Tradition be damned

India is urged to confront its shame:

Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh became the first leader of his country yesterday to compare the condition of low-caste Hindus with that of black South Africans under apartheid.

Mr Singh drew the parallel at a conference in New Delhi on social and caste injustices saying it was modern India's failure that millions of Dalits (meaning "oppressed") were still fighting prejudice.