Editorial: Nafrat Chodo, Bharat Jodo
Reflections on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, as it nears completion.
‘A Glory has Departed’: Nehru’s Forgotten Speech on Gandhi’s Assassination
Full text of Nehru’s speech to the Constituent Assembly on February 2, 1948: “A glory has departed and the sun that warmed and brightened our lives has set and we shiver in the cold and dark.”
We Want No Caesars
In 1937, Jawaharlal Nehru was elected president of the Congress for the third time. Cognisant and cautious of the dangers of his own pride and position, he wrote this essay, in which he stressed the importance of questioning the motives of leaders, and checking the power they hold.
History Warns That Altering a Constitution’s Basic Structure Leads Down a Dark Path
Insightful critique of the recent statement by vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar questioning the Supreme Court’s 1973 verdict in the Kesavananda Bharati case that put the basic structure of the constitution beyond the reach of parliament. Also: Extract from Noorani’s article,“Behind the ‘Basic Structure’ Doctrine”.
How M.K. Gandhi Defended Non-Violence in a Debate with Lala Lajpat Rai
In 1916, Lala Lajpat Rai wrote an article questioning a speech by Gandhi, and said that elevation of ahimsa to the highest doctrine had led to the downfall of India. Gandhi responded to Rai’s critique, reminding us of the evils of violence. We print Gandhi’s reply here.
‘Netaji Wanted Free India to Be Secular State’: A Note From His Daughter; Also: ‘Netaji’s Secular Outlook’
Press statement on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 126th birth anniversary by his daughter. Also: Her statement critiquing RSS’s planned celebrations of her father’s birthday. Also: “Netaji’s Secular Outlook, and Why He was Disappointed With Jinnah, Savarkar” by S.N. Sahu.
I am Among the Dalits Who Were Never the Same Since Rohith Vemula’s Letter
Rohith Vemula passed away on 17 January, 2016. Seven years later, Yashica Dutt writes on the impact of his words. Also: Rohit Vemula’s letter of 17 January 2016.
‘Demolish Differences’: The Full Text of Amitabh Bachchan’s Speech at the Kolkata Film Festival
Bachchan said: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, let us discover more of that which is impossible and then do it. Let us bring down the barriers that have blinded our view of the horizons.’ Also: Comment by Apoorvanand: “For Speaking an Unpleasant Truth, Will Amitabh Bachchan Now be Called an Enemy of the People?”
Women Who Make Us What We Are
The quiet, unstated strength of the people flow out of the millions of incarnations of Mother India.
EWS Quota: Was Economic Condition Ever the Foundational Principle for Reservation in India?
Since the first reservation implemented by the Maharaja of Kolhapur to the days of independence, quota in education and public services has been a mechanism to alleviate social degradation, not poverty.