The Indian Question

Left-leaning media in America often attack Donald Trump. They will scrutinise his policies, question his ideology, and discuss the dangers of his politics.

But when it comes to hate against Indians, specifically Indian Americans, the same urgency and enthusiasm seem to disappear.

This kind of hatred may not always be visible in everyday life in the Western world. Many Indians live perfectly ordinary lives abroad. But when racism does surface, there isn’t always a strong or sustained public pushback against it. There’s an eerie quietness, even among the liberals. A kind of “silent racism” going on.

Which makes me wonder: do many people prefer to keep their racism and bigotry private?

Why Are We Suddenly Talking About “The Indian Question”?

The immediate reason for this post is Christopher Rufo’s podcast episode on YouTube titled The Indian Question. Rufo is a prominent conservative activist and political commentator in the US.

I watched the episode last night to understand why it attracted so much attention.

The title itself deserves scrutiny.

Historically, the phrase “The Jewish Question” was used in European debates to justify racism against Jews.

The concern with using “The Indian Question” is the framing. When an ethnic community is discussed as a question to be solved, rather than as people with individual rights, it becomes a problem.

Indian Americans are not a problem to be solved. They are people living, working, studying, raising families, and contributing to the country they call home. They are more loyal to America than India, from what I have observed.

The Indian population in the US is nowhere near a majority. Indian Americans make up roughly 1.5% of the US population. Why does the presence of Indians, particularly successful Indians, provoke such hate in American society, even if they are the minority?

Apparently, Indians Haven’t Assimilated Enough

One of the arguments discussed in the episode concerns a video of Indian students celebrating a football team’s success. This video attracted attention after being shared by Texas political figure Bo French.

The argument goes something like this:

The first person implies, “Indians are assimilating. Look at the students celebrating an American football victory.”

The other person counters, “Even these students might not be truly assimilated. Otherwise, why would anyone be discussing their participation in American culture?”

Think about that for a moment.

If Indians don’t participate in American traditions, they haven’t assimilated. If they do participate, the fact that their participation is being discussed apparently proves that they haven’t assimilated either.

What exactly is the winning answer here? The goalposts seem to shift depending on the argument.

And then comes another example: Indian children winning spelling bee competitions.

According to the argument, these children study day and night to win. Spelling bees, apparently, are supposed to be fun rather than competitive. The justification is that this emphasis on academic achievement somehow makes Indian children less American.

The other person laughs and nods along.

The broader argument seems to be that being American means being aggressive and expressive, like people at football matches, rather than studious and academically competitive.

So Indians are now supposed to prove their assimilation by being less successful? From now on, all Indian Americans should make a few adjustments.

When you submit reports to your manager, make several mistakes.
When your manager offers you a promotion, reject it.
When your child is asked to spell “lovely”, teach them to say “l-u-v-l-y”.

That’s how you assimilate, apparently: by playing dumb.

The issue is that Indians are being judged by standards not applicable to anyone else. If participating in American culture doesn’t count as assimilation, and excelling academically counts against assimilation, what exactly are Indians expected to do?

The Problem With Trying Too Hard to Please Racists

As usual, the comment sections in the YouTube video provide another layer to this discussion.

I see a few Indian Americans saying things like, “As an Indian American, I agree.”

There is a difference between honest criticism and agreeing with racial generalisations simply to gain acceptance.

Many encourage or justify racism in the hope that racists will make an exception for them. If someone is being racist towards Indians, it needs to be called out. Don’t respond with self-hatred or an endless list of reasons why you are one of the “good Indians”. Because they will use that list of reasons against you as well. A few people behaving badly does not give anyone the authority to generalise an entire community.

Say it plainly: “You can criticise an individual without generalising the whole community.”

Racism doesn’t necessarily disappear because you have the right job, speak perfect English, support the right political party and religion, or distance yourself from your cultural background.

Racists simply don’t want you there. No amount of people-pleasing can guarantee they will change their minds.

