2019

by M.P. Nathanael
way back in July 1989, I was returning to New Delhi after completing an assignment in Srinagar when I found two passengers in the flight harassing a Kashmiri by asking him now and then if he was going to India. When I could no longer stand the humiliation being heaped upon my Kashmiri countryman who silently with-stood the ignominy, I intervened and asked the two to desist from bullying him. I could not presage then, the repercussions such behaviour of my fellow citizens (…)

by Partha S. Ghosh
Let us not beat about the bush. The essence of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) can be limited to just one sentence: it is meant to reduce India’s Muslims to second-class citizens; proof of their Indianness is endlessly demanded, but never fully accepted. The subtext is to give the Hindus the sadistic satisfaction of making Muslims know their “real place” in Indian society.
But for this explanation, it is difficult to find any other rationale behind the bill, (…)

Kautilya, the 3rd century BC philosopher-statesman, had observed that ‘a king with depleted Treasury eats into the very vitality of citizens and the country’. The Indian Government’s Treasury today is empty due to years of profligacy by the government, its revenues falling short of ever-increasing expenditure and the shortfall met by recourse to debt. But debt has to be paid back and unless prudently used, imposes heavy future burden on the debtor, be it individual, corporate or government. (…)

Statement issued by CFD on CAB
The following is a statement on the Citizens Amendment Bill (passed in Parliament) by S.R. Hiremath, President, Citzens For Democracy, N.D. Pancholi, General Secretary and Anil Sinha, Secretary. The statement was issued on December 12, 2019
The passing of the Citizens Amendment Bill that is, CAB by the Indian Parliament on December 11, 2019 is one of the most shameful provisions ever passed by it since independence. The arguments advanced by Amit Shah, (…)

by Archishman Raju
Background to the Peace movement
When a people’s history of the 20th century is written, Romesh Chandra will shine in it as a world historic figure, and one of the most, if not the most, preeminent fighter for peace in the second half of the 20th century. Unfortunately, his legacy is largely unknown to a new generation and very little material is available today on his life and work. There is no better time to remember and understand his importance than on the year of (…)

by Suranjita Ray
A pluralist society is characterised by heterogeneity, diversity and multiplicity in caste, culture, customary practices/traditions, religious belief/faith, language, thought, opinion and understanding. Such diversities and multiplicities coexist and live in harmony contributing to consensus, equilibrium, oneness and togetherness in society and in the nation. However, it is undeniable that there are also occasions when these differences have/can become divisive that result (…)

by Farooq Ahmad Waza
In its bid to restart the wheels of democracy in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir1 the State Administrative Council (SAC),2 headed by former Governor Satya Pal Malik, conducted elections to chairpersons of the intermediate panchayat—called Block Development Council (BDC)—in Jammu and Kashmir on October 24, 2019. The elections became due after the panchayat election was held in November-December 2018. However, the election got delayed (for multiple reasons) (…)

by Sankar Ray
The shattering defeat of Jeremy Corbyn—‘Brexitquake, not Youthquake’—was more unexpected for the fellow-travellers the world over, not of Labour Party of the UK alone. They anticipated a victory of the charismatic challenger to the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson, the sitting Prime Minister, but oblivious of the stark ground reality. A tweet from Matt Kenard read: “52% of voters—17.4 million people—voted to leave the EU in 2016, many of them Labour voters. They had (…)

by Sandeep Pandey and Rajendran Narayanan
A ‘Restoration of Democracy’ march, part on feet and part on vehicles, was planned from Jammu to Srinagar between November 26 and December 1, 2019 for restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir after the decision of Government of India earlier on August 5 to abrogate Articles 370 and 35A and divide and downgrade of State into two Union Territories, J&K and Ladakh. When the march started on November 26 from Press Club, Jammu with over fifty (…)

There is some confusion and controversy around the question as to when the Communist Party of India (CPI) was founded. There are basically two versions: according to one, it was founded in 1920, and to another in 1925. There are a few other versions too, such as its having been founded in 1933 etc., but they are not as important. We will try to clarify the issue citing historical decisions of the united CPI itself and other sources.
We will establish that the CPI was founded in 1925, and (…)