported The Times of India.</a>Babuji the bull died of natural causes on August 15, and the village of Kurdi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has been commemorating his death over the last week, honoring the animal as they would a village elder, per The Times.It reported that on Saturday, around 3,000 people attended Babuji's death feast - <a href="https://scroll.in/magazine/973083/why-indians-of-all-faiths-commemorate-the-dead-with-food">called a terahvi</a> - where priests chanted for his soul, and a photo shrine of the bull was showered with cash and flowers.Village residents told The Times that Babuji was almost like a family member to them, and was considered a "gift from the divine." The bull was also found roaming a village holy site when he was young, prompting some to call him Nandi, a Hindu guardian deity <a href="https://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articles/story-of-nandi">usually depicted as a bull.</a>In the days before the death feast, the villagers conducted religious rites and mourning ceremonies for Babuji, including cremation and a rasam pagri, which is a funeral ceremony for the death of the eldest male in a family, added The Times.Cows are considered <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34513185">sacred in many parts of India</a>, and most states forbid cow slaughter or the eating of beef. One state, Madhya Pradesh, has even set up a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-doctors-warn-smearing-cow-dung-body-not-fight-covid-2021-5">"cow cabinet"</a> to look after the welfare of the <keyword id="11897851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="animals" source="Orion">animals</keyword>. In May, several men covered themselves in cow dung and urine under the belief that it would improve their immunity against COVID-19. Doctors <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-doctors-warn-smearing-cow-dung-body-not-fight-covid-2021-5">have since warned against the practice</a>, saying there was no scientific evidence to support it.

3,000 villagers in India held a feast to mourn a beloved bull that lived with them for 20 years

<keyword id="6354576" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook" source="Orion">Facebook</keyword>'s parent company <keyword id="399907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="meta" source="Orion">Meta</keyword> has announced that it will remove <keyword id="12503041" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sensitive-Ads" source="Orion">sensitive ads</keyword> targeting options related to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion or sexual orientation starting January 19, 2022. It is important to note that the interest targeting options being removed is not based on people's physical characteristics or personal attributes, but instead on things like people's interactions with content on the platform. "Starting January 19, 2022 we will remove Detailed Targeting options that relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as options referencing causes, organisations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation," the company said in a statement. According to the company, it has heard concerns from experts that targeting options like these could be used in ways that lead to negative experiences for people in underrepresented groups. "Some of our advertising partners have expressed concerns about these targeting options going away because of their ability to help generate positive societal change, while others understand the decision to remove them," the firm added. Meta earlier this month said that it removed over 30 million pieces of content in September on Facebook and <keyword id="819905" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="instagram" source="Orion">Instagram</keyword> in India, as it faces intense security over user data privacy. The social network acted upon 26.9 million pieces of content across 10 policies for Facebook and over 3.2 million pieces of content across 9 policies for Instagram in compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the company said in its monthly report. "This report will contain details of the content that we have removed proactively using our automated tools and details of user complaints received and action taken," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. "In accordance with the IT Rules, we have published our fourth monthly compliance report for the period for 30 days (01 September to 30 September)," the spokesperson added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-13s-woes-due-to-chip-shortage-may-continue-till-february-2022/articleshow/87604228.cms">Apple iPhone 13's woes due to chip shortage may continue till February 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/lava-makes-a-comeback-with-the-agni-5g-becomes-the-first-indian-company-to-launch-a-5g-smartphone/slidelist/87603446.cms">Lava makes a comeback with the Agni 5G, becomes the first Indian company to launch a 5G smartphone</a>

Facebook, Instagram to delete 'sensitive' ads targeting options related to race, religion or political affiliation