When Hindu Culture Becomes the Convenient Explanation

Another thing that stood out to me was the way Indian culture was represented in the YouTube video.

When these commentators talk about Indian culture, the visuals often feature Hindu temples, Hindu festivals, and religious celebrations. They also bring up videos from India, including footage of a cow dung festival that many Indians themselves may never have heard of. An unfamiliar or unusual practice is presented as though it represents ordinary Indian life.

Why?

Because it helps create a particular impression of India and Indians. Once that impression is established, it becomes easier to argue that Indians are culturally incompatible with America.

Let’s be honest. India is enormous and extraordinarily diverse. There are hundreds of languages, different religious traditions, countless regional customs, and vast differences in everyday life.

One unusual festival, one viral video, or one person’s behaviour cannot explain an entire country.

But this is where the argument becomes convenient. If you want to dislike Indians, you can always find something to point at.

If a Hindu festival is loud, that’s evidence of cultural incompatibility.

If Indian students excel academically, that’s evidence that they haven’t assimilated.

If Indians participate in American traditions, that somehow isn’t enough either.

The examples change, but the conclusion remains the same.

Indians are the problem.

That is what makes this more than a debate about cultural differences. It starts looking like racism and bigotry dressed up as a discussion about assimilation.

Why Are So Many NRIs Afraid to Speak Up?

The saddest part of this conversation is the silence of some Indians living abroad.

I’ve heard people say things along the lines of, “Life is already hard. We just want to keep our heads down so we don’t get attacked by racists.”

I understand the fear.

If you live in another country, your job, visa status, family, financial security, and future may depend on your ability to maintain a stable life there. You may not want to become the target of online abuse or workplace hostility.

Not everyone has the luxury of speaking out. And nobody should be forced to put their safety or livelihood at risk to prove their courage.

But it is worth noticing the contrast.

Some Indians who hesitate to speak publicly about racism or other issues in the countries where they live will readily post about everything that is wrong with India. Of course, Indians in India do the same. Criticising one’s own country is perfectly legitimate.

If people can freely criticise India but feel that criticising racism in their adopted country is too risky, what does that tell us: that India has more freedom of speech?

When people stay silent because they fear the consequences, those spreading hatred may begin to assume that their views are acceptable.

The Selective Outrage of Indian Commentators

Then there is the response from certain commentators in India, particularly those who are strongly anti-Modi.

The moment an Indian pushes back against racist Americans, the moral policing begins.

“Don’t you see what’s happening in India? Concentrate on that.”

India has serious problems, and those problems deserve scrutiny. But why should one concern cancel out another?

Why can’t we discuss anti-Indian racism in America and discrimination in India in the same conversation?

Why does calling out racism against Indians suddenly become suspicious when the person speaking happens to be a Hindu, supports Modi, or disagrees with a particular political ideology?

Selective outrage is a real problem. Human rights should not become a team sport. Racism does not become acceptable because its victims belong to a political group you dislike.

I suspect another reason for this selective response is that some NRIs interpret anti-Indian racism in the US and other Western countries primarily as hostility towards right-wing Hindus, rather than as prejudice against Indians as a whole. That makes it easier to dismiss the problem.

But racist people don’t necessarily make those distinctions. They may target Indians because of their skin colour, name, accent, ethnicity, or perceived religion. And when Indian commentators themselves minimise the problem, racists can use those statements as convenient ammunition.

Are Indians Responsible for the Hate They Receive?

We are responsible for how we treat others, how we behave in public, and whether we challenge prejudice within our own communities. Indians are not above criticism, and being a minority abroad does not make every Indian automatically right.

But we are not responsible for someone else’s racism.

There is a difference between acknowledging that individuals can behave badly and accepting collective blame for an entire community.

And this brings me to Dinesh D’Souza.

