Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• Background to the Chinese Invasion

  24 October 2012

  DOCUMENT
  The following is a factual background to the large-scale Chinese invasion that took place in September-October 1962. It was released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)’s External Publicity Division around that time fifty years ago.
  The boundary between India and China extends over 2200 miles. The boundary of Sikkim with the Tibet region of China extends over 140 miles while that of Bhutan extends over 300 miles. The entire length of this border has been either defined by (…)

• Reflections on Nehru and Sino-Indian War

  24 October 2012, by Amitava Mukherjee

  AFTER FIFTY YEARS
  Even fifty years after the India-China war of 1962, balanced and dispassionate analysis of the event is hard to come across. While the Chinese side of the story is available in plenty there is a strange and inexplicable diffidence from the side of the Government of India in placing in proper perspective what had really happened at that time. There have been two casualties of this sheepish approach. First is the reputation and credibility of the then Prime Minister (…)

• National Emergency arising out of Chinese Aggression

  24 October 2012

  The following is the full text of the resolution adopted at the first mee;ting of the CPI National Council after the Chinese aggression. Thiis meeting took place in New Delhi on November 1, 1962.
  The National Council of the Communist Party of India meeting in New Delhi in the present grave period of national emergency, appeals to all sections of the Indian people to unite in defence of the motherland against the Chinese aggression. The Communist Party joins hands with all our patriotic (…)

• Vital Contours of Moscow-
Delhi Cooperation

  24 October 2012, by Mansoor Ali

  Political analysts are of the view that India and Russia today have several concurring interests. Besides the systematic growth of bilateral relations—that have registered a steady development since the mid-fifties of the last century—both countries are committed to ease tensions in the Asia-Pacific region while ensuring the effective functioning of security systems. In this connection, against the backdrop of conflict situations involving the US, China, Japan and both Koreas, the (…)

• In Search of a People’s Alternative

  24 October 2012

  K.N. RAMACHANDRAN
  This article reached us sometime ago but could not be used earlier for unavoidable reasons.
  Kuldip Nayar had concluded his article “Where is the Vision?”(Mainstream, June 30) with these words: “The people’s dilemma is that both the national parties, the Congress and the BJP, riven as they are with groupism and ambitions, do not qualify to lead the nation. How I wish there were some party, even though small, that had the vision to retrieve the country and take it (…)

• Manmohan & Co.’s Subservience to US is What Makes FDI a Bad Word

  24 October 2012, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS
  Opposition to the FDI-in-retail idea is genuine and widespread. The main reason is the people’s distrust of politicians including, in this case, Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister is seen as an American camp-follower. Remember his telling the very unpopular George Bush that the people of India loved him. When he and “experts” like the World-Bank-branded Ahluwalia say that FDI in retail will do no harm, people just don’t trust them.
  It now stands revealed that America in fact (…)

• A Cruel Joke

  16 October 2012, by SC

  Even as the debate over FDI in multi-brand retail continues in various forms on TV channels and newspaper articles, the alleged favours to the Congress President-cum-UPA chairperson’s son-in-law have lately hogged the headlines thus acquiring national prominence.
  The allegations by India Against Corruption (IAC) are doubtless serious and cannot be brushed under the carpet. IAC head Arvind Kejriwal has charged businessman Robert Vadra, a private citizen even if he is the husband of (…)

• Half a Battle Won, the Wider Task Ahead

  16 October 2012, by Bharat Dogra

  The agreement reached on October 11 between the government and Jan Satyagraha, the Gandhian movement for land reforms, has created conducive conditions for the foot-march of over 50,000 people to end at Agra, instead of the original plan of the marchers coming all the way to Delhi.
  The agreement has emphasised the setting up of a task force and homestead land for all land-less rural people. Beyond the immediate terms of the agreement, however, the bigger and hard-won victory is that of (…)

• Protector of National Sovereignty fighting Multinationals’ Misdeeds

  16 October 2012, by Bharat Dogra

  COMMUNICATION
  On September 26 Dr Banwarilal Sharma breathed his last at the PGI hospital in Chandigarh. For the academic world, Dr Sharma was a highly accomplished mathematician of international repute, but as far as the common people of India are concerned, Dr Sharma was first and foremost a relentless protector of national interests and sovereignty who devoted his life to exposing and opposing the misdeeds of multinational companies.
  After obtaining a doctorate in mathematics from (…)

• US Election and the Wheels of History

  16 October 2012

  CREDIT CARD WARS
  by A COMMENTATOR
  Those who witnessed the historic Denver debate between Mitt Romney and US President Barack Obama might have not been allowed to think freely by the media which is busy spinning the tales of who out of the two—Romney or Obama—won the debate. But Obama did make a few honest observations in course of those 95 minutes of debate. At one point Obama eluded that Romney has gone back on the promises he made during 18 months of campaign, especially on his promise (…)