Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• Nandigram Act II: Politics of Governance in West Bengal

  23 May 2008, by Arup Kumar Sen

  Nandigram is witnessing the ugly face of violence on the eve of the panchayat elections. Recent media reports suggest that violence has become an organic part of the structure of governance in the region.
  It may be recalled in this connection that the eminent political theorist, Partha Chatterjee, has drawn our attention to the politics of governance in India in his recent research. He argues that greatness of ideology and sacrifice of leaders had an important role to play in Indian (…)

• Aao Ham Sangharsh Karen

  23 May 2008, by Sudhir Vombatkere

  The “Sangharsh Dharna” held from April 28-30, 2008 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was in opposition to the general trend and large portions of the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill 2007, and the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill, 2007. These Bills, as presently drafted, do not merely keep the field open for corporate growth at the expense of the lands and livelihoods of adivasi and rural people but in fact, once enacted, will be a cruel handle to force more poor people into destitution. (…)

• Burma: Referendum and Resistance

  23 May 2008, by J Sri Raman

  It is a bestseller, but barely popular with its readers. The 194-page volume, which hit the bookstands in Burma on April 24, was the long-awaited draft Constitution authored by the country’s military junta, without consulting most of its people. The draft was published just a fortnight before the people are due to vote on it, apparently as a formality.
  The large number of the book’s buyers, especially the young, may not be hoping to play a major role in the national referendum scheduled (…)

• Nepal Must Not Repeat History

  23 May 2008, by Bharat Jhunjhunwala

  The three main points in the programme of the victorious Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) are land to the tiller, autonomy to regions and ‘industrial capitalism geared towards socialism’. Land to the tiller is clearly a winner. India accomplished this substantially under the able leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru in the fifties. The political stability of India owes itself much to this initiative. This measure is of greater importance for Nepal. According to the World Development (…)

• Valuable Addition to Literature on Past and Present Afghanistan

  23 May 2008, by Amna Mirza

  BOOK REVIEW
  State Building in Afghanistan: Linkages with International Politics by Uma Shankar; Academic Excellence Publishers; 2008.
  To understand the significance that Afghanistan commands in international politics, here comes a compilation by Dr Uma Shankar. The book spans considerable period, beginning with the conceptualisation of state building, tracing the genealogical trajectory of the Afghan state from the Durrani monarchy to Mohammadzai, the fall of the Daoud republic, the (…)

• Violence in the age of Empire

  23 May 2008, by Rajesh Kumar Sharma

  Dictionaries are notoriously status-quoist when it comes to registering change. They continue to explain violence principally as the unlawful exercise of physical force causing physical injury or damage to a person or property. Decades after the exposure of previously unrecognised forms of violence permeating modern societies in the shape of disciplinary technologies, ideological appara-tuses and discourses, violence continues to be officially defined in extremely restrictive terms. The (…)

• Release Eminent Hindi Journalist Dr Mehruddin Khan

  23 May 2008, by Bharat Dogra

  COMMUNICATION
  Several journalists, writers and their organisations have expressed their distress at the recent arrest of Dr Mehruddin Khan, an eminent Hindi journalist and writer. His journalism is concerned with highly relevant social issues particularly communal harmony. In addition he has written some highly popular poetry (including dohas in the style of Kabir), short stories and novels. The widely articulated demand for his release should be accepted as early as possible.
  New Delhi (…)

• Another Election Where Voters Will Lose

  23 May 2008, by T J S George

  IMPRESSIONS Only fools and TV channels predict election results. And IPS-IAS opportunists. In 1977, after two years of Emergency repression, the Intelligence Bureau famously advised Indira Gandhi that she would easily win a general election. She infamously lost.
  In the Karnataka election, there is one prediction the wise will make. That is: the voters will lose. In fact, the voters have already lost with the impending end of Governor’s Rule. It’s true the Governor was a faithful (…)

• Musical-chair Politics

  23 May 2008, by Nikhil Chakravartty

  Must things have to get worse before they turn better? This is the question that confronts people in all walks of life barring those who have been making big money on the sly.
  It is not that the prospects are bleak in India today. Compared to many other countries, we have much to thank ourselves for. But it is not very elevating for our self-confidence, both as individuals and as a nation, to claim that we are not as badly off in terms of political functioning as, say, Thailand or South (…)

• Indian Iron Needs a Solid Steel Heart

  23 May 2008, by Suvrokamal Dutta

  Though India is one of the largest producers of iron ore in the world, it still has huge problems facing the industry. With rich iron ore deposits throughout the length and breadth of the country these deposits are on the verge of being looted by the MNCs and other foreign companies. What is required is a clear-cut, concrete policy to deal with iron ore mining as well as the iron and steel industry. The need of the hour is to save this industry from vested interest groups; corrupt (…)