Gopi Chand Narang (1931-2022) – Two Obituaries
Gopi Chand Narang, who passed away on June 15, was a towering scholar who kept reiterating the secular, tolerant, inclusive and assimilative character of Urdu till his last breath.
Agnipath: The Path Towards Precarious Sovereignty
Whether it be the nefarious design of the corporatization of the defence ordinance factories or the current move towards contractualization of army recruitment; the pseudo-nationalists are hell bent on putting the nation’s security and sovereignty on mortgage.
Why the Government’s ‘Plans’ for Demobilised Agniveers Don’t Inspire Trust
After their term ends, thousands of Agniveers would be at the mercy of the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare for re-employment, which has done little or nothing to resettle ex-servicemen, say protesters. Also: “Agnipath – Path of Militarisation of Society?”
Dhinkia Protests Against Jindal Goes on Under Severe Repression
The author, along with Lingaraj and Sudarsan Pradhan, had accompanied Medha Patkar to ascertain the reports on repression on people opposing the Jindal Steel and other projects in Dhinkia, near Paradip, Odisha. His brief report.
Why India Must Decouple from I2U2
Americans estimate that the Indian government would grab the I2U2 platform to burnish its international image. But if there is any sanity left in the Indian foreign policy establishment, a subaltern role to serve US and Israeli interests cannot enhance India’s prestige in West Asia.
Former SC, HC Judges, Lawyers Issue ‘Urgent Appeal to SC to Take Note of UP State Repression’
‘We hope and trust the Supreme Court will rise to the occasion and not let the citizens and the Constitution down at this critical juncture,’ write 12 prominent former judges and senior advocates. Also: Bharat Dogra – “Bulldozing Structures or Demolishing Democracy?”
International Day for Countering Hate Speech
The recent decision by the UN General Assembly to declare 18 June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech is significant. It comes at a special moment of world history, when hate speech in several parts of the globe, including India, seem to have become the order of the day.
‘Informality’ and Control in the Gig Economy: A Study of Cab Drivers and Food Delivery Riders in Delhi-NCR
Gig workers, such as food delivery riders and app-based cab drivers, are increasingly becoming one of the most visible faces of urban employment. This article discusses various aspects of the nature of employment in the gig economy, especially for those who can be referred to as ‘blue collar’ gig workers.
Writing the History of a Civilisational State
Every book that is written on the past by an aspiring historian is not history. History is a specialised discipline that wends a careful and delicate way through the maze of what happened.
A Mosque Can’t Be Turned into a Hindu Temple. Period. The Law Says So.
Parliament was aware of the clamour to resurrect temples destroyed centuries ago by now destroying mosques in their stead. So, it made additional provisions to end all possible avenues for agitating real or perceived historical wrongs of that nature.