An exploration of Urdu’s origins, its rich literary tradition and its increasing popularity among the young as a language of resistance
Reports of Urdu’s death are greatly exaggerated
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CATEGORY: India
Silence in the valley: The brutal repression of Kashmiri writers
Works are banned and authors raided if they are seen to promote secession
The week in free expression 10 October – 17 October
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
Jimmy Kimmel: No laughing matter
From the USA to India leaders can’t take a joke. Comedians are paying the price
How India’s comedians are paying the price for free speech
An incident in which Mumbai’s Habitat comedy club was vandalised by supporters of a local political group after Kunal Kamra made jokes about its leader is a worrying sign of the times
News in India is being erased from the internet
Journalism critical of the government is vanishing from digital archives, years after it has been published
Environmental defenders facing violent attacks as social media platforms fail to act
As the likes of Meta and X pull back on content moderation to appease those wanting “free speech”, climate activists are being targeted
The week in free expression: 28 June–4 July 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
The week in free expression: 14-20 June 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
Kashmiris are disappearing from the streets
India’s government is ramping up repression in the Jammu and Kashmir region