2024

[fond noir][blanc]BOOK REVIEWblanc]fond noir]
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Justice by Means of Democracy
by Danielle Allen
Indian Print by Satyam Books Pvt. Ltd. 2023 Page 282 Price Rs.995/-
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The ‘Theory of Justice’ by John Rawls was published in 1971, and since then has been holding the reign of most original work, at least in the post-second World War. The fundamental of Rawlsian paradigm was challenged first time by Prof. Amartya Sen in ‘Idea of Justice’ in 2009 by shifting the focus from (…)

* Statement from India Palestine Solidarity Forum (May 15, 2024)
* Naveen Patnaik’s Attempts to Saffronise Odisha | Radhakanta Barik
* The Artist as A Quiet Creator | Arundhaty Nayar
* 2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Looking beyond possible numbers | PS Jayaramu
* How Big Money Funds Indian Politics | Swagato Sarkar
* How cinema helps the Modi myth | Sayandeb Chowdhury

Rulings this week by the Supreme Court of India gave hope to victims of a criminal justice system that has seen an erosion on its checks and balances. On Monday, May 13th, the top court lifted its stay on the Bombay High Court order granting bail to Gautam Navlakha, the well-known independent researcher and human rights activist Prabir Purkayastha had been detained since October 3, 2023 and later charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) the full court order providing him (…)

May 13, 2024
Cinematic fiction has become the convenient way of ‘correcting’ historical frictions, especially where facts are inconvenient
Like several instances in the last century, the political leashing of cinema is a concern again in India.
"I filmed the truth as it was then. Nothing more."
This assertion by 1930s German film director Leni Reifenstahl, best known for her documentary films supporting Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist Party, would likely find favour with a section (…)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s crude comment against the Chief Minister of Odisha, about Naveen Patnaik not knowing the names of thirty districts in the State, has created furor in Odisha just before people vote in the General Elections. Patnaik has been ruling this State for more than five terms now, with a bigger majority as years go by but he does not exhibit his arrogance as Modi does. His political style is a sophisticated one. The best example of this was in the 2009 elections when the (…)

Well-strategised, craftily-calculated and assiduously- wrought comment of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, that people believe that the Supreme Court had favoured Kejriwal by granting the relief of interim bail fills me with a sense of dread and urgency. The Home Minister is extremely selective, as he has conveniently ignored many comments, including editorials of almost all English dailies praising the Supreme Court order. In fact, ‘The Hindu’, while generally endorsing the order, faulted (…)

May 13, 2024
The business elite funds political parties and elections in return for economic favours or for securing favourable policies for their industry
Many years ago in West Bengal, I encountered school-age boys playing Carrom or cricket all day. Curious as to why they weren’t at school or out working, they responded: “We are all employed. We do party-r-byabsa (‘business of the party,’ or work for the Communist Party of India-Marxist).”
“We participate in rallies, attend (…)

Abstract: The discourse surrounding LGBTQIA+ rights in Indian politics is undergoing a significant transformation, indicating a shift towards inclusivity and equality. Political parties such as the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) have articulated their positions, promising legislative measures to recognize and protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals. However, while the decriminalization of Section 377 in 2018 marked a milestone, the (…)

Origin
A notification for recruitment of teachers through a state-level selection test was issued in 2014 and its further process started after two years in 2016. After the declaration of results for the recruitment of school teachers and also for the recruitment of Group C and Group D for government-run and aided schools by School Service Commission (SSC), petitions flooded the Calcutta High Court claiming that there were irregularities in the process of recruitment. It was claimed by the (…)

May 15, 2025
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s comment “Modi will retire in accordance with the rules made by him on attaining 75 years of age in September 2025, is not only bizarre, instead it is in contravention to the politico-electoral line of INDIA bloc. While the INDIA bloc constituents have only one mission, to defeat Narendra Modi at 2024 Lok Sabha polls and ensure his ouster from political arena, Kejriwal has been quite considerate in allowing Modi to rule till 2025.
One (…)