There have been a lot of controversies that have surfaced over the past one year, escalating into mini-storms that involve politics, religion, media and security.
Alwar mob lynching
Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh district of Haryana was attacked and killed by a group of cow vigilantes affiliated with right-wing terrorist Hindutva groups in Alwar, Rajasthan. Six others who were with Pehlu Khan were also beaten up by them.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmavati stirred controversy for the theme and portrayal of 'Rani Padmavati'. Every word written and spoken on Padmavati merely became the fuel that fans the flames of a fire that refuses to burn out.
Hadiya’s life, cutting across religions and personal relationships, stood scrutinized by the Supreme Court of India. Those who speak for Hadiya’s rights, meanwhile, see hope in one line in the SC order – it says the court will hear her before taking its final decision.
Why do roads in Bengaluru develop potholes after just one spell of heavy rainfall? This could be the most frequent question that Bengalureans asked this year. Potholes in the city became infamous for increased compression fractures among daily commuters. BBMP missed several deadlines to complete repair works after three deaths in a row on potholed roads.
The protests over inclusion of Hindi in the signboards at the 'Namma Metro’ in Bengaluru stirred controversy and ended up with the removal of all Hindi boards. Politicians, activists and ideologues came together to protest against the "imposition" of Hindi and its ideological contours. Many opined that it’s time to launch a movement for replacing Hindi with the regional languages in banks, post offices, railways and a host of public services, defence and PSU examinations.
Farooq Ahmad Dar was tied by an army major to the bonnet of a jeep and paraded through several villages for nearly five hours. A short video clip that went viral invited criticisms at the international level. Under criticism, the army justified strapping Dar to the vehicle claiming that he was “instigating a stone-pelting mob” and “could have been their ring leader”.