‘Freedom, Even at a Bargain, Is Priceless’: Writers Reflect on Where India Is Today
Several writers write about their perspectives on the last 75 years and their hopes for the future.
Gandhian Politics in Contemporary India
Gandhians are facing an unprecedented challenge today. Their world-view, icons, agenda of nation-building, institutional set-up and campaigns and programs are being challenged from all sides by a Hindu-centric political force.
‘Revdi Culture’ or Govt’s Basic Responsibility? What Prioritising Welfare Is Really About
States like Delhi (despite its unique multi-party governance architecture), West Bengal, Kerala (or even Goa and Sikkim) perform better compared to UP when it comes to being measured for securing access to basic social, economic services.
With Fact & Faith, a Growing Band of Concerned Citizens Battles Hate Speech in India
As journalists face punitive action for fact-checking and reporting hate speech by those allied with India’s ruling party, citizens are stepping into the breach, taking enormous risks to document rising instances of hate speech and hate crimes in the country.
The Idea of Manto
Saadat Hasan Manto, born on May 11, 1912 in Ludhiana in British India, is an enduring literary icon and one of those few people that both India and Pakistan see as their own. However, in reality, Manto belonged nowhere, even whilst his art is poignantly treasured on both sides of the border.
New Ferment in Anti-RSS Discourse in South India
New anti-caste writers and film-makers are setting a radical agenda in mass culture in Karnataka and beyond. Will their challenge to Hindutva hegemony travel north?
Why Votaries of Population Imbalance are Wrong About Muslim Growth Rate
Current demographic trends do not threaten national well-being, nor is the Muslim population exploding. The annual gung-ho about population explosion is political, not factual. It is a ploy to shroud the failure of the governments on the socio-economic front.
Why Uddhav Thackeray Must Chart Sena Course Based on Inclusivity
If Uddhav Thackeray is able to broaden the ideological base of the Shiv Sena, it can help the party register electoral successes and start another era of inclusive politics. This of course means that Thackeray must walk on the razor’s edge, never tilting towards nativism and away from inclusivity.
Loud Mouths and Invisible Tails: The New Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan Debate
There is growing conviction that the nation, language, and religion are one. Hindi ideologues see only Hindi as authentically Indian and Hindu. The current rhetoric is reminiscent of the ‘Hindi-wallahs’ in the early 20th century.
Madurai: Three Colours Unite to Resist Saffron Surge in Tamil Nadu
The Red Shirt rally, held on May 29, saw a coalition of Marxist, Dravidian and Ambedkarite groups unite against Hindutva for the third time in five years.