Kaustubha Phene

Promote Equality - gender, social, economic & political. Separate religion and state. Fight racism and casteism. Promote scientific temper. Be kind.

[Shubhangi Misra @shubhangi_misra]

Can you believe that the income of 6 small Gujarat-based parties exceeded that of national parties (minus BJP) in 2023-2024?

Investigation into the strange world of India's paper parties:

https://t.co/lAN5b2XDSD

[Tony Joseph @tjoseph0010]

This becomes clearer and clearer every passing year.

[Tony Joseph @tjoseph0010]

The main driving force behind the Indian Rightwing movement is upper class resentment over ancient privileges diluted by democracy. Its objective is a hierarchical future similar to what tradition dictates. The hate you see is the necessary force to create the new hierarchy.

[Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi]

भाजपा और 'वोट चोरी आयोग' के तरीके बदलते रहते हैं, और बदलते रहेंगे - मकसद बस एक ही है: किसी भी क़ीमत पर BJP की जीत, और भारत के लोकतंत्र का अंत।

महाराष्ट्र 2024 - लोकसभा और विधानसभा चुनाव के बीच अचानक 39 लाख नए वोटर जुड़ गए। मैंने तब भी कहा था, आज भी कहता हूँ: यह वोट चोरी थी।

बंगाल 2026 - SIR में जिन नामों को काटा गया, उनमें से 91% नाम अपील के बाद वापस जोड़ने पड़े। यानी हर 10 में से 9 नाम गलत तरीके से काटे गए, और नाम चुनाव के बाद ही जोड़े गए। मैंने तब भी कहा था, आज भी कहता हूँ: यह वोट चोरी थी।

और अब महाराष्ट्र में 2.07 करोड़ मतदाताओं को ड्राफ्ट लिस्ट से बाहर कर दिया गया है - यानी हर पांचवां वोटर।

लोक सभा 2024: 9.29 करोड़
विधान सभा 2024: 9.7 करोड़
SIR 2026: 7.78 करोड़
कौन सी लिस्ट सही थी?

वोट चोरी से बनी सरकार के लिए जनता ज़रूरी नहीं है - यही कारण है कि ये BJP न जनता की सुनती है, न उनका आदेश मानती है।

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

पतीच ‘छत्र’?

[Rohit Pawar @RRPSpeaks]

एक आई आपल्या मुलींच्या भविष्यासाठी काय करु शकते, याचं अत्यंत प्रेरणादायी उदाहरण अंबाजोगाई येथील रमाबाई रणवीर यांनी समाजासमोर ठेवलं. पतीचं छत्र हरवल्यानंतर नांदेड सोडून अंबाजोगाईला आलेल्या आणि स्वयंपाकाचं काम करणाऱ्या ४७ वर्षीय रमाबाई यांनी स्थानिक मॅरेथॉनमध्ये सहभाग घेऊन साडीवर अनवाणी धावून पहिल्या क्रमांकाचं ३ हजार रुपयांचं बक्षीस पटकावलं.

कडक सलाम या मातेच्या जिद्दीला आणि संघर्षाला..!

[Rep. Jim McGovern @RepMcGovern]

Former USCIRF Chairs @StephenSchneck & @NadineMaenza are right: The Hindu nationalist RSS helped make discrimination & violence against religious minorities mainstream in India. Its chief, Mohan Baghwat, should face accountability—not be given a platform to foment hatred.

https://t.co/4YkQMtaoLG

[Aarti Tikka @AartiTikka]

Religion is the top power structure that protects billionaires from the masses.

[Raju Parulekar @rajuparulekar]

सार्वजनिक सण विसर्जित करायची वेळ आलेली आहे.

[Subhashini Ali @SubhashiniAli]

Large sections of our society are Manuvadi in their thinking without having read the Manusmriti or even knowing of its existence. Its precepts have been part of their social conditioning for generations. RSS declared it's commitment to Manusmriti over the Constitution in l949

[Girish Kuber @girishkuber]

https://t.co/w6GU2Ilqbg

[Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders]

So far, in the 2026 elections, 50 mega donors have spent $1.6 BILLION.

🟦George Soros (D): $102M
🟥Jeffrey & Janine Yass (R): $93.8M
🟥Ben Horowitz & Marc Andreessen (R): $91.3M
🟥Elon Musk (R): $90.6M
🟥Elizabeth & Richard Uihlein (R): $70M
🟥Miriam Adelson (R): $67.6M
🟥Greg & Anna Brockman (R): $50M
🟥Paul Singer (R): $37.1M
🟥Cameron & Tyler Winklevoss (R): $33.2M
🟥Ken Griffin (R): $32.5M

Billionaires — in either party — should not be able to buy elections.