D’Souza is a Christian conservative commentator of Indian origin who has spent years aligning himself with American right-wing politics. Yet he has faced racial abuse, including the use of the term “Dot Head”, a derogatory reference to the bindi traditionally worn by Indians (mostly Hindu women).

Think about the contradiction.

If the objection were genuinely about Hinduism, his Christian identity should make a difference, and racists wouldn’t have attacked him the way they are doing now on social media. To someone determined to see an outsider, an Indian face is enough.

This is why I find the entire argument about assimilation flawed.

D’Souza has criticised many aspects of liberal politics and has aligned himself with conservative causes. Yet his ethnicity is still a target.

In a way, I feel sorry for him. Dinesh spent considerable energy on social media trying to establish himself as a true-blue American by hating aspects of Indian and Hindu culture. He, like many others, believed that assimilation was the reason for anti-Indian racism.

The Double Standard Around Indian Religious Festivals

I also refuse to accept the argument that loud Indian religious festivals abroad somehow justify racism against Indians.

That is simply another way of shifting the blame onto the people facing hate.

Let’s look at Keralam. The place I’m from.

In Keralam, Hindu and Christian festivals can involve loud music, drums, processions, and celebrations that continue for days. Yes, they can be overwhelming. Elderly people need sleep, children need rest, and people have work the next morning.

But most of us understand that a festival is a special occasion. People are celebrating something meaningful to them, and we generally make room for that.

Similarly, Ashoora processions in parts of India can involve crowds, chest-beating, chanting, and considerable noise. These are not quiet affairs either.

And we coexist with these celebrations, even when we don’t personally participate in them.

That is part of living in a diverse society. That’s religious freedom.

If Indian communities in the West obtain the necessary permissions for a religious festival and are still told to tone it down simply because other people find their culture uncomfortable, we should ask what kind of religious freedom means in practice in these developed countries.

Am I to assume India has more religious freedom?

Good Noise and Bad Noise

Honestly, a lot of this comes down to what I call “good noise” and “bad noise”.

I find the noise from the nearby football stadium absolutely intolerable during matches. Anyone living near a stadium will know what I mean.

Songs. Dancing. Drums. Trumpets. Screaming. The whole thing.

It can sound remarkably similar to a religious festival. But I’ve never posted a story complaining about it. Why?

Because I understand that, for someone who loves football or cricket, that noise is part of the excitement. The crowd is celebrating. People are having a good time. It is “good noise”.

But when the celebration belongs to a religion or culture that someone dislikes, suddenly it becomes “bad noise”.

The sound itself may not be all that different from a football or cricket match. What changes is the meaning people attach to it.

You don’t have to love the noise. You don’t have to attend the festival. You don’t even have to understand why people enjoy it.

But you should be able to tolerate other people having the freedom to celebrate their religion, within the same reasonable rules that apply to everyone else.

Otherwise, perhaps the problem isn’t really the noise.

The Latest US Immigration Restrictions Make This Even More Concerning

The debate about Indian Americans is not happening in isolation. It is unfolding alongside a broader political debate about immigration.

And the latest developments involving the US Permanent Labor Certification programme, commonly known as PERM, are concerning for Indian professionals.

On October 8, 2026, reports emerged that the Trump administration had suspended several major technology companies from participating in the PERM process. The affected firms include Indian IT companies such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCLTech, and Cognizant, alongside other companies. The action affects employers who use it to sponsor eligible foreign workers for employment-based green cards.

This is especially relevant when anti-Indian rhetoric is gaining visibility. When people are already portraying Indian workers as a threat, immigration restrictions can reinforce the feeling that their presence is unwelcome.