Washington, <keyword id="3141906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vivek-ramaswamy" source="Orion">Vivek Ramaswamy</keyword>, an Indian-American tech entrepreneur, announced that he's running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. In a short video launched on Tuesday, the 37-year-old said: "We've celebrated our 'diversity' so much that we forgot all the ways we're really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I'm running for President to revive them. "We're in the midst of a national identity crisis. Faith, patriotism &amp; family are disappearing. We embrace one secular religion after another -- from wokeism to climatism -- to satisfy our deeper need for meaning. Yet we cannot even answer what it means to be an American. "The GOP can fill that void. E pluribus unum: from many, one. That is the dream that won the American Revolution; that reunited us after the Civil War, that won us two World Wars &amp; the Cold War. That is the dream that still gives hope to the world. That is American exceptionalism." Ramaswamy, whose parents immigrated from <keyword id="7480616" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="vadakkencherry" source="Orion">Vadakkencherry</keyword> in Palakkad, Kerala, co-founded Strive Asset Management and currently serves as the Executive Chairman. Prior to Strive, he founded the biopharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences. He is also the author of the books, "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam", published in August 2021 and "Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the <keyword id="16603267" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="path-back" source="Orion">Path Back</keyword> to Excellence", published in September 2022. Ramaswamy filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission earlier on Tuesday and is scheduled to speak at a Polk County Republican event in Iowa on Thursday. The other Indian-American to launch her Republican presidential bid is <keyword id="156885" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nikki-haley" source="Orion">Nikki Haley</keyword>, the former South Carolina Governor and Permanent Representative to the UN. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/four-out-of-five-wireless-earbuds-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-from-an-indian-company/articleshow/98141414.cms">Four out of five wireless earbuds sold in India in 2022 were from an Indian company</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/how-to-compare-your-tax-liability-in-old-and-new-tax-regimes/articleshow/98116217.cms">How to compare your tax liability in old and new tax regimes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-11r-pre-orders-to-begin-today-free-buds-z2-card-discounts-specs-and-more/articleshow/98112032.cms">OnePlus 11R pre-orders to begin today – free Buds Z2, card discounts, specs and more</a>

Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announces Republican bid for President in 2024

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's government called off "Cow Hug Day" that was meant to replace the Valentine's Day holiday.</li><li>The government said Valentine's Day goes against traditional Indian values.</li></ul>A campaign encouraging Indian citizens to "hug a cow" instead of celebrating the 'western' Valentine's Day was called off on Friday after the announcement was <a href="https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1623360956133777408?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ridiculed online</a>. In a <a href="https://www.awbi.in/awbi-pdf/Circulars/Cow%20Hug%20Day1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Wednesday, the Animal Welfare Board of India declared February 14 should be "Cow Hug Day," saying that "hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness." The cow is <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/holy-cow-hinduisms-sacred-animal/1811/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worshiped as holy</a> in the Hindu tradition, the majority religion in the country. Replacing Valentine's Day with a new holiday would help counteract the "dazzle of western civilization" that has made Indian "physical culture and heritage almost forgotten," the statement said. This appeal, however, is widely thought to be a transparent push to promote the government's Hindu nationalist values. Many on social media <a href="https://twitter.com/AmarDeepSinghD/status/1623639010592665602">mocked the unusual statement</a> as seeming like a <a href="https://twitter.com/sumanthraman/status/1623331676805017600">spoof or parody</a>. By Friday — while the board was not explicit in their reasoning — the government quickly U-turned, <a href="https://www.awbi.in/awbi-pdf/Circulars/Withdrawal%20of%20appeal%20of%20Cow%20Hug%20Day.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrawing the appeal</a> for "Cow Hug Day."The board did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst, told the Associated Press "Cow Hug Day" was "absolutely crazy, defying logic.""The decision to withdraw the government appeal was to prevent the politics of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) from being ridiculed in the face of severe criticism from all quarters," he said.While Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in the country in recent years, Hindu nationalists see the holiday as encouraging "corrupt" morals. Hannah Ellis-Petersen reported <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/india-urges-citizens-to-hug-a-cow-on-valentines-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in The Guardian</a> that as the prevalence of celebrating Valentine's Day increases in India so does anti-Valentine's rhetoric which is often "targeted at women, alleging that the holiday encourages female promiscuity and vulgar behavior." Far-right Hindu groups have vandalized card stores selling Valentine's day gifts, burned Valentine's flowers, and chased and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/indian-govt-withdraws-appeal-hug-cows-valentines-day-97031006#:~:text=The%20Animal%20Welfare%20Board%20had,goes%20against%20traditional%20Indian%20values." target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted couples holding hands</a> on the holiday. There has also been a recent emergence of so-called <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/19/india-vigilante-cow-protection-groups-attack-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"cow vigilante" groups </a>made up of Hindu nationalists who <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/india-politics-religion-cows/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threaten and assault Muslim farmers</a> in the country who own cattle. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP party came to power in India in 2014, they have "legitimized discrimination against religious minorities and enabled violent Hindu nationalism," <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/19/india-government-policies-actions-target-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to </a>Human Rights Watch.Hindus make up about 80% of the <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/9/indian-govt-says-hug-cows-on-valentines-day-twitter-cracks-up">country's nearly 1.4 billion people</a>. Muslims make up 14% of the demographic, while the remaining 6% of the population is made up of mostly Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.