That is not democracy. That is a corrupt campaign finance system.

We need to end Citizens United. We need to get super PACs out of our elections. We need public funding of elections.

[LoksattaLive @LoksattaLive]

अग्रलेख : ‘गूंज’चा अनुनाद!
@girishkuber
https://t.co/GdFurGen77

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

If the country lets him get away without being accountable, why should he? It’s not as if he came from an organization that believes in democracy.

[Pragnya Gupta @GuptaPragnya]

Modi could probably be the only Indian Prime Ministers who ducks from questions like a thief. It’s most humiliating for the dignity of a country.
In India he manages it most comfortably as it’s his home turf but when abroad he needs to beg shamelessly for this arrangement.

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

Women’s financial independence is a fundamental necessity. It’s not sufficient. Majority of the financially independent women are oppressive towards rest of the women. Financial independence does not make women less misogynistic.

[Mansi @im_mansigupta]

The only way women can be empowered and out of the houses of their conservative/abusive parents and/or in-laws is to have financial security. Which means jobs. And Indian economy is not creating jobs. Because of societal biases, the available few jobs are more likely to go to men, which means even more suppression.

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

Why does it matter what any unchangeable books says? The only book that matters is a country’s constitution - because it also provides a process to change it,when the people so decide.

[Mansi @im_mansigupta]

When you bring up regressive shit from the scriptures, the followers of the religion say, no one even practices that anymore

When you bring up harmful practices in the present, the followers say, our scriptures don't teach this.

Decide and stick to whether your religion is defined by code or practice.

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

‘बनिया, ब्राम्हण, आणि गुलाम.’ - गुरुदत्त ह्यांची क्षमा मागून.

[Raju Parulekar @rajuparulekar]

मनूस्मृती म्हणजे ब्राह्मण्यत्व| ब्राह्मणांचं राज्य | राजू परूळेकर |

https://t.co/SMQgbujA5o via @YouTube

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

If any religion thinks it is right or better, it should have the guts to say that it doesn’t need to add members by inheritance. Because the parents belong to a religion, why the children be assumed to follow it? It must be a conscious adult choice. Applies to every religion.

[Thomson Hindustani @jthomasINKL7]

Dear Aishwarya, I come from a family that was converted from Hinduism to Christianity - whether by force or for "rice bags", I don't know. I did not choose that. You did not choose your family either.

If neither of us earned the religion we were handed, what gives you the extra privilege here?

And nobody except a few hardcore atheists is claiming Onam is a non-Hindu festival. Everyone knows the Onam comes from Hindu mythology. That was never in dispute.

What happened over decades in Kerala is simpler. Malayalis of every faith adopted it - because it gives them joy, a family reunion, a fresh start, a sense of belonging of being Malayali

That is not appropriation. That has only made hindu-festival Onam more meaningful

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

This is how talibanization looks like.

[Devina Mehra @devinamehra]

The violence by those pretending to uphold Indian culture objecting to an eight year old wearing shorts upset me terribly...reminded me once again how girls are forced to shrink in this country

I remember happily bathing under a waterfall in Kodaikanal in my slip (what used to be called a shameez) at age 10 without a care in the world except navigating the slippery rocks

But then a couple of years later the touching and groping by adult men, including people I called Uncle, even before I could understand what was happening had me self censor

If you are a man, that is the story of EVERY woman in your life

We need women to claim public spaces... To have the freedom to loiter the way men do. And of course, wear what they want.

If the sight of an eight year old's legs provokes you, you are the one who should be locked up

As an aside I wouldn't be surprised if these vandals break up all In old Indian temple sculptures because women's (let alone children's) legs are not covered in most of them.

What they are trying to enforce is Victorian Christian morality, NOT Indian culture!

And yes do read this book to understand the fundamental inequalities women face and What needs to change.

[Kaustubha Phene @Kaustubha]

A very impressive woman - the passion, the logic, the articulation, the challenge. What’s her name?

[Pavan K N | పవన్ కే ఎన్ । पवन के एन @PavanNerellaINC]

She didn’t beg. She didn’t shout slogans. She simply asked. “Will the Prime Minister’s son, the sanitation worker’s son, and Ambani’s child all study in the SAME school? Then we can talk about talent.”

[Pragnya Gupta @GuptaPragnya]

Hindus say NO to the RSS. Join us outside Madison Square Garden as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat takes the stage. We’ll rally for a secular, interfaith India and against Hindu nationalism.

📅 Sat, Aug 29 | 12–4 PM
📍 7th Ave, W 31st–33rd St
😷 Masks recommended