Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• India’s Sovereignty — Have We Lost It?

  9 April 2017, by S G Vombatkere

  This article was written before the results of the five State Assembly elections came out and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was elected the Chief Minister of Goa thus resigning from the Union Cabinet.
  UPA-1 and UPA-2 PM Dr Manmohan Singh staked his “kursi” on concluding two strategic agreements with the USA: The New Framework Agreement for US-India Defence Relationship between the US Secretary of Defense and the Indian Defence Minister, on June 28, 2005; and The US-India Joint (…)

• Imbibing Nationalism or Neo-Colonialism?

  9 April 2017

  by K. Narayana
  As per news reports, the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, has invited university teachers from all over the country in order to hold a seminar on “Parting with Colonial Ways—Imbibing Nationalism”.
  The RSS and its off-shoot organisations had never raised a finger against British colonialism and remained aloof from the freedom struggle. They had in fact actively collaborated with the British authorities to sabotage the struggle for freedom. None of their founders was a part of (…)

• Revision of Indus Water Treaty?

  9 April 2017, by Kuldip Nayar

  Islamabad has asked the World Bank to honour the Indus Water Treaty executed between India and Pakistan in 1960. This is in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that India is free to use the water which flows into the sea. This is not correct because, according to the Treaty, India cannot use more than 20 percent of the Indus water.
  The World Bank spent many years to persuade New Delhi and Islamabad to reach an agreement. I recall that after Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and (…)

• Shared Dreams, Distant Reality: An analysis of aspirations in movie Dangal

  9 April 2017

  by Swati Sehgal and Divyanshu Patel
  Dangal: the Sport and the Metaphor
  The title, Dangal, literally meaning a wrestling competition, holds on to multiple meanings in the movie. As the narrative evolves, it signifies a range of emotions that move from angst and rebellion to commitment, failure and will to excel. Remarkably, without whining about the status of sports in the country, the movie showcases the inner world and life challenges of sportswomen/men. Without engaging in reduction of (…)

• Twentyfive Years of Independence of Central Asian States: Painful Transition to Democracy and Development

  9 April 2017

  by R.G. Gidadhubli and Sanjay D. Deshpande
  All the five Central Asian States (CAS), namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have celebrated the 25th anniversary of their sovereignty and independence after the break-up of the former Soviet Union. In this context the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to three CAS on February 27 and 28, 2017 was significant as it also marked the 25th anniversary of Moscow’s diplomatic relations and by that he wanted to (…)

• Chinese Classes Stopped

  9 April 2017, by Harish Chandola

  The Indian Army suddenly stopped teaching its men the Chinese language at its Joshimath Brigade headquarters last year. It, however, continues to teach the language at some other centres.
  Joshimath is in the middle sector of the India-China border, some 20 kilometres below the border, called Bara Hoti, across which China maintains its Army posts, from which its soldiers keep coming on patrols into Indian teritory and then return to their camps across the border, after completing their (…)

• If gangsters have taken over the education ‘industry’, all talk of development in India is bunkum

  9 April 2017, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS
  Education in India is in tatters because of horrendous corruption. This is making the country wobble like a skyscraper detached from its foundations. The authorities ignore the crisis because they are themselves either the destroyers or protectors of the destroyers. Frauds and scoundrels have been having such a field day that it is difficult to imagine the country rising to its potential in the foreseeable future. So much for our glorified development.
  How can there be any (…)

• Emasculating a Genuinely Popular Governing System

  9 April 2017, by D. Bandyopadhyay

  BOOK REVIEW
  Essays of Inclusive Growth and Some Reminiscences by C.H. Hanumantha Rao; published by Academic Foundation; 2014; price: Rs 995.00.
  The prime quality of reviewing a book is objectivity. The reviewer should be able to scan the book with complete neutrality. But being an ordinary person, I can’t claim that I am above normal emotions. I write this because Prof C. H. Hanumantha Rao is not only known to me but I consider him as my friend. So I may not have that objectivity on (…)

• We stand Reduced to what Pathetic Lows!

  9 April 2017, by Humra Quraishi

  MUSINGS
  As an Indian Muslim I’m sitting not just apprehensive but very upset. I don’t feel I’m living in a democracy, as Hindutva forces have begun ruling this land. Camouflages are off. Stark realities stare. Henceforth, I should get used to living in a Hindu Rashtra, to be ruled by pracharaks and maha-pracharks, their dictates unleashed on me on a daily basis. Humiliating me, throttling my very spirit, diluting my identity. Nah, I cannot revolt; otherwise there is the danger of getting (…)

• PIPFPD expresses Concern over Arrest of Indian Fishermen by Pakistan’s MSA

  9 April 2017

  The following is a press statement issued by the Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy on March 28, 2017.
  It is a matter of serious concern that more than hundred fishermen from India have been arrested by the Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency (MSA) on March 25, 2017. Along with this, 19 fishing boats have also been seized.
  The number of arrests is extremely high and this has not happened in the recent past.
  In the Saurashtra region this is affecting the economy in a (…)