Note the use of “indentured servants” and the last couple of words by the Vice President of the US:

Vice President JD Vance breaks down the data:

“If you are working as an H-1B visa in the United States of America, you’re earning $20,000 less than an American citizen hired in the same position. If you were brought in by one of these foreign outsourcing firms, you’re making $48,000 less than an American citizen in a similar position. So I’m sure that everybody here understands the game that is being played. You bring in indentured servants from outside the country, you lay off American workers and, if you’re a corporation, you make a ton of money by under cutting the wages of American workers, replacing them with people who frankly shouldn’t be in the United States of America to begin with.”— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) October 8, 2026

Final Thoughts

I don’t believe every criticism is racist. But I do believe that this incessant anti-Indian racism should be called out.

I believe Indian Americans should be able to celebrate their festivals, raise academically ambitious children, build successful careers, practise their faith, and participate in American society without having their entire identity put on trial. This is not too much to ask – considering they make up only 1.5% of American society.

***

Featured Photo by RDNE Stock project

Women’s Safety in India Should Be Beyond Politics

Indian women walking in front of a graffiti image

Recently, a slew of rape cases have emerged in Delhi. It made think – can we, collectively as women, demand better protection for Indian women from governments across the political spectrum?

Rape cases in Keralam (where I am from) are also increasing each year. This year, up to July, Kerala Police had recorded 1538 cases. Even little boys are being sexually assaulted.

But somehow, no one seems to take sexual violence seriously enough.

This is not a political game where we pull out data to show that only women in BJP-ruled states are getting raped, or that only women in Congress-ruled states are getting raped. Rape is a serious issue that needs to be addressed in India, regardless of which state it happens in or which political party is in power.

I’m sure there isn’t a single woman in India, even in Keralam, who hasn’t had some kind of bad experience.

And I’m not saying India is the only place where this happens. I have had bad experiences in other countries too, involving locals.

Change Should Happen Within Families First Before Society Adopts It

I think my most mind-numbing experience happened when I was 16 or 17 because it involved someone I considered my own brother.

I used to be very comfortable around him and quite physical in the innocent way you can be with someone you completely trust. I would hold his arm, playfully hit him and behave as I normally would around someone I considered family.

Until one day, he crossed a line and groped me.

I know the feeling of shock that goes through your mind when something like that happens. You can become completely paralysed for a moment because your brain simply cannot process what is happening.

But I somehow found the strength to push him away and get out of the situation.

After that experience, I became much more conscious about physical contact with men. I only touch someone if I feel completely comfortable around them. Otherwise, I instinctively recoil.

Another experience happened when I was learning to drive.

I remember the man teaching me repeatedly placing his hand on the steering wheel right next to my breast. At the time, I thought he was doing it accidentally. So I would simply place my hand there to prevent it from happening again.

Looking back now, I realise how naive I was. I instinctively believed that people were good and that there had to be an innocent explanation for their behaviour.

And that’s the thing about sexual harassment and sexual assault. Sometimes these experiences don’t happen with strangers. They happen with people we know. People we trust. And sometimes, even people we never imagined we would have to protect ourselves from.

Women’s Safety Cannot Be a Political Game

Ideally, I would love to see women in every state demand better protection from both the central and state governments. This is something I feel very intensely about.

There are already stringent laws against rape in India. But having laws on paper is not enough. Their implementation remains a problem in many places.

The central and state governments need to work together to ensure that existing laws are properly enforced and that survivors have access to justice and protection.

Unfortunately, sexual violence has also become another opportunity for governments and political parties to blame each other in India.

But what does that achieve for women?

How does it make a woman feel safer?

And how do we prevent sexual violence when there are still people who believe that a woman’s body is somehow their property?

Sex Education Is Part of the Conversation

Society also needs to change, and one way to start is through proper sex education.

Yet even parents in my age group sometimes respond with, “Cheee, little kids don’t need to know all that,” whenever sex education is mentioned.

Many people seem to think sex education means teaching children “how to have sex” or something. I’m not joking.

But age-appropriate sex education is also about teaching children about boundaries, consent, inappropriate touching, body safety and the fact that they have the right to say no.

If we struggle to have these conversations among relatively educated urban families, imagine how difficult it must be to introduce them in more conservative or rural communities.

This is exactly why conversations about sexual abuse and women’s safety in India cannot be limited to one political party, one government or one election.

Change is needed from so many different sides if we genuinely want to reduce rape and sexual violence in India.

It’s not easy. But it should be done.

Delhi’s Reputation for Women’s Safety

Delhi also has a very bad reputation when it comes to women’s safety, regardless of which government is in power.

There seems to be a sense of status quo around it, both among some people and within the political system: “It’s unsafe, and it will remain unsafe.” If that attitude didn’t exist, wouldn’t there be a much stronger public reaction every time a rape case occurred?

I was recently watching a YouTube video of a Nepali woman visiting Delhi. The comments were overwhelmingly along the lines of, “Be careful, Delhi is not safe,” instead of simply saying, “Enjoy your trip.”

That is a shame for India as a whole. Shaming one place in India is, in a way, equivalent to shaming the whole country for me. I have never once thought, “Oh, she should visit Keralam instead because it’s safer.” Instead, I feel bad that anyone visiting India might have to worry about their safety in the first place. I want India as a whole to be safe.

Even Justice Becomes Political

There is another problem.

Even when someone is found guilty and strict punishment is imposed, activists and people from Opposition parties often come forward questioning the evidence or saying, “There’s no proof.”

Then the government, whoever is in power, ends up caught in another political battle.

And when everything becomes a political fight, governments become reluctant to act decisively because there is no obvious political “win.”

This is precisely why the Centre and the states should work together on women’s safety and tackling sexual violence.

Let the critics say whatever they want.

Let political parties argue about everything else.

Some things are bigger than politics.

The safety of women and children should be one of them.

***

Photo by Shiva Kumar Reddy

Breaking Taboos, One Bindi at a Time

The other day, a neighbour came over for a chat.

She’s a Muslim and a communist. I mention both because it helps explain the situation. Despite coming from a deeply religious and conservative family, she’s personally quite liberal.

She told me how her daughter landed in trouble for posting a photo on social media wearing a bindi, the small forehead dot traditionally worn by many Indian women, especially Hindus.

Her sister’s daughters, who apparently keep tabs on everyone’s social media, spotted the photo, shared it with the rest of the family, and turned it into a full-blown controversy.

The best part?

The girl refused to delete the photo.

I told my neighbour something I genuinely believe. If someone has an irrational “allergy” to something completely harmless, the solution isn’t to hide it. The solution is to let them see it so often that it eventually becomes normal.

If a harmless bindi causes outrage, keep wearing it until people get used to seeing it.

If colours like saffron, orange, or green trigger unnecessary controversy, keep wearing them until they stop attracting attention. This is related to the incessant mockery that the actress Priya Prakash Varrier faced in Kerala from a journalist for appearing in a Cuticura campaign wearing a Orange coloured outfit (or in his words “Saffron-coloured”). She had chosen the outfit simply to match the brand’s colours. Even something as ordinary as a dress colour became a point of criticism.

Similarly, if being divorced is treated as a stigma, then more divorced people should stop hiding, own the label without shame, and help normalize it.

That’s how irrational taboos lose their power. Not through arguments, but through familiarity. When ordinary people refuse to feel ashamed of harmless personal choices, those choices gradually stop being controversial.

I’m obviously not saying, “Keep using drugs until people get used to it.” I’m talking about harmless personal choices, whether it’s wearing a bindi, choosing a colour, or being divorced, that other people feel entitled to police.

The more these everyday choices are seen in public, the less power stigma and social policing have over people’s lives.

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Photo by Sharath G.

Can Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) Really Challenge BJP?

Most Indians on social media probably already know about the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) by now. The online political campaign took shape after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant sparked controversy during a Supreme Court hearing on May 15. During the hearing, he made observations comparing certain unemployed youths and social media critics to “cockroaches” and “parasites.” Soon after, sections of the anti-BJP online ecosystem turned the remark into a political campaign and launched the Cockroach Janata Party across X and Instagram. CJP positioned itself as an anti-BJP digital movement and later started campaigns asking people to unfollow BJP accounts on social media platforms.

