Mainstream Weekly

Most recent articles

• Coronation by Divination : History by Hearsay

  7 July 2007

  In my last offering (“India Steals a March”, Z-Net, June 19, 2007) I expressed my delight at the prospect that the next President of the Indian Republic was likely to be a woman.
  That, even as I qualified the delight by stating: “I must confess I have never shared the sentiment that a world led by women must necessarily be a better world, or a worse one for that matter.”
  It was (and remains strongly) simply my democratic contention that “where abilities and aspirations (as among men (…)

• An Enlightening Publication

  7 July 2007

  BOOK REVIEW
  Maintenance of Public Order by Samar Singh; published by National Book Trust, India; pp. 153; Price: Rs 60.
  The author of this book reminds the reader of the horrible events of Narendra Modi’s Gujarat 2002 when thousands of innocent citizens were cruelly done to death and many more were forced to live in camps, refugees in their own land. It was perhaps the worst case of communal violence in the history of free India, putting a question-mark on the secular character of (…)

• Looking Back

  7 July 2007

  The fortieth anniversary of the Naxalbari revolt has been recently observed. On this occasion the following piece by the editor of this journal (published at the time of the revolt’s twentyfifth anniversary) is being reproduced—even after 15 years its relevance remains undiminished. The author, however, wants to only add that he wishes to greet some of his surviving CPI-ML friends, still in search of the elusive revolution, on this anniversary.
  Twentyfive years ago, in the first half of (…)

• India-United States Nuclear Deal : Issues and Challenges

  7 July 2007, by M J Vinod

  Introduction
  The India-US nuclear deal has been projected as a turning point in the relationship between the two countries. The deal has been the subject of intense debate and discussion among strategic experts, