2021

Both Bangladesh and India are celebrating the year 1971, on the occasion of the liberation of a territory known as East Pakistan then, which came to be recognized as Bangladesh at the end of that year. The transformation was brought about through a combination of two main factors among others. First was the valiant resistance put up by Bangladeshi freedom fighters against the Pakistan army within their country, and the next was the external aid that they received from India. The latter aid (…)

(The Following is an English translation of विकास की यह राह विषैली, (vikas ki yeh rah vishaili hai) Hindustan, 18 Nov 2021)
There are many discussions going on regarding pollution. But the one aspect that is being overlooked in all these debates is our development model. It has a major contribution in increasing pollution. It considers material development as the measure of human development. This model, which is about 150-200 years old, emphasizes maximising production, so that people’s (…)

IMPRESSIONS
"If I see you, get out of my way. You son of a b–ch, I’ll slap you. Believe me, I’ll slap you in front of a lot of people. You really want to test if we really have (it)? You have a wife. You lend her to me, you son of a b–ch."
Classic street language used by rowdies. But these sentences were used by the President of a country. And in public. People in the know will say that in this case, there is not much difference between a rowdy and the President. (…)

MUSINGS - 17 November 2021
A country without comedians or conversations or counter views!
At first it was the hounding of stand-up comedian, Munawar Faruqui (mind you, his hounding continues, as his shows are getting cancelled in city after city) and now news just coming in is this - a case has been filed against the absolutely brilliant comedian, Vir Das. Why? Because of his latest show where he spoke out, on the huge range of disparities and double standards and the hitting (…)

by Prof Radhakanta Barik *
There has been some studies on the island in Ocean but very limited study has been conducted on the Island in the river. (Gloria Pungetti 2021) Some studies are available in the island of Brahmaputra by geographers which are very much relevant for our study. (Nikhil Roy and others 2020; P Kokoky and others 2003) They have examined the erosion in each flood of the island which affects the villagers but here in Odisha the erosion has affected the island. Island is (…)

After Fumio Kishida won victory on the 31 October elections with a comfortable majority, thereby becoming Japan’s 101st prime minister, he has flashed out his grand vision to bring Japan’ economy back on track. It is to be seen how much his economic policies would be different from his immediate predecessors, Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga, both of whom were seen to have violated basic political imperatives while in office. While acknowledged that there is no room for complacency in dealing (…)

by Ram Puniyani
As sectarian nationalism is becoming more assertive and dominant the narrative about our freedom struggle and how we got freedom are being twisted to suit the currently surging religious nationalism. So far communalism was constructed by the communal vision of medieval history in particular. To add on to that now the narrations related to the period of freedom movement are being distorted to undermine the freedom movement on one hand and to glorify those who kept themselves (…)

by Bhabani Shankar Nayak *
The Hindi film industry in Bombay has contributed immensely in the growth of peace, solidarity and secular nationalism, and progressive popular culture in India. The actors, directors, singers, artists, producers and writers of Bollywood have challenged power and stood behind people and their citizenship rights by upholding highest traditions of art and cinema. The market driven commercial culture motivated by profit has diminished such traditions within the (…)

by Chittarvu Raghu *
Instances of disrespect shown to the national flag, constitution, and the National Anthem, prompted Parliament to enact prevention of insults to the National Honour Act, 1971. The said Act stipulates that whoever in a public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or otherwise shows disrespect to or brings into contempt whether by words either spoken or written or by acts the Indian National (…)

Himachal Pradesh has been experiencing several adversities in recent times including erratic weather conditions. The year 2021 started with a prolonged drought spell and unseasonal, widespread forest fires. After this there have been several spells of very heavy rain concentrated in a short span, sometimes accompanied by hailstorm, which have caused extensive damage to seasonal crops and horticultural produce from from time. Combined with serious policy mistakes manifesting in avoidable (…)