2023

The idea of a new Constitution is being floated, especially by those who are perceived to be close to the Narendra Modi Government. It started with Derek Debroy, writing in Mint, followed by others, and gained currency after the publication of a book, Colonial Constitution by Arghya Sen Gupta.
The Constitution contains core ideas and represents the collective aspirations. The consensus available during the constituent assembly debate is conspicuous by its absence.
Our Constitution (…)

December 14, 2023
It is easy at once to exaggerate or underestimate the sensational case of the aborted assassination attempt on Sikh separatist leader and US citizen, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York and its ramifications.
At one end is the myopic view that like the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand, India can escape God’s wrath. Typically, a commentary by a Delhi-based think tanker estimates that Pannun case “will remain a mere blip in surging India-US ties.” The (…)

Abstract
Microfinance through NBFCs and banks is a fast emerging sector which has registered a 21 % growth compared to 15.9 % in the total credit of all banks during 2022-23. The removal of the cap on interest for unsecured loans and enhancing the income ceiling of eligible families from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 3 lakh in the rural areas, may have given a big push to microfinance. The average interest rate charged and death insurance for the protection of loans is around 25 %; hence, commercial (…)

Recently this writer visited some working class settlements as well as gathering places of daily wage workers in Delhi. Conversations with people here revealed serious, persistent and increasing difficulties in meeting basic needs in a situation of stagnant wages and escalating inflation. In consultation with social workers and people I tried to make an approximate calculation of the minimum income that a 5 member household would need to meet basic needs in a reasonably satisfactory way (…)

In a world where hunger, drought, and gender-related conflicts intertwine, the narrative of despair becomes palpable, especially for the vulnerable, our children. As unsustainable changes in land and sea wreak havoc on nature and biodiversity, the urgency to address these interconnected challenges cannot be overstated. Discussing climate without acknowledging the pain in the world would be a disservice, for these challenges reflect our failings and strengths, shaping our response to the (…)

14 December 2023
There’s a strange sort of unease cum disbelief amongst the voters to the elections results in the backdrop of the EVMs and much of the connected factors. In fact, last week, on 8 December 2023, M. G. Devasahayam, a former bureaucrat and now an activist and coordinator of the Citizens Commission on Elections (CCE), sent to the Election Commission of India and the Election Commissioners a memorandum, which is signed by thousands of voters. To quote Devasahayam on (…)

Abstract
Cinema often anticipates and projects collective fancies and discomforts within popular culture. ’Mainstream’ or conventional cinema is assumed to be a usually accessible suspect that performs this function. This essay moves against this intuition in approaching Pathaan through a focus on its affective power and experiential effect on popular culture. The essay parses out the socio-political imagery of the film to observe that it articulates a kind of nation that offers a (…)

Bring women to the table we said, you will get the wellsprings, of motherhood and sisterhood, the fragrance the world has been denied, for we have always relied on men, guns and oil, while we women are clean, unspoiled. You have kept us away from our share of the sun, you men have led the dance, had all the fun.
The women came full of good intentions to be the bedrock; flowers falling on rock, become rock, whose blood is red, as readily useless as any man’s blood shed in Ukraine; what the (…)

During his recent visit to the United States, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power, addressed an interesting question from a Sri Lankan resident. The person highlighted the significant dominance of the white population in the US but also emphasized their peaceful coexistence with other migrant communities despite their majority status. In drawing a comparison to Sri Lanka, the person underscored the prevalent presence of the Sinhala people yet pointed out (…)

by Erik Solheim
A close to united Norwegian political elite portrays the climate challenge as an existential crisis. It is the biggest challenge of our time. It is a matter of the survival of humanity. It’s about the future of our children and grandchildren. There is no shortage of big words.
What is not discussed is the only Norwegian initiative that could mean something important to the world. Investing part of the Norwegian oil wealth in a green future.
Could one of the reasons why (…)