2020

Table of Contents - Mainstream, VOL LVIII No 34, New Delhi, August 8, 2020
Letter to the Readers of Mainstream’s Lockdown Edition 20 (August 8) Towards Theocracy: the ignominious collapse of Secular Democracy in India | Badri Raina August 5, a Blot on our Secular Democracy | Sukumaran C.V. Abrogation of Article-370: A Monumental Blunder | Praveen Davar Contempt of Court | Barun Das Gupta Open letter to a Maoist friend: Is it time to hang up your boots? | Shubhranshu Choudhary Yes to (…)

The remarks made by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, on August 5, 2020 in the town on Ayodhya comparing the sectarian campaign of the Hindu right-wing to build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with the anti-colonial movement for freedom in India are totally misplaced. In violation of secular norms, he acted more like an activist of the Hindutva ideology than as a Prime Minister of a secular country.
In the early days after India’s independence, when the Somnath Temple was being built (…)

The constitution of India is there, like many other artifacts in the archives, but, like the human appendix, it may now be vestigial.
No political force, including the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, has taken a formal divorce from it; it has simply been abandoned as many consorts are.
In speaking of having brought “nar” and “narayan” (man and god) “lok” and “aastha” (people and faith), “ateet” and “vartaman” (past and present) together, the constitutionally-installed prime minister (…)

August 5 will be written as the most bizarre day in the history of secular democratic India. On August 5, 2020, the Prime Minister of secular democratic India was seen kneeling down, participating in the foundation laying ceremony of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, and performing the Hindu religious rituals. Temples were built in ancient and mediaeval times and the driving force was devotion, not politics. The grand temples of South India were built in the mediaeval times by the Chola, Pallava, (…)

• It was exactly one year ago the Modi government abrogated Article -370 and bifurcated the state of Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories -J&K and Ladakh.The bill to do so was rushed through both Houses virtually within last two days of Parliament leaving no time and opportunity for any discussion.That many smaller parties,including those not in the NDA, voted in favour of the bill, was indeed shocking. These parties, though having no stake in J&K, have not realised the (…)

In a democracy, no institution of the State — the judiciary included — can or should be above public scrutiny and criticism. Criticism is not contempt. Contempt is when the judiciary as an institution is sought to be brought into public disrepute and its integrity as an institution is sought to be questioned.
It was Lord Acton who said: “Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.” He also famously said: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts (…)

by Shubhranshu Choudhary
Dear Vasu
Heard your voice after a long time when you sent an oral press note opposing our Peace initiative. Same voice, same passion...
It was good to know that you are now an official spokesperson for the Maoist party. I recall our first meeting, in a coffee house in Raipur Chhattisgarh, now more than 30 years ago when you told me that you do politics for people. Center of gravity of your politics is the good of the common people. People, only the good of (…)

The relationship between India and Israel should be sustained but not at the expense of our traditional loyalty to the Palestinian cause. India should not dither on its long standing and unequivocal support to the struggle of the Palestinian people for national liberation and for an independent State.

Qamar Gul, 15 and married, became modern Afghanistan’s hero overnight after her bravery in gunning down Taliban attackers was reported to the media by the local government in mid-July. Since then, the incident, which happened on the midnight on July 17, and its aftermath are being talked about, and commented upon not only in the country but outside as well. Her act of instant and highly risky bravery brought her wholehearted appreciations from the head of the Afghan state, from millions of (…)

With thousands of Nepali migrant workers forced to return home because of COVID-19, the country is facing serious challenges.