Indian government cancels 'Cow Hug Day' anti-Valentine's celebration after it was widely mocked

<ul><li><keyword id="6355033" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bangalore" source="Orion">Bangalore</keyword> saw the highest growth in intent to hire among 14 cities in India, according to a <keyword id="6381892" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="teamlease-services" source="Orion">TeamLease Services</keyword> report.</li><li>The intent to hire in the city rose from 91% in April-June to 95% in July-September.</li><li>Manufacturing and service industries have both shown positive growth in terms of intent to hire during the same period.</li></ul>Tech hub Bangalore could see a flurry of activity in the coming months as the city showed the maximum intent to hire, according to a <keyword id="133742" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="teamlease" source="Orion">TeamLease</keyword> Services report. The city emerged on top of the list of 14 cities surveyed, with 95% of employers saying that they are looking to hire. This is much higher than the national intent to hire – which came in at 61% – in the July-September period, as per the TeamLease’s Employment Outlook report. For the report, 865 employers across the country were surveyed. The intent to hire by employers in Bangalore rose from 91% in April-June to 95% in July-September, according to the report. Manufacturing and service industries have both shown positive growth in terms of intent to hire during the same period. In manufacturing, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry saw the maximum growth in intent to hire at 48%, followed by health and pharmaceuticals (43%) and engineering and infrastructure (38%). In the services sector, technology outshone with 97% intent to hire, followed by ecommerce and allied startups (85%) and education (70%). “Over the last decade, Bangalore as a market has seen exponential growth across industries, especially with the emergence of many new age internet-based companies providing varied value-driven services and products,” said <keyword id="6370367" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mahesh-bhatt" source="Orion">Mahesh Bhatt</keyword>, chief business officer, TeamLease Services. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Delhi, Mumbai were looking to hire the most in manufacturing and services" comment="subhead" text="Delhi, Mumbai were looking to hire the most in manufacturing and services">Delhi, Mumbai were looking to hire the most in manufacturing and services</cmsannotation> After Bangalore, other metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai witnessed a major spurt in intent to hire in the manufacturing sector. A similar trend was seen in the services sector as well, where Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai intended to create the most jobs in the country. “This positive growth momentum (in Bangalore) has led to an influx of employment opportunities across roles and sectors. More employers are keen to increase their resource pool and are also inclined to pay higher remunerations. In fact in the coming quarters, hiring intent is further expected to be 97%,” Bhatt added. From a job role perspective, information technology-related roles, sales, engineering and marketing were highly in demand in Bangalore in this quarter. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/there-is-a-caste-and-religion-bias-in-salaries-says-an-oxfam-report/articleshow/94219196.cms">There is a caste and religion bias in salaries says an Oxfam report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/oral-nasal-urine-samples-necessary-for-monkeypox-diagnosis-icmr/articleshow/94219524.cms">Oral, nasal, urine samples necessary for monkeypox diagnosis: ICMR</a>

Bangalore shows the maximum intent to hire among Indian cities – TeamLease survey

