Disha Ravi, Sophie Scholl And The U...
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India
Elections 2021: Mixed bag for Future of Indian Democracy
Four states and a Union territory saw the elections in 2021. Despite the dangerous Corona wave the elections were held in a way which suited the ruling dispensation at centre. While West Bengal (WB) results were most awaited and later welcomed for different reasons, BJP also made some gains particularly in Assam and Pudduchery. Even in WB its voting percentage[Read More…]
COVID Response Watch
The Horror that is India
Why Is the Ruling Establishment Simply Incapable of Responding Any Other Way to the Pandemic? On the morning of 27th April I got a phone call from the youngest son of a trade union veteran of Kanpur, that everyone in his large household has been down with COVID-19 (henceforth Covid)-like symptoms. Though the condition of others was stable, his father’s oxygen[Read More…]
World
‘Out of gas:’ Multiple U.S. states declare emergency, drivers in the U.S. Southeast are scrambling for fuel
Gas (fuel) outages are spreading across the U.S. Southeast as motorists rush to fill up their cars days after the biggest U.S. fuel pipeline temporarily shut down following a cyberattack. Gas stations in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee were seeing some panic buying, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. Virginia and Florida declared a state of[Read More…]
Globalisation
Mexico’s Difficulties in Protecting Safety of Its Food System Should Be An Eye-Opener For Other Countries
The difficulties that Mexico has faced in recent times for protecting its food safety should be an eye-opener for all other developing countries including India. These difficulties are particularly acute in the case of corn crop which is the staple food-crop of the people of Mexico. After Mexico agreed to sign the infamous NAFTA trade agreement it was almost inevitable[Read More…]
Human Rights
Plea for release of the Bhima Koregaon (BK) detainees during COVID-19 pandemic
Family and friends of activists arrested in Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case write to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra state for immediate release of the Bhima Koregaon under trial detainees in light of the threats posed to their life and health due to the raging Covid 19 pandemic. Letter attached. —————–Letter——————— Date: 11/05/21 To, The Honorable CM, Maharshtra Mr. Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray,[Read More…]
Imperialism
Too Much Respect for Authority
Why aren’t U.S. crimes, including war crimes, regarded as crimes? The answer is, because it’s unpatriotic. This bit of shorthand requires explanation. The posed question begins with the assumption that the United States commits crimes. Not everyone would agree with this. Whether or not actions are regarded as crimes is dependent on the perspective of the observer. Best to ask[Read More…]
Communal Harmony
Five Great Film Songs That Challenge Communal Forces
Written by Bharat Dogra and Madhu Dogra Hindi film songs have often played an important role in articulating important social messages and taking them to a very large number of people. This may be a particularly opportune time for recalling those songs which have challenged communal forces in bold and effective ways. In this context perhaps the most popular song[Read More…]
Climate Change
An Urgent Call for Action by Nobel Laureates
Our Planet, Our Future is the title of the 2021 Nobel Prize Summit. As a follow up to that summit, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recently published Our Planet, Our Future: An Urgent Call for Action d/d April 29th 2021. The opening paragraph of the Nobel Laureate declaration implicitly calls for immediate unified worldwide action: “The first[Read More…]
Environmental Protection
Poisoning the Planet’s Web of Life
The Web of Life is under attack but almost nobody is aware because it’s happening mostly below surface. Scientists have identified a rampant worldwide Bugpocalypse that’s methodically killing the planet’s most significant and most crucial life support system, and it’s intentional! The victim is soil, which is the life source for 95% of the foods we cram down our throats[Read More…]
Counter Solutions
Potential of Cooperative Movement Not Adequately Realized Yet
Aggressive forms of capitalism are not only snatching jobs ruthlessly but in addition are also increasing job related discontent, frustration and alienation. At the same time there is growing yearning for forms of economic organizations which can provide more satisfactory, stable, sustainable and creative livelihoods. In this context cooperatives should be getting increasing attention. However organization of cooperatives cannot[Read More…]
Resource Crisis
The Growth Of Fascism Or The Fascism Of Growth?
Bear with me, scrupulous historians, as I try to run through some questions and parallels between centuries that I hope will enrich the essential debate on how to confront the extreme right. As a famous German genius said, history repeats itself: first as a tragedy, then as a farce. Perhaps someone will see simple coincidences in the story I am[Read More…]
Patriarchy
Male child sexual abuse: A feminist agenda for research and action
Though child sexual abuse has been recognised and widely discussed as a social problem for more than last three decades, little is known about male child sexual abuse in India. Based on the feminist perspective and rights of girl children, the initial researches addressed the question of childhood sexual memories of female adults or experiences of girl children. As a[Read More…]
Palestine
Biden Administration Reportedly Blocking UN Cease-Fire Statement as Israel Bombards Gaza
The Biden administration is reportedly blocking the release of a United Nations Security Council statement calling for an immediate cease-fire as Israel continues its devastating assault on the occupied Gaza Strip, killing dozens of Palestinians and injuring hundreds more. According to Reuters, which cited anonymous diplomats and sources familiar with the Biden administration’s strategy, the United States is “delaying” the U.N.[Read More…]
South Asia
India will be front-line state in Myanmar civil war
The turmoil in Myanmar had all the hallmarks of a “colour revolution”… The chorus – BBC, Radio Free Asia, western NGOs promoting democracy and human rights… But the operative part hidden from view concentrated on the creation of a “government-in-exile” (a National Unity Government.) The parallels with Syria are striking — “Arab Spring” protests… India is a plausible sanctuary for[Read More…]
Annihilate Caste
Proportional Representation is the only way to resolve our reservation crisis
Though IIT Kharagpur teacher Seema Singh has apologised for her abusive remarks against the students of SC-ST-OBCs in an online class, the matter does not end here. When the video of her abusive class went viral, I thought whether she was a teacher at the prestigious institution or an old caste prejudiced head master in some nondescript part of the[Read More…]
Life/Philosophy
Tribute to Balraj Sahni commemorating 75th anniversary of his screen debut
Balraj Sahni took art of acting simply to another dimension in his time, reminiscent of a Michelangelo. It is hard to find an adjective to do justice to his sheer sensitivity which reached spiritual depths or realism in his characters. He did not make the impact of Dev Anand,Raj Kapoor or Dilip Kumar but in championing or portraying the common[Read More…]
Arts/Literature
Walking Over Water
My father Ashim Ray (1927-86) is considered an exceptional novelist and short story writer who has left a major contribution to serious Bengali literature. However, in his lifetime his contribution was not recognized and he never got any major award. He could carry on his serious writing only because my mother was super supportive of his work. She even copied[Read More…]
Book Review
Limitations and Distortions of Profit-Based Health Systems
In the course of facing the ongoing challenge of the pandemic, a sad reality that has manifested itself time and again is that profit-driven health systems are unable to respond effectively to such crisis situations. There are several disturbing anecdotes of how the profit driven systems and the individuals running them behaved in a selfish and callous way towards[Read More…]
