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India
What can Unite India: ‘Hindu Spiritualism or ‘Unity in Diversity’?
Sudheendra Kulkarni, ex-aide of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in his piece (‘Reach out for Bharat Jodo’, IE, September 12,) while welcoming the Yatra, is critical of the yatra for it not being based on Hindu Spiritualism. As per him Hindu Spiritualism is the basis of India’s unity. He also commends RSS for popularizing the same. He harps that[Read More…]
COVID Response Watch
Shadow of Covid lingers over the erstwhile Kingdom of Cooch Behar
The princely state of Cooch Behar merged with the Dominion of India on August 8, 1949 and became a part of the State of West Bengal on January 1, 1950. To go to Cooch Behar, one has to cross Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, which were also once part of other neighbouring hill kingdoms and annexed by the British. During my[Read More…]
World
Europe’s Unquestioning Following of USA on Ukraine is as Harmful for its Own Interests as it is for World Peace
Europe could have criticized the Russian invasion as much as it wanted, it could have called Putin authoritarian as many times as it desired and of course it could (should) have provided even more humanitarian assistance to Ukraine refugees/displaced persons, but its more or less unquestioning acceptance of the role of the USA in Ukraine certainly raises several disturbing questions.[Read More…]
Globalisation
How the policies of globalization exploited the resources and economy of the developing countries
In last five decade of twentieth century has been perhaps the most remarkable in period of human history in terms of scientific development as we have unlocked countless secrets. In this same period saw the creation of institution of global governance: the United Nations, the International monetary fund, the world bank, and the GATT which turned into World trade organization.[Read More…]
Human Rights
Ensuring Sri Lanka’s Compliance with UNHRC Resolutions
Eelam Tamils in Sri Lanka and Tamils all over the world are very deeply concerned in relation to Sri Lanka’s past human rights violations including war crimes and the very minimal steps taken by Sri Lanka so far to uphold accountability and dispense justice to the victims which is long delayed and has been remaining in cold storage since the[Read More…]
Imperialism
Why Foreign Military Bases of USA Should be Reduced Significantly
Soon after the Second World War ended, the British government with its vast colonial empire made significant territorial concessions to the USA which could facilitate the rapid spread of USA military bases in many parts of the world. In addition of course the defeated Axis countries and their territories could provide another suitable place for the rapid proliferation of the[Read More…]
Communal Harmony
Leicester Spells “Communal” Tension For British Society?
Who is to be blamed for ongoing tension in Leicester (United Kingdom) between two groups of people? Given that recent history of this country has not witnessed communal tension of this nature on its own soil, one is prompted to raise questions as to who has failed, where? Understandably, the people responsible for participating in violence and trying to promote[Read More…]
Climate Change
Rallies Across Africa Demand Global Action, Climate Justice Ahead of UN Summit
Thousands of African activists and members of communities on the frontlines of the worsening climate emergency turned out Friday to call on world leaders—who will gather in Egypt in November for the United Nations Climate Summit—to urgently address a crisis that disproportionately impacts their lives. Demonstrators took to the streets, public spaces, and even waterways in countries across a continent that’s responsible for just 4%[Read More…]
Environmental Protection
More Questions than Claims Regarding India’s Cheetah Project
The release of eight cheetahs into the Kuno National Park ( Madhya Pradesh) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, although accompanied by a media blitz, has raised several questions. The animals were flown from Namibia to Gwalior and from there they were taken to the release site in a helicopter. Official sources have stated that this is the[Read More…]
Counter Solutions
GDP is a useless measurement. But what should replace it?
We must place true value on the environment and go beyond gross domestic product as a measure of human progress and well-being,” said United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres in June at Stockholm+50, a meeting convened by the UN to discuss the world’s environmental and ecological crises. It was an astonishing statement. This once-fringe idea of going ‘beyond GDP’ is finally appearing[Read More…]
Resource Crisis
The Project of Capital and the Project of the Proletariat in a time of World Crisis
ABSTRACT This is a response to the two sets of articles written by Sajai Jose on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and on the world’s and India’s hunger crisis. It is in two parts. In the first part it lays the historical background of the response of capital in the face of periodic crises it faces and people’s response to it.[Read More…]
Patriarchy
Right to Bodily Autonomy v/s Right to Life: Is there a just half-way?
The US Supreme Court’s overturning of the Roe vs. Wade judgment which provided a constitutional right to abortion on June 24, 2022, triggered a spark of debates all over the globe. The altercations between advocates of abortion rights (preserving the right to patient choice and bodily autonomy) on one hand and the advocates of the anti-abortion movement (seeking to preserve[Read More…]
Palestine
Will the United Nations Finally Deliver Justice for Palestine?
In his anticipated speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is expected to, once more, make a passionate plea for the recognition of Palestine as a full member. Abbas’ ‘landmark speech’ would not be the first time that the President of the Palestinian Authority has lobbied for such a status. In September 2011,[Read More…]
South Asia
Nagarkovil Massacre of School Children
On September 22, 1995, a SLAF aircraft bombed the Nagarkovil Maha Vidyalayam schoolyard crammed with 750 children on their lunch break, killing more than 30 – of whom 12 were six or seven-year-olds – and injuring 150 others. The overall death toll from the raids reached 71. The bombing occurred just hours after the Sri Lankan government imposed press censorship[Read More…]
Annihilate Caste
Bhojpuri Songs and Branding of Caste Pride
The popularity of Bhojpuri music has grown to reach a wide audience, both in terms of listeners and watchers. Songs, in a sense, are a means through which cultural identities may be asserted. Bhojpuri songs promote certain prejudiced natures and settings in terms of gender, caste, class, and regions, among other categories. Some of the key aspects that are prevalent[Read More…]
Life/Philosophy
In memory of Darshan Singh Canadian on martyrdom anniversary
Darshan Singh Canadian was martyred today 26 years ago on September 25th, at the hands of the Khalistani terrorists. His entire life was manifestation of relentless spirit to serve the downtrodden. Darshan Singh was a very warm personality, extremely well read, a versatile conservationist and resonating with wit and humour. In Canada In 1937, at the age of 19, Darshan[Read More…]
Arts/Literature
A Peep into the spirit of China
Review of Ascension (2021) directed by Jessica Kingdon. Firstly, the prospect of an American documentary about China arouses too much speculation; additionally, it draws one’s interest to know how the director juxtaposes Chinese ideology with the American counterpart. Ascension by Jessica Kingdon is solely about China, and how China ascended into the top echelons of the world economy. One[Read More…]
Book Review
The Arc of a Covenant
The Arc of a Covenant – The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People. Walter Russell Mead. Alfred A Knopf, New York, 2022. In today’s world a clear understanding of the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is important – this is not the work to clear it up. Walter Mead’s hypothesis is that Israel does not[Read More…]