Two recent events have a lot to offer in terms of understanding India's slow and clamorous development process. The first of these is the ghost of Mandal Commission Report haunting India 25 years on. The second is the relatively innocuous <keyword id="33523" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Religion">religion</keyword> census data of 2011 that has been released recently. The first started with a series of rallies (the last one being held in Ahmedabad) demanding reservations for the relatively well off community of Patidars or Patels in <keyword id="6354766" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gujarat">Gujarat</keyword>. The demand for reservations is particularly misplaced in the historical context as the Patels were the people in the 1980's who were against the reservation system. Also, the Patel agitation now should raise some serious questions about rethinking and redesigning the reservation system. Does the present reservation system benefit the socially backward for whom it was made? Does our changing reality call for an economic basis for reservation rather than one based on social backwardness? Does the present system lead to mainstreaming of the masses and bring on social justice? Does it ensure equality in society? How long should it continue? Are alternative methods of mainstreaming feasible? How many generations and how many times should a person be entitled to reservations are all questions that not only the policymakers but the society as a whole should ponder over. One must keep in mind that the Great <keyword id="135752" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Babasaheb-Ambedkar">Babasaheb Ambedkar</keyword> wanted reservations to end after ten years. It has been 68 years and yet the system continues. Just continuing with the past systems like reservations as they exist today militates against the idea of a thinking and a democratic society. 

	It is also important to understand the mindset of the 'race to the bottom' by the community and political leaders wanting to secure reservations for their community members. Today the reality is that people want economic benefits like jobs far more than they hate social backwardness. It forms the basis of this 'race to the bottom' where most communities do not mind a social backwardness tag in lieu of economic benefits.
 

	Also a country where almost half the seats in various facets of government service are reserved militates against the idea of a meritocratic society- the best man/woman for the job. Social justice for somebody should not be the basis of social injustice for somebody else especially if it could lead to serious damage to society. Thus, the need is for a rethink of India's reservation policy. 
 

	Another major development was the release of the religion based census that showed that the Hindu population is just below 80% in India. The Muslims continue to constitute the second largest majority with a population of just over 14 percent. Religious data is often questioned for its release date and also at times to showcase the fall in Hindu population and rise in Muslim population. While these are popular narratives, that may not hold the scrutiny of reality and data, they underscore an important point that religion continues to be a predominant identity in post independent India even after 68 years of independence. These socio-historical identities continue to be relevant and continue to be used by political parties for garnering votes. It at times acts as an impediment to social and economic progress.
 

	In the years ahead India should work towards pushing these identities backward or realigning them to enable the rise of a meritocratic society based on ethical and moral values. That will surely help in improving India's developmental outcomes.
 

	(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India.) 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

