Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• On CPI’s Draft Party Programme

  18 May 2013

  COMMUNICATION
  The Draft of the Party Programme of the Communist Party of India sets the task of completing the Democratic Revolution (Introductory Note) or New Democratic Revolution (12.4) and this is repeatedly mentioned in the Draft. Obviously it means that the Revolution is already underway and the CPI has to fulfil the task of taking it forward for its completion. But who started it and how it got going is nowhere clear in the Draft. It has been, however, asserted that ‘it will not be (…)

• Poineering Work on Comparative Constitutionalism in South Asia

  18 May 2013, by Vijay Kumar

  BOOK REVIEW
  Comparative Constitutionalism in South Asia: ed by Sunil Khilnani, Vikram Raghavan and Arun K. Thiruvengadam; Oxford Univrsity Press, New Delhi; 2013; Pages 401.
  The book under review is long overdue. The comparison of evolution of constitutionalism in the South Asian countries has not been done in a systematic and structural manner till date. The book in your hand seeks to fill the void. The book is rightly dedicated to the two of the tallest jurists of the region: Neelan (…)

• Justice J.S. Verma: A Mind Without Fear

  18 May 2013

  TRIBUTE
  by Chaman Lal
  The death of Justice J.S. Verma, the former Chief Justice of India and erstwhile Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on April 22, 2013 marks the end of an important era in the operationalisation of human rights in India.
  Despite belonging to the Madhya Pradesh cadre of the Indian Police Service, I had known and admired Justice J.S. Verma from a distance until October 1999, when he joined the National Human Rights Commission as its Chairperson. I (…)

• Rapid Spread of Liquor Vends Increases Violence against Women

  18 May 2013, by Bharat Dogra

  COMMUNICATION
  While various aspects of violence against women have been widely discussed in recent times, one very significant reason for the worsening of this problem has not received the necessary attention. The reference here is to the rapid proliferation of liquor vends in most parts of the country, reaching even remote villages. Social activists and women’s organisations have repeatedly warned that this, apart from causing many other problems, is increasing the insecurity of women and (…)

• Congress Wrests Power in Karnataka

  11 May 2013, by SC

  The results of the Karnataka Assembly polls are out: the BJP has suffered a rout losing power in the only State of South India where it had struck deep roots. The Congress has registered a comprehensive victory securing as many as 121 seats in the 224-member House thus setting to rest all doubts that it may fall short of a simple majority of 113. The BJP secured only 40 seats—the same as the tally of the JD(S)—as against 110 it had won in the 2008 election; at the same time its voteshare (…)

• On SC’s Plainspeak, Fresh Revelations

  11 May 2013

  COMMENTARY
  The Supreme Court has come out with several strictures against the CBI and PMO on May 8 while charging the UPA Government with having changed the ‘heart of the report’ on the investigation into the coal scam. In this situation the continuance of the Union Law Minister, Ashwani Kumar, in his post has become untenable even as the PM is backing him to the hilt. As we go to press, it is learnt that the Congress is getting ready to have him removed despite the PM’s insistence on (…)

• Supreme Court Judgment on Kudankulam Plant Needs Full-bench Review

  11 May 2013, by Sailendra Nath Ghosh

  COMMENTARY
  Observer
  The judgment delivered on May 6 (2013) by a two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court is shocking and anti-people. Unless the full-Bench of the Supreme Court hastens to correct it, it will lower the prestige of our Supreme Court in the eyes of the world.
  The following questions need to be addressed: Who, for what purpose, filed the PIL on the Kudankulam nuclear plant before the Supreme Court? Is the Supreme Court endowed with superior know-ledge about nuclear plants? (…)

• Human Rights Activists and Death Penalty

  11 May 2013, by Rajindar Sachar

  The morality of death penalty has again come to the forefront by the latest Supreme Court judgment rejecting Bhullar’s plea for mercy. I am against death penalty as such for anyone. But politicians like Badal, Karunanidhi, Jaya-lalithaa only invoke mercy to suit their political exigencies.
  Badal obviously is feeling pressurised by the SGPC and extremist elements in the Akali Dal—if not, then why does he not also ask for mercy for all prisoners on the death-roll? If Badal is genuine and his (…)

• Quiet Changeover in Karnataka?

  11 May 2013, by Kuldip Nayar

  The acquittal of Sajjan Kumar, a Congress leader from Delhi, was bound to create a furore because he has come to symbolise the anti-Sikh riots in 1984. Even though 29 years have lapsed since the killings, the anger has not lessened because the demand by the Sikhs to punish the guilty has not been met. Some way would have to be found to allay their hurt.
  When the Blacks and Whites were at the point of clash in South Africa, a Commission for Law and Reconciliation was appointed. The purpose (…)

• Karnataka lies Wounded by Corruption, Communalism; Voters are Helpless

  11 May 2013, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS
  Karnataka votes today. If this election is different from previous ones, it is because the tragedy that has overtaken the State stands out more starkly today than before. Led by some wise leaders and legendary administrators, Karnataka had become famous for its pro-gressive pace. Decline set in with the 1975 Emer-gency, developing rapidly into decay and then ruin.
  All parties contributed to this process of destruction and that is why a change of parties will not alter the (…)