Ismat Ara Reporter

EMAIL AUTHOR ON ismat.ara@thehindu.co.in

Ismat works with Frontline’s New Delhi bureau. She writes on gender, politics, culture and social affairs.

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Union Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 8.

Why the proposed amendments to the law governing Waqf properties have triggered a fierce debate

Muslim leaders say the changes erode community autonomy. Experts believe they might inflame religious tensions and impact inter-community relations.

The allure of spiritual healers reflects deeply rooted superstitions that transcend rural and urban divides.

Hospitals to healers: India’s healthcare crisis

Meet the healers, working outside modern and scientific medical practices, who attract crowds seeking relief from chronic conditions.

Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan at the Parliament House complex during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha in New Delhi, June 25, 2024.

Iqra Hasan: Balancing tradition and progress

The Samajwadi Party politician from Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana overcame communal tensions and patriarchal norms to become one of India’s youngest MPs.

Mithila paintings on the coaches of the Darbhanga-bound Sampark Kranti Express.

Madhubani: Bihar’s neglected cultural hub seeks change

Struggling with political apathy and slow development, Madhubani seeks recognition and better infrastructure, a sentiment reflected in the election.

During Navratri celebrations in Darbhanga in March. In recent years, these celebrations have taken on an increasingly militaristic tone, according to residents.

Identity politics, polarisation, and development aspirations mark the electoral battle for Bihar’s Mithilanchal

The numerically high Brahmins and Muslims once voted jointly for the Congress here, but that changed after the Ram temple shilanyas in 1989.

Independent MLAs Sombir Sangwan (Dadri), Randhir Singh Gollen (Pundri), and Dharam Pal Gonder (Nilokheri) addressing the media on extending support to the Congress, in Chandigarh on May 7.

Is BJP losing its grip on Haryana?

Challenges mount for the ruling party in Haryana as three MLAs withdraw support.

Azad feels that the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party have become irrelevant in the fight against the BJP.

‘I raise my voice for all’: Chandra Shekhar Azad

“Right now, the country is in the hands of a dictator,” says the founder of the Bhim Army and the Azad Samaj Party.

Congress leader Harish Rawat during a rally in support of the party’s Haridwar candidate on March 27.

Uttarakhand: High fives may not happen this time

The BJP is going all out to retain its grip on the hill State, but the Congress is countering with a sharp focus on local grievances.

The citizens of the village are forced to travel to other parts of the district due to the inaccessibility of the village, causing them financial losses.

Trapped on a lifeline: An Uttarakhand village’s long wait for a bridge

Residents in Juagwad risk their lives daily on an unsafe trolley after the 2021 Chamoli disaster, and this election season, they want a solution.

The women of Raini in traditional attire.

Forgotten Chipko movement villagers expose cracks in BJP’s “development” narrative

Plight of forgotten victims in Uttarakhand’s flood-ravaged villages highlights the stark contrast between political rhetoric and the ground reality.

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (right) with his son Deepender Singh Hooda at Parliament House in New Delhi in February 2021.

How BJP’s social engineering challenges Hooda dynasty’s hold on Haryana

Caste dynamics and strategic alliances make the upcoming election a high-stakes battleground that could redefine the State’s politics.

A volunteer signs a signature campaign poster for a tuberculosis awareness programme in Secunderabad, Telangana, in 2012.

My fight with tuberculosis

The treatment was long and painful, but I came out cured, but not everyone is as lucky. TB patients need a lot more support and compassion from societ

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