Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• A Democratic Exercise, not Holy War

  1 December 2013

  by Arun Srivastava
  The elections to the five State Assemblies have put the real face of Narendra Modi before the people of India, specially the burgeoning middle class which aspires to control the fulcrum of the state machinery and governance, as well as before the marginalised Indians who constitute 60 per cent of the population. So far Modi was confined to his home State, people did not have the correct input about his political, administrative and intellectual capabilities and as such (…)

• Authoritative Focus on Concerns of the Poor and Marginalised

  1 December 2013, by Vijay Kumar

  BOOK REVIEW
  An Uncertain Glory: India and Its Contradictions by Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen; Allen Lane; 2013; pages: 413.
  The book under review is a powerful and authoritative intervention for more vigorous and pervasive state action, at least in the arena of basic education and health care, so that human capabilities and human freedoms could be expanded.
  The book rightly starts with the positive achievements in the last sixtysix years by entrenching democracy and making India as (…)

• Right to Forest Land: Who Benefits?

  1 December 2013

  by Rachna Kumari Prasad
  The right to forest land is not only a right to livelihood for the Adivasis but also an issue of identity, dignity and culture. Depriving them of their rights has reduced them into India’s poorest, marginalised communities, vulnerable to hunger, malnutrition, starvation and distress. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA) 2006 aimed to compensate the historic injustice meted out to the forest dwellers, (…)

• No Time to Turn In

  1 December 2013, by Badri Raina

  Are you into a wobbly dotage like me? Do your eyes slip off the page however you try to hold fast to a word? Does your spine not bear up beyond a brief, bold foray? Does your thought fly from you like a bird, not knowing where it may perch or disappear? Does the world seem unworthy, after all, of sustained consideration? Do you wish for the deep recess of a hollow where times now may never afflict your drum? In sum, do you feel it is time to go gentle into that good night?
  If that be so, (…)

• Regional Parties in Indian Democracy: Centre and Peripheries

  1 December 2013, by Indrajeet Singh

  When democracy was officially installed in India in 1947, all citizens were accorded the right to vote, regardless of the illiteracy, poverty and social inequality of most of them. The decision promised equality, liberty and justice to all the people, regardless of caste, class and religion. The world took note, and interpretations of the emerging Indian experience began from then onwards.
  Unlike in Europe, the democratic process in India preceded industrialisation. Unfolding before the (…)

• Unfortunate Efforts by Communal Forces to Misuse the Name of Swami Vivekananda

  1 December 2013, by Bharat Dogra

  COMMUNICATION
  It is clear from the reasons given by a Chicago interfaith organisation for withdrawing support to the 150th birth aniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda in the USA that their main objection was to the very unfortunate domi-nation of this event by some persons and organisations having strong sectarian learnings which cannot be reconciled with the teachings of Swami Vivekananda based on communal harmony.
  We in India have also been disturbed by the strong efforts of (…)

• Snooping in Gujarat, Tejpal Issue and Media

  25 November 2013, by SC

  EDITORIAL
  While the rival political formations continue their attacks on each other in public rallies in the course of the electoral campaign for the State Assembly polls, the Gujarat snooping controversy is assuming a new and wider dimension with each passing day.
  On November 19, the issue came up in the Supreme Court with suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma, a sharp critic of the Narendra Modi Government, exhorting the Apex Court to urgently hear his plea on the audio tapes aired by (…)

• Manmohan Singh’s Golden Silence

  25 November 2013

  by Arun Srivastava
  Ostrich-like response to the prevailing politico-economic situation and reluctance of the leadership to firmly stand by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s policies and actions have been primarily responsible for the present pitiable condition of the Congress. Apparently it may appear that the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, has been putting a stiff challenge to the Congress and enjoys the trust of the Indian middle class; but the fact cannot be (…)

• Pakistan: Relief after Kayani’s Retirement

  25 November 2013, by Kuldip Nayar

  Pakistan Army Chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s announcement to retire on November 29 was a lead story in his country’s media. Some newspapers had bannered it. Opposition leader Syed Khurshid Shah welcomed the statement. In fact, there has been relief all over including in India that Kayani had announced his exit.
  This was primarily because Kayani was consi-dered an ambitious General. Moreover, it was believed that there might be another coup because such has been the practice in the past. But (…)

• First Terrorist of Independent India

  25 November 2013, by Subhash Gatade

  ”...Government have, however, noticed with regret that in practice members of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh have not adhered to their professed ideals. “Undesirable and even dangerous activities have been carried on by the members of the Sangh. It has been found that in several parts of the country individual members of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh have indulged in acts of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity and murder and have collected illicit arms and ammunitions. They have (…)