Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• Need for Synergy and not Rupture between Indian and Nepali Polities

  3 October 2015

  by Vijay Pratap
  Nepali, Indian and international media—all have published extensively the debates on the dynamics of Constitution-making and its promul-gation in Nepal. The viewpoints of both the establishments of India and Nepal have been aggressively and explicitly stated. But the views of the Indian civil society have not seen the light of the day adequately in the mainstream media, social network sites or even the alternative media.
  A small section of the Indian civil society and (…)

• Federalism: Nepal’s Final Frontier

  3 October 2015

  by Jayant Prasad
  Nepal’s transition to a pluralist democracy faces a final challenge — failure of the three major parties to accommodate the legitimate demands of Janajati and Madhesi groups for true federalism. Greater consensus and not the imposition of an artificial deadline can help overcome it.
  The long-awaited promulgation of a new Constitution within the next few days in Nepal was expected to be the culmination of its transition to a pluralist democracy. The institu-tionalisation (…)

• Forceful Case for an Alternative Development Model

  3 October 2015, by B P Mathur

  BOOK REVIEW
  To Choose Our Future by Ashok Khosla; Development Alternatives and Academic Foundation, New Delhi; 2015; pages 127.
  Sustainable Development holds the key to India’s future and its prosperity. Unfortunately the model of development we have adopted, post-1990s economic liberalisation, is leading to vast environmental degradation, threatening the very existence of life in our planet, simul-taneously creating a dysfunctional economy, in which a vast army of hungry and deprived (…)

• Threat to our Pluralist Ethos

  28 September 2015, by SC

  EDITORIAL The arrest of Sameer Vishnu Gaikwad, a “full-time” member of the radical Hindu organisation, Sanatan Sanstha, by the Kolhapur Police on September 16 in connection with the murder of CPI leader and rationalist thinker, Govind Pansare, has by now helped the police of find a link between the killings of Pansare last February and rationalist leader Narendra Dabholkar (an anti-superstition crusader whom Pansare acknowledged as his mentor) in 2013. This was suspected for long but now, (…)

• Refugee Crises in Europe: A Human Catastrophe

  28 September 2015, by Bharti Chhibber

  How images affect the human mind is quite evident with the kind of effect the picture had of a crumpled body of a three-year old face-down, washed ashore the Turkish coastline or that of rubber dinghies overfilled with desperate women, men and children. These images have brought out the enormity of the contemporary refugee crises in Europe, the biggest movement of people to Europe since the Second World War.
  However, how ironical is the fact that the civil war in Syria, which is entering (…)

• To Modi, From Aurangzeb

  28 September 2015

  by Rohit Chopra
  Your Highness, Emperor of India, host of Mann ki Baat, harbinger of achhe din, Lord of the bhakts, I hope you are well. I trust you will not mind if I call you Emperor. I know you are a democratically elected leader, but your regal bearing and magnificent sartorial adventures are worthy of the finest traditions of hereditary monarchy and feudal nobility. And, beside, as pretty much most Indians know, you don’t necessarily have a liking or patience for parliamentary (…)

• Life and Times of a Good Communist

  28 September 2015, by Arup Kumar Sen

  Liu Shaoqi, the prominent leader and theoretician of the Chinese Communist Party, wrote his would-be famous book, How to be a Good Communist, in 1939. He was ruthlessly criticised by Mao during the Cultural Revolution and then purged. He died in 1969 under harsh treatment.
  What is important to us is not to judge the ‘political correctness’ of Liu Shaoqi’s thought. The fact that the Communists of earlier days were concerned with ethical questions, even though in regimented terms, is the (…)

• Colombo Restores New Delhi’s Faith

  28 September 2015

  Sri Lankan Premier Ranil Wickremasinghe’s visit to India (September 14-16) marked an important step in bringing India-Sri Lanka relations to healthy parameters on several counts, the most significant of which is the restoration of India’s faith in the policy-directions of the Sri Lankan Government.
  New Delhi’s confidence in Colombo’s intentions, both domestic and international, was completely eroded during the last few years (especially since 2009) of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. (…)

• Pressure Counter Pressure

  28 September 2015, by Nikhil Chakravartty

  From N.C.’s Writings
  Behind the angry protests and almost interminable complainsts of Cease Fire violations, there is a feeling in New Delhi about the overall situation with regard to Pakistan which, though not vocal, is significant.
  It is generally conceded here that a full-scale war between India and Pakistan is practically ruled out for the present. The theory that the cessation of hostilities provided by the Security Council Resolution is being utilised as a breathing space by (…)

• Liberation of Haji Pir

  28 September 2015

  by Javed Malick
  The operation in Uri sector across the Cease Fire Line will remain a golden chapter in India’s military history for a very long time to come. The story is marked with the indefatigable valour and unflinching determination of our officers and jawans.
  Advance towards Haji Pir was, however, an uphill task both figuratively and literally. It required a well-planned strategy and careful tactics.
  As you go westwards from the border village, Lagama (Uri sector), you have to (…)