Logo

The author is well known for his books and media columns on various aspects of law and justice. This anthology contains revised and updated versions of his select media musings of the last two decades. The hundred-odd short pieces selected for the book cover a wide range of burning social and legal issues of the time including constitutional questions, secularism, pluralism, human rights, religious freedom, rights of minorities, problems of educational institutions, interfaith harmony, family relations, gender justice, personal laws, uniform civil code, and many more. Several pieces included in the book present the author's free and frank comments on many prominent judicial decisions of recent time, his critiques of several national commissions, and an account of his personal experiences with some eminent personalities of the country.

Contents: Part I: NDA Regime [1998-2004]. 1. Religious politics in secular India. 2. State obligation to protect minorities. 3. Legality of affirmative action for minorities. 4. Myth of four communities under one law. 5. Human rights and religious inhumanities. 6. Religious status of tribal communities. 7. Minorities' rightful share in governance. 8. Merit vs quota in minority institutions. 9. Minorities commission in jeopardy. 10. Uniform civil code in reverse gear. 11. Fantasy of common civil code in Goa. 12. Selectivity in championing secularity. 13. Muslim colleges in India's cultural capital. 14. Enforcing citizens' fundamental duties. 15. Forgotten legal heritage of India. 16. Pious obligation to educate Muslim girls.17. Changing religion in secular India. 18. Constitution and law mum on Trishul. 19. Folklore of tolerance and inclusivity. 20. Cow, constitution and courts. 21. Religiosity qua secularity in east and west. 22. Religion-based reservation not inexistent. 23. Pluralism and diversity make up India. 24. Judicial discourse on uniform civil code. Part II: UPA Regime [2004- 2014]: 25. New promises of a new government. 26. Barrage of questions on Imrana case. 27. Terror waves in east and west. 28. Us religious freedom report on India. 29. Cobwebs surrounding Quranic law. 30. Minorities in state educational institutions. 31. From William hunter to Rajinder Sachar. 32. Veiling in Muslim belief and practice. 33. Minority status a commonsense issue. 34. Hysteria on Indian prayer in us senate. 35. Religious intolerance and prejudices galore. 36. Trepidation over marriage registration. 37. Real Islam is not rites and rituals. 38. Sad demise of Shah Bano Architect. 39. Give Muslims a Muslim Law Act. 40. Sham conversion to indulge in bigamy. 41. Law commission's tepidity on Muslim law. 42. Pakistan founder's double whammy. 43. Panic on Misra Commission Report. 44. Bangladesh secular again, and we? 45. Adhere to prophet's social reforms. 46. Muslim law misuse in bollywood. 47. Minority character of Jamia Millia Islamia. 48. Judicial verdict on Ram Janmabhumi. 49. Hell breaking loose in paradise lost. 50. Urdu Poetry in Parliament and Courts. 51. Religio-Legal Precepts for Interfaith Harmony. 52. Subcontinent's urge for gender justice. 53. Fanciful reasoning to affirm marriage. 54. Political myth of minority appeasement. 55. Adoption for ensuring juvenile justice. 56. Recognizing Jains as religious minority. 57. Changing of Guard on the Horizon. Part III. NDA-2 Regime [2014 - 2018]: 58. Misgivings about New Dispensation. 59. Fatwas and Shariat Courts on Trial. 60. Noise Pollution from Places of Worship. 61. One-Way Outrage on Interfaith Marriages. 62. Greener Pastures for Former Judges. 63. Mosque Imams in Quasi-Secular India. 64. Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Known to Me. 65. No Sacrilege in Restraining Child Marriage.