I checked Social Blade after CJP asked its followers to unfollow BJP on social media. Since then, BJP’s follower count has only increased.

Social Blade Metrics for BJP India After CJP Call for Action

People who strongly dislike BJP probably were not following the party in the first place. That is why the whole “unfollow BJP” campaign feels more like online optics than a move with any real impact.

What also feels strange is that the original cockroach comment came from the CJI, yet BJP became the main target of the outrage campaign.

To me, this looks like the same old digital left ecosystem with the same familiar online voices trying to create another social media-driven political movement. I am not particularly impressed. The founder is reportedly an ex-AAP figure based in America who seems eager to build an Indian version of Mamdani-style politics.

Personally, I find both the name and the campaign childish. These kinds of online political revolutions succeed only when there is massive public anger against the government at the ground level. There is definitely strong anti-BJP sentiment in some circles, especially online. At the same time, there are also many people across India who genuinely support BJP, whether others agree with it or not. I saw this very clearly during my visit to North Bengal.

At the end of the day, the only real way to defeat a political party is through votes. South Indian states have shown this clearly. Governments change when opposition parties build strong grassroots support and connect with voters consistently. In many North Indian states, the bigger problem is that opposition parties simply are not strong enough on the ground. BJP and RSS have built an aggressive and disciplined grassroots network over many years. If anyone seriously wants to challenge them politically, they need to match that level of ground work, organization, and outreach. Social media campaigns alone are not enough.

Sometimes the Best Part of Travel Is the People You Meet

For me, the best part of travel is rarely just the destination. It is almost always the people I meet along the way. Sometimes they are fellow Indians I happen to run into while traveling abroad. Other times, they are locals who live there. Either way, travel experiences often become more meaningful because of the people you unexpectedly connect with.

It always amazes me how you can visit a completely new place and instantly click with someone. Someone you had almost zero chance of meeting in your life. Someone you may never meet again. There is something both beautiful and bittersweet about that.

For a brief moment, you feel understood. You find a kind of ease in being yourself. It makes you wish there was someone like that back home. A friend with whom conversations flow naturally, and silence is comfortable. But when the trip ends, you leave with the quiet realization that a part of that connection belongs to that place and moment. And you need to regrettably acknowledge and accept that fact and move on.

Now that I am back in India after my trip to the North East, I realize something interesting. What stays with me is not the destination or the sightseeing. It is the people I connected with during my travels. The random conversations, the shared laughter, and the small moments that made the journey special.

Those encounters also reminded me of something important. Even in my 40s, making new friends is still very much possible. Travel has a funny way of proving that meaningful connections can happen at any stage of life.

Of course, we can stay connected online. Social media and messaging apps make it easy to keep in touch with people you meet while traveling. But it is never quite the same as meeting someone face to face. There is a kind of chemistry in real-life interactions that online conversations cannot fully capture. The smiles, the sparkle in someone’s eyes, the playful teasing, the expressions, and the shared energy of the moment.

That is one reason why travel feels both rejuvenating and humbling. It lifts you into a small dreamlike bubble for a while. You feel lighter, freer, and more open to people and experiences.

But eventually, every trip ends. You leave that bubble behind and return to everyday life. Routine, work, responsibilities, and schedules slowly start filling your days again. Your mind may not be fully ready for reality for a few days. Part of you is still wandering through those travel memories.

Life, however, has a gentle way of bringing you back to the familiar. Slowly, day by day, you settle back into your usual rhythm. The memories of the trip remain, but over time they soften. The details blur a little. The feelings become less intense.

Until the next journey begins.