Caste and religion: The identities that need to be relooked for development

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood with a career spanning three decades.</li><li>For Indian women, he's not only a movie star but a symbol of their own autonomy.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/bollywood">Bollywood</a> icon <a href="https://www.insider.com/shah-rukh-khan-ted-talk-2017-5">Shah Rukh Khan has been one of the biggest movie stars</a> in the world for 30 years.Alongside the likes of <a href="https://www.insider.com/nick-jonas-priyanka-chopra-share-first-photo-of-baby-2022-5">Priyanka Chopra Jonas</a> and Amitabh Bachchan, the actor is one of India's most recognizable exports around the world. Khan is beloved across genders and generations in India, but for women in particular he is not just a swoon-worthy movie star, but also an emblem of autonomy over their lives, careers and even romantic desires."Women relied on Shah Rukh when they found the real world and all its pandemics and practicalities inhospitable," writes author Shrayana Bhattacharya in her book, "Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence."The book examines the desires, dreams and difficulties of a diverse group of women, who are divided by religion, caste, and class, but united by their love for Khan.According to Bhattacharya, in loving and seeking Khan, women are unknowingly indulging in a silent act of rebellion. <h2>Shah Rukh Khan is a unifying force across economic divide</h2><div type="image" title="Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol" height="4010" width="5347" msid="93971249" hostid="261" sizebytes="518724"></div>Bhattacharya noticed the unusual ally that Khan had become for women across economic strata when she was surveying home-based working women in 2006.These women grew bored of the same questions about wages, and so she began asking them about their favourite actors. The love for Khan was palpable amongst them, and it was during this time that she understood that fandom was, in fact, a unique display of economic independence. In a sociological and economic study that spanned over 15 years, Bhattacharya explored the pain and pleasure of Indian women, and how she says Khan eases the former and provides the latter. "It started as an accident, but soon I became conscious of the fact that fandom is a proxy for women's economic power and quality of life," Bhattacharya explains to Insider. "In 'Seeking Shah Rukh,' they weren't only seeking the romantic love that he embodied, but also to simply watch their favourite actor on screen." K Jeshi, a journalist from Tamil Nadu, tells Insider that she loves Khan because "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLhbLxwSxE">he loves women </a>— the way he speaks to women, both on-screen and off-screen is beautiful."In movies such as "Kal Ho Na Ho" (2003), "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" (1995), and "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham" (2001), Khan weeps messily, finds himself working in the household, fasts for the woman he loves, and looks at them with awe instead of with lust. The latter is a trait that Devangi Vaishnav, a physiotherapist from Gujarat, finds particularly admirable."He has never maligned a woman's integrity. He has never been derogatory, or lascivious, even in chauvinistic scenes, there's something about his gaze that makes him honourable," Vaishnav says. Off-screen, Khan, too, appears to uphold these values. "I think the sheer regard he holds for women is admirable," says Shaheera Anwar, an entertainment journalist from Pakistan. "He was <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/srk-pledges-to-name-actress-before-him-in-credits-155555-2013-03-07#:~:text=Superstar%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%20has,starting%20it%20with%20Chennai%20Express.">one of the first people</a> to start putting the name of the actress before his name, which is remarkable."Bhattacharya notes how women tend to put Khan's virtue above everything else and ignore the casual sexism that his films sometimes depict, which is why Khan "may not be a feminist icon, but he is certainly a female icon," she says.Khan, Bhattacharya argues, unites women across caste and class in India by allowing them to pose questions on masculinity, money, network wealth, pleasure, and love.<h2>What women see in Shah Rukh Khan: vulnerability and respect</h2><div type="image" title="Shah Rukh Khan with fans." height="2092" width="2789" msid="93971251" hostid="261" sizebytes="126912"></div>"There's a certain working-class quality to him that has stayed back, even after all the success and fame," Aseem Chhabra, an author and film academic, says of Khan's appeal. "He retains the values that he gained from his parents. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRHeRJRo5vo">He talks about the death of his parents</a> with such profound vulnerability, in a space where being forthcoming is a rare sight, and that in return allows his audience to know and love him."Prachi Verma, a civil rights lawyer from Jaipur, says: "Women in India have to deal with plenty, be it pay disparity, domestic violence, sexual assault, lack of education, and more, so when they say they want a man like Shah Rukh, they are actually just asking for dignity in both love and labour."Zara Chowdhary, a teacher at the University of Wisconsin, was a post-production supervisor and assistant director at Red Chillies, Khan's production company, when she was given three times her salary as a bonus after the success of "Om Shanti Om.""He treats the crew on his sets with so much love and respect, that it's inspiring. He is willing to give love, to get love, which makes him who he is," Chowdhary says.Gunjan S, from Chandigarh, who runs a social-media marketing firm, adds: "He made me a dreamer, be it about success or love. South Asian women as it is, have quite a regressive upbringing, and in such space, Shah Rukh gave me an escape."<h2>How Shah Rukh Khan reflects women seeking their own agency</h2><div type="image" title="Shah Rukh Khan on the red carpet." height="1975" width="2633" msid="93971254" hostid="261" sizebytes="152282"></div>It's not all romance for these women: "The daughters don't want to marry Khan, they want to be him — they want his success, fame, and autonomy," says Bhattacharya, adding that every fan of Khan conjures up their own image of him that resembles their lives."In talking about Shah Rukh, these women were actually talking about themselves — their lives, their troubles, their aspirations, and their desire for financial and emotional autonomy," Bhattacharya continues.Khan, then, is a lexicon for women to express their own wants and needs — and Bhattacharya's book isn't so much about Khan as it is a manifesto, of sorts, for women in India tapping into their own star power.As for Khan, Bhattacharya says: "How many icons can claim to be a research method? Especially if it is about womanhood. How many men can become a language of expressing aspiration for millions of women?"

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