Table of Contents - Mainstream, Feb 3, 2024

In this issue:

• Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, Feb 3, 2024
• Nitish Kumar’s Political hoppings and the INDIA bloc | P S Jayaramu
• The last game of Weathercocks | Faraz Ahmad
• Hindutva Fascism and the Future of Indian Politics | Kobad Ghandy
• Democratic fascism | Sukumaran C. V.
• The inauguration of the Ram Mandir by the Prime Minister of the country has fateful implications for constitutional democracy | Vijay Kumar
• Consequential Takeaways of Ram Mandir Inauguration by the Prime Minister | Vijay Kumar
• A Last Flourish and Foofaraw before the Big Fight? | Papri Sri Raman
• Finding Ram amidst the Chorus of Ram Temple | Preeti Chauhan
• An Essay Concerning the Complete Collapse of the I N D I A Alliance | Murzban Jal
• Cracks in INDIA alliance — TMC to contest all 42 seats in West Bengal | Tarun Kumar Basu
• Shrinking Size of the Labor Ministry’s Budget is A Cause for Serious Concern | Bharat Dogra
• Coming Elections & Hurdles for the Opposition / Vyjayantimala Bali | Humra Quraishi
• Leprosy in India: Difficult Road Ahead | T. Vijayendra
• Stubble Burning: Climate Concerns and Policy Paths | S N Tripathy
• Televised Devotees and Live Steaming of Devotion | Bhabani Shankar Nayak
• India’s 2024 elections may bring a new political epoch | Robin Jeffrey
• Pakistan readies itself for an orchestrated election | Bharat Bhushan
• Gaza and Genocide | Mukul Kesavan
• Palestinians have a right to self defence | Narayanan and Pandey
• Germany’s rude political awakening | James Angelos

DOCUMENTS:

• 2024 Interim Budget - Statement by All India Kisan Sabha
• 2024 Interim Budget - Statement by CPI MP Binoy Viswam
• 2024 Interim Budget - Statement by Communist Party of India (Marxist)
• Stop the Raids by State Agencies Against Harsh Mander - Citizens’s Statement (Feb 2, 2024)

BOOKS:

• Review of Khan’s City on Fire: A Boyhood in Aligarh | Sajad Ahmad Dar
• Review of Singh’s Caste, State and Society: Degrees of Democracy in North India | Radhakanta Barik

IMAGE & SOUND:

• Photo: 1971 demo in Tokyo Against Supply of Materials for Vietnam War | Bruno Barbey
• Music: dJarabi - Sona Jobarteh & Band with Kora Music from West Africa

Editor’s Picks:

• The Indian Constitution Is the Soul of India, Not Ram
• How can an 800 year Old Mosque be an Encroachment: Mehrauli Mosque demolition confounds historians
• CBI raids activist Harsh Mander’s home, office
• Ram won’t help but Nitish might
• Union Budget: What is missing
• The mystery of the disappearing MGNREGA Job cards
• India’s opposition challenge to Modi may be imploding
• Can BJP’s Office-bearers Run the Affairs of Bharat Electronics, which Makes EVMs, Asks EAS Sarma
• Moti Mahal: India curry houses battle over butter chicken
• Imran Khan: The cricket star and former PM who is dividing Pakistan
• How the government captured the BBC
• Political executions on the rise in Iran
• Dissident rock band Bi-2 leave Thailand after Russia deportation fears
• Sounding Affective Consensus
• Material conflicts
• What’s Next for Histories of Climate Change
• Increasing resistance to Antibiotics will have serious impact on healthcare

(Cover Page Artwork Credits: Henri-Laurens (1918))