Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• The Mother and her Deification

  9 September 2016, by Vidya Bhushan Rawat

  Many friends ask me why am I quiet on the issue of Mother Teresa and her canonisation. Well, I have been travelling and not really following much of the news. However, I have my position which I clarified several times in the past too. I have lots of respect for Christopher Hitchens and his absolutely phenomenal analysis. The Mother was a religious woman with a kind heart. Her main aim was to ‘serve’ the God which she found in serving the people. A secular critique of Christianity cannot be (…)

• Modi’s Visit to Vietnam: A New Push to India’s Act East Policy

  9 September 2016

  by Rajaram Panda
  Introduction
  On his way for the G-20 summit meeting in Hangzhou, China, and East Asia Summit and related Summits at Vientiane, Laos, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his maiden visit to Vietnam to hold wide-ranging talks with the country’s top leadership on ways to bolster strategic bilateral ties in key areas like defence, security, counter-terrorism and trade. This marked the first by an Indian Prime Minister to visit Vietnam in 15 years. Modi was the fourth Indian (…)

• On “Why Vegetarianism is Anti-national”

  9 September 2016

  COMMUNICATION
  This has reference to an article that has appeared recently titled “Why Vegetarianism is Anti-national”, written by Professor Kancha Ilaiah in Mainstream (August 27, 2016). He has made a reference to Prof M.S. Swaminathan and the policy of vegetarianism at the MSSR Foundation.
  We would like to make it known that MSSRF is a not-for-profit institution engaged in research for food and nutrition security. Our work includes agriculture, livestock and fisheries. We also run a (…)

• Irom Sharmila

  9 September 2016, by Sagari Chhabra

  You had the will to stay Without food For sixteen years; So that our conscience awakens! Your act of non-violence In a sea of violence— Rapes, arrests, wanton deaths By the army, with impunity, Touches deep within, And will stay till infinity. The salt that Gandhi once made While walking to Dandi, Now has by its side, The iconic image Of your feeding tube. You resist violence By denying yourself taste; Make haste, O world! Listen to this voice, It carries within it— As you place a (…)

• On SC’s Singur Verdict, LEMOA

  5 September 2016, by SC

  EDITORIAL
  As we go to press, news has just come that the Supreme Court has scrapped the acquisition of nearly 1000 acres of multi-crop land in West Bengal’s Singur for the Tata Motors’ Nano car project. Thus the eight-year-long legal battle between the company and the West Bengal Government run by the Trinamul Congress has been brought to an end.
  The Apex Court, in its judgment, has directed the State Government to take possession of the land and redistribute it to the original owners, a (…)

• Let Article 370 of Indian Constitution (on Jammu and Kashmir) Not be Weakened

  5 September 2016, by Rajindar Sachar

  The Supreme Court of India, notwithstanding some controversial decisions in the matter of constitutional interpretation, has by far and large contributed to upholding the rights and privileges of the States and individuals.
  But with a decision Ajay Kumar Pandey versus State of J&K and Anr. decided by the Constitution Bench on July 19, 2016 there has arisen the apprehension of interfering with the autonomy of J&K, guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
  The (…)

• Mother India Beckons Us All

  5 September 2016, by Nikhil Chakravartty

  From N.C.’s Writings
  After forty years of the foundation of our independent republic, the Frankenstein has appeared again—the monster that is out to destroy democracy and plunge this nation into civil war that shall rend asunder thousands of towns and villages of this great country.
  The term communalism does not convey the gravity of the crisis that confronts us today—let it be bluntly stated that what we face today is the demon of Hindu-Muslim hatred. Over a large part of this land, (…)

• Who said India cut a Sorry Figure at the Olympics? No Other Country had VIPs Winning Medals

  5 September 2016, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS
  It is true that India did better in the last Olympics than in this one; just 83 athletes won six medals in London while 117 won two in Rio. But that does not mean that our great country cut a sorry figure before the world. On the contrary. No other country sent its reigning national Sports Minister to Rio to liven up things. The Honourable Vijay Goel and his “aggressive and rude” staff did it so well that the organisers had to warn them of possible expulsion from the arena. (…)

• It is a Real Shame

  5 September 2016, by Kuldip Nayar

  It is a shame that India has not won any gold medal in the Olympics. There were great hopes from the largest ever Indian contingent but when it came to the performance, it fell well short of expectations. Hockey, which we taught to the West, is nowhere in the subcontinent. With change of rules, in the name of making the sport more attractive, the West has come to monopolise hockey. But it would be unfair to blame it on the rule changes alone. The bane of the problem with our players is lack (…)

• India, US set to become Logistical Allies

  5 September 2016, by M K Bhadrakumar

  This week marks a historic milestone in independent India’s diplomatic history. The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) is to be signed in Washington on August 30.
  The LEMOA provides for the armed forces of the two countries to use the other globally for supplies, spare parts, services and refuelling. Effectively, the US armed forces could operate out of Indian bases on a simple basis.
  India has never allowed foreign powers to operate out of its military bases. It rejected (…)