2020

by Vijay Kumar *
The present circumstances offer a great opportunity to do political mobilization on the basis of class consolidation. India is a society of a curious admixture of class and caste, and even Left Parties stood compelled to take this into account. On the one hand, our institutions ranging from University to Bureaucracy to Court of Law are supposed to function on the basis of rule of law, on the other hand, the politics, particularly politics of last 30 years, is being (…)

by Arun Srivastava
This time the electoral battle line is blurred. It lacks clarity. Though the electioneering has started and the prominent leaders have already started holding public meetings, it is a grey haze that blurs the electoral scene. What is significant is this scene has not been created by the people of Bihar, instead this has been portrayed by the over ambitious politicians of the state, especially the RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav and Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar.
Lack of (…)

by Bhumika Rajdev *
16.10.2020
Tanishq, the jewellery brand of India received severe backlash from the social media users due to its new advertisement projecting an inter-faith household. Netizens attacked Tanishq for glorifying the idea of ‘love-jihad’, a construct of Hindu nationalists, which eventually forced the brand to withdraw the ad film.
The ad depicted arrangement of a baby shower ceremony called ‘Pulikudi’ in Kerala by a North Indian (presumably) Muslim family for their (…)

by Jwalika Balaji
October 14, 2020
The press is one of the first lines of defence that actively engages in criticising the government for its actions and policies.
It is integral to democracy, as it provides all the requisite information about those who are standing, their ideas, and their actions. This creates informed voters, who will be able to better exercise their discretion while voting in the elections.
Freedom of press is an intrinsic part of Art. 19(1)(a).
Given that the (…)

We strongly contest criminalisation of women’s expression of peaceful dissent and participation as citizens in Indian democracy
The women-led peaceful protests against the CAA, NRC and NPR became a powerful symbol of democratic resistance, inspiring solidarity from across the globe. Women, especially from the Muslim community, expressed their firm opposition to laws and policies that have differential impact and consequences on citizenship of different religious communities and vulnerable (…)

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) AITUC Bhawan 35-36, D.D.U. Marg, Rouse Avenue, New Delhi-110002
16th October, 2020
National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) had acquired 1980 acres of tribal land in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh and was setting up an integrated steel plant named NAGARNAR Steel Plant (NSP) at a cost of Rs.23000 Cr, mostly out of its own funds. It was to produce 3 Mt of steel per year.
Now the Modi Government, in its rush to hand (…)

by Soumya Mishra *
August 5, 2020
The Vidya Balan starrer film Shakuntala Devi, which is based on the life of the eminent late genius Shakuntala Devi was released on the OTT Amazon Prime a couple of days ago. The film begins with a disclaimer which states that it is not a biography or documentary on Shakuntala Devi, but rather, this is a narrative based on a ‘true story’ as seen through the eyes of a daughter, that is, Shakuntala Devi’s daughter Anupama Banerji. In doing so, (…)

Theodor W Adorno Aspects of the New Right-Wing Extremism
Polity Press, Cambridge, UK and Medford, MA, 2020. 100 pp. $12.95 pb ISBN 9781509541454
Reviewed by Gustavo Racy
The transcription of Adorno’s reflection on the (then) new right-ring extremism arrives at the right time. Although the risk of falling into anachronistic readings is always present when we touch upon topics which we find precious to our own moment, Adorno’s lecture, published in print for the first time, warns us – (…)

by Santhosh Mathew
Dag Hammarskjöld the second secretary general of the United Nations famously opined that the very purpose of its [UN] creation was not to take to heaven instead it saves humanity from hell. United Nations has reached another milestone by completing 75 years and is embarking towards another year filled with challenges and international disputes which require mediation and greater will to prevent any catastrophe.
The idealism of the founding fathers of the League of (…)

by Rup Narayan Das * Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his virtual address to the United Nations last week on the occasion of its 75th anniversary reiterated the demand for the reform of the UN system – in its responses, in the processes and its very character. The United Nation was born immediately in the aftermath of the Second World War as a multilateral body of sovereign countries to provide collective security. The Charter of the UN clearly enshrines its laudable objective. It has (…)