Opinion
Appeal
The legacy of IPA, founded by Nikhil Chakravartty, the doyen of journalism in India, to keep the flag of independent media flying high, is facing the threat of extinction due to the effect of the Covid pandemic. Only an emergency funding can avert such an eventuality. We appeal to all those who believe in the freedom of expression to contribute to this noble cause.What’s Modi Govt Doing To Free 200 Indians Enslaved In Myanmar?
By Ashis Biswas Even as the civil war rages on in Myanmar, there is fresh concern among GOI circles regarding a somewhat disturbing report in the Sri Lankan media, stating that some Indians were being “held” as prisoners in what have been described as “terror camps” in the strife-torn...
Delayed Govt Formation In Madhya Pradesh Strikes For Balance
By L. S. Herdenia After a record delay of almost a fortnight Madhya Pradesh will have a new ministry headed by Dr. Mohan Yadav. The ministry was given final touches by the party high command. Twenty eight Ministers took oath on Monday. Three including the Chief Minister took oath...
Global Shipping Industry Hostage To Red Sea-Suez Crisis
By K Raveendran The shipping industry is keeping its fingers crossed till the Gaza-Houthi triggered crisis in Red Sea-Suez Canal areas lasts. The duration of the current situation is what matters. A temporary disturbance – a perceived bump in the road – and the industry may cope. But, if...
Quality Jobs Generation Hit Hard, Workers Surge Informal Sector
By Dr. Gyan Pathak In contradiction to the claim of the Modi government of improvement in the labour market, latest Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) data pertaining to the formal sector shows a downturn. Quality jobs generation declined sharply by 16.7 percent in October 2023 compared to the September...
Israel In A Bind With Joe Biden Running The War On Gaza
By Arun Srivastava Reverses suffered by the Israeli army in 80 days of the ‘War on Gaza’ reminds of the Vietnam War. The then US President, Lyndon B. Johnson, invaded Vietnam to check the communism juggernaut. Today, POTUS Joe Biden is commanding the Israeli Defence Forces much to the...
Kerala Government Toughens Stand Against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
By P. Sreekumaran THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala has upped the ante against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan by seeking President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention in the crisis involving the Governor and the State government, at the root of which are Khan’s alleged gubernatorial excesses; the Governor...
The Three New Criminal Laws Betray A Narrow Spirit Of Nationalism
By Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr The vaulting ambition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overturn existing structures is the hallmark of his nearly 10 years at the helm. Take the case of the three new laws that have replaced three colonial-era laws and the authoritarian streak in Modi sticks...
The Vacuity Of The Free Trade Argument
By Prabhat Patnaik A country with relatively unrestricted trade will face two problems: the first is a balance of payments problem because its exports are insufficient relative to its imports. And the second, the creation of unemployment, and more generally of domestic resources remaining idle, because domestic goods cannot...
Israel, Hamas Prisoner Exchange Talks Further Mired
By James M Dorsey Think that the heart wrenching images streaming out of the Gaza Strip suggest that Israel has Hamas over a barrel? Think again. Talks in Europe and in Cairo suggest otherwise. The talks stalled after Hamas insisted that it would not engage in prisoner exchange negotiations...
Red Sea Risks: Houthi Strikes Impact Global Shipping Costs
By Girish Linganna A coalition of 10 countries, with the United States at the helm, will struggle to prevent Yemen’s Houthi rebels from targeting ships in the Red Sea. That is not to say that both parties don’t have a shared interest in avoiding an escalation that could potentially...
Atal Bihari Vajpayee – Shining Star Of Building Consensus
By Tirthankar Mitra There are not too many leaders who are looked upto by his/her followers and political opponents even when they are no more. Late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee belongs to this distinguished group. A great consensus builder whose 99th birth anniversary is being observed today, December...
Save The Maharashtra Tiger, 41 Killed In 10 Months Alone
By Arun Kumar Shrivastav Maharashtra boasts a seemingly healthy tiger population, but the numbers hide a troubling reality: a significant number of these magnificent creatures are dying, with a third of the deaths attributed to unnatural causes. Since 2018, Maharashtra has lost 151 tigers. Poaching and electrocution were responsible...
Passing Important Legislations By Suspending Opposition MPs Is Authoritarianism
By Arun Srivastava Passing legislation by resorting to suspensions is a kind of authoritarianism’. Knocking down the March 2 directive of the Supreme Court that said that the panel which picks election commissioners and their chief “shall” include the Chief Justice of India was clear manifestation of the autocratic...
Uniform Road Tax Across India Must For Uniform Vehicle Prices
By Dr. Gyan Pathak Prices of vehicles on-road vary vastly across the states in India, which not only encourages evasion of taxes but also makes the process of compliance cumbersome. Varied taxes imposed by the states is the main reason for this distortion and it must be replaced by...
INDI-Alliance In Assam, Bihar Cannot Agree On Seat-Sharing, PM Face
By Ashis Biswas Despite four rounds of prolonged talks, unity eludes, even on basic issues, potential partners in the much-hyped opposition alliance – famously christened INDIA – in east and northeast India. Major opposition parties of Assam and Bihar have rejected two proposals, one on seat-sharing and the other...
Kharge Gets The Nod, Nitish-Lalu Find It Odd
By Rahil Nora Chopra The stage has been set for 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the fourth meeting of the INDIA Bloc saw high drama with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stating that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will be the bloc’s PM candidate. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal...
Modi’s India Is Part Real, Part Make-Believe And The Rest In Between
By Girish Linganna Prime Minister Narendra Modi renamed his official residence Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016. The new name reflected Modi’s populism and inclination to shed India’s colonial past. Beyond a strict security checkpoint, “Seven LKM” features peacocks and inner courtyards adorned with intricate flower arrangements. The premises itself...
Need To Be Cautious With FTA, UK Will Take India To The Cleaners
By K R Sudhaman At a time when there is an emphasis on India going for more free trade agreements, expert studies of India’s FTAs indicate that they have been more beneficial to its FTA partners than India. The studies by former senior economic adviser, H A C Prasad...
