Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• Arrest of a Leader: Abhay Sahu

  1 June 2013, by Ambrose Pinto

  With the UPA Government’s model of development, it is tragic and worrisome that any dissent is not only not allowed but even those who dissent are treated with vengeance and retaliation. The state seems to be saying that those not with it are against it. Those who oppose the neo-liberal model are considered as enemies of the nation. While red carpet welcome has been offered to multinational and trans-national corporations to loot and plunder resources of the country, those who oppose these (…)

• When Hopes are Dashed by Foul Politics, Chaos looks like a Good Option

  1 June 2013, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS
  In classical tragedy—Greek, Shakespearean or Indian—the underlying theory is that the tragic hero cannot help himself. Antigone and Hamlet knew they were drifting into suffering but were unable to avert tragedy. Duryodhana alone understood and explained the trap in which he was caught. He knew what was dharma, he said, “but I have no inclination to follow it.” The only inclination he had was to do whatever came to his mind at any given moment.
  Even in their villainy the (…)

• Independence of the CBI, Police and Administration

  1 June 2013, by P R Dubhashi

  Taking exception to the CBI sharing its progress report on ‘Coalgate scam’ with the Law Minister and Joint Secretaries in the Prime Minister’s Office and Department of Coal, the Supreme Court characterised the CBI as “a caged parrot speaking its masters’ voice”—“one parrot with many masters”. The Court further observed that the CBI should have stood up to the pulls and pressures. The Court did not directly mention who it was that put the agency in the cage. The Court, in course of the (…)

• Concept of Federation and Centre-State Relations

  1 June 2013

  by Mohd. Anzar Alam
  Historical Background of Federation
  In the context of Centre-State relations, an assessment of the federal structure of government in the Constitution is essential. In fact a federal structure is a design of government in which there is division of power on territorial basis between the Centre and States. This limits the concentration of power and authority in the hands of only one government as the country’s powers get divided between the Centre and States. Thus both (…)

• Exposing Vested Interests Behind National AIDS Control Programme

  1 June 2013

  BOOK REVIEW
  by Sujata Madhok
  Breaking Ground—Journey into the Media ... and Out by Rami Chhabra; National Book Trust; pp. 469; Rs 305.
  A ringside view of the circus that is New Delhi, its circles of power and privilege and the mega changes it has witnessed in recent decades, marks Rami Chhabra’s 500-odd page magnum opus. This is both an insider and an outsider’s recollection of the challenges of professional and public life in post-independence India.
  As a journalist and feminist who (…)

• Nine Years of UPA Dispensation

  27 May 2013, by SC

  EDITORIAL
  Yesterday, that is, on May 22, the UPA II Government completed four years. The UPA dispensation has been in power for nine years now. It ousted the deeply entrenched NDA Government in 2004 when the pollsters had not predicted such an outcome, the comprehensive victory of the latter alliance headed by the BJP in 1999 being still bright in memory. It was the ‘India Shining’ agenda of the NDA that was its undoing despite the fact that a seasoned leader like Atal Behari Vajpayee, (…)

• Li Keqiang’s Visit

  27 May 2013

  COMMENTARY
  China’s new PM Li Keqiang’s first trip outside his country was to India this month. He had prepared well for his meetings with the Indian leaders and went out of his way to display warmth laced with plainspeak and candour. While PM Manmohan Singh read out from a prepared text at the media meet, Premier Li spoke extempore and left a lasting impress with his straightforward approach.
  It was good that Dr Manmohan Singh raised the border issue, including and most notably the (…)

• Vicious Cycle of Insecurity in Afghanistan

  27 May 2013

  by M. Ashraf Haidari
  Almost twelve years have passed since the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but peace remains elusive. Four interlocking challenges with internal, regional, transnational, and inter-national dimensions impede Afghanistan’s stabilisation and reconstruction. Each challenge facing Afghanistan feeds off the others, and together they have engendered a vicious circle that is destabilising the country.
  First, Afghanistan is an underdeveloped country and much of its (…)

• Pakistan: Democracy Triumphs: Nawaz Sharif on Trial

  27 May 2013, by Kuldip Nayar

  It was an emotional expression, that of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, after winning the polls in Pakistan. By inviting Prime Minister Man-mohan Singh to his oath-taking ceremony he fulfilled the desire to strike real friendship with India. But this should not come as a surprise. Nawaz Sharif had once fought and won an election against Benazir Bhutto on the plank of friendship with India.
  Unfortunately, New Delhi’s response was tepid. I wish there had been an Atal Behari Vajpayee to travel (…)

• India without Nehru

  27 May 2013, by Nikhil Chakravartty

  From N.C.’s Writings
  The following piece, which appeared in the ‘New Delhi Skyline’ of Mainstream, was written two days after Jawaharlal Nehru’s demise on May 27, 1964. It was published on May 30, 1964.
  As the golden flame licked up the funeral pyre, an unforgettable scene ended near the banks of the Jumna and under the shadow of the Red Fort.
  It was an emotional experience without precedence, to watch this mightiest demonstration of love and respect that this great country has paid to (…)