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.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...
Parliament Going To The Dogs In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s New India
By P. Sudhir An unprecedented 146 Opposition Members of Parliament of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were suspended before the Winter Session of Parliament was cut short on December 21. This after the Modi government ensured the passage of several Bills including the one to replace...
West Bengal Congress Faces A Dilemma Over Joining Forces With TMC
By Tirthankar Mitra CPI(M)’s West Bengal unit secretary Md. Salim’s assertion that the CPM will not campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in the 2024 general elections in West Bengal has landed state Congress leaders in more than a spot of bother for good reason. Having pitted what remains of...
Grabbing Absolute Power By Executive Is Undemocratic
By Dr. Gyan Pathak For the last few years, the Narendra Modi-led Government has been empowering itself through changes in various laws relating to crime and evidence to such an extent that it can arbitrarily apply certain laws to raid, arrest, seize, detain, prosecute – even pardon anyone it...
Kerala Governor Bent On Making Universities His Fiefdoms
By P. Sudhir Governors in Opposition-ruled states are becoming tools for the ruling party at the Centre to advance its political agenda and to create difficulties for the concerned state government for implementing its welfare programmes and development schemes. The role of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is particularly...
India’s Top Court Straying From Role Of Guarding Democracy With Its Article 370 Verdict
By Krishna Jha Our democracy has lost each of its basics. From the recent crisis that proved to be an assault on not only federalism, but also its most relevant constitutional principles. The Supreme Court judgment on the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the dismantling of...