***

Photo by All teams name

Current Affairs, My Way: Iran War, Monalisa’s Marriage, and the Kavya Maran Debate

Representational Image for Iran War, Monalisa Bhosle Interfaith Marriage, Kavya Maran Abrar Ahmed Controversy

So I’m thinking of making this a regular feature on the blog. I usually have slightly contrarian takes on most news stories anyway, so putting them together in a quick post feels like a good idea. Think of this as a simple roundup where I share my thoughts on a few current issues making headlines.

Here’s today’s quick take.

Iran–US/Israel War

The ongoing Iran–US–Israel conflict is dominating global news. From what I am seeing online, most Muslims and leftists appear to be supporting Iran in this war. The primary reason is Iran’s long-standing pro-Palestine position and its support for Palestinian causes and groups.

However, in my opinion, Iran is equally in the wrong for dragging Gulf countries into this conflict.

Iranian officials have said they are only targeting US bases in the region. But the reality seems very different. Civilian infrastructure is being hit, and innocent people have lost their lives. That cannot be justified.

At this point, it is important to acknowledge responsibility on both sides. The US and Israel are certainly to blame for starting the conflict, hitting a girl’s school, and causing massive damage and loss of civilian lives. At the same time, Iran also bears responsibility for expanding the war into countries in the GCC.

Several Gulf countries had already assured Iran that their land would not be used to attack Iran. Yet they are now facing retaliation simply because US bases exist on their soil.

Personally, this issue also feels close to home because I have relatives living in the GCC. It is extremely unsettling to see those countries becoming targets when they are not directly part of the conflict.

At the same time, expecting these countries to suddenly remove US military bases is not practical. Those bases exist largely as a security arrangement, especially considering long-standing tensions with Iran.

Instead of taking sides in this Iran–Israel–US conflict, the best outcome would simply be for all parties involved to step back and find a way to de-escalate the situation before it gets worse.

Monalisa’s Interfaith Marriage in Kerala

Another story that caught attention recently is the marriage of Monalisa Bhosle, the viral Kumbh Mela girl, who married her Muslim partner in Kerala.

On the surface, this is good news. Two people who liked each other decided to get married. Interfaith marriages should not automatically be seen negatively.

At the same time, it is natural to feel a little concerned about the girl’s situation. From what we know publicly, she did not receive much formal education and appears quite naive. The relationship reportedly developed online, and the couple had known each other for only around six months, when the girl was still a minor, before deciding to get married. The guy, as per reports, is 7-8 years older than her. That combination can make anyone a bit worried, regardless of religion.

Kerala already has a controversial reputation in some circles. Because of that, it felt unnecessary for state government officials to publicly participate in what was essentially a private wedding ceremony.

If, unfortunately, the marriage faces problems in the future (I hope not), the same incident could easily be used to criticize Kerala again.

A more mature approach by Kerala’s state government would have been to stay away from the public spotlight while offering quiet support if needed. Not every personal decision needs to be turned into a political or symbolic event.

Kavya Maran and Abrar Ahmed

The next topic is from the cricket world.

Kavya Maran’s decision to include Pakistani cricketer Abrar Ahmed in her Hundred League team, Sunrisers Leeds, has sparked debate among fans. Given the current political climate between India and Pakistan, reactions were bound to be strong.

But there is another angle to this story that people are not discussing enough.

In February 2026, reports suggested that league members were warned of strict action if there was any discrimination against Pakistani players.

So one possible explanation is that Kavya Maran was simply trying to follow league rules.

Other team owners may have quietly avoided selecting Pakistani players, but technically that could still be seen as discrimination if the league had issued such warnings.

I can somewhat relate to this situation on a psychological level. Many of us have experienced moments where we strictly follow rules, while others casually ignore them and face no consequences.

To be clear, this is not meant as a justification for selecting a Pakistani player. As an Indian, I stand with my country. But it may explain the thinking behind the decision.

Sometimes people are simply trying to stay within the rules, even when others around them are not.

That’s my quick roundup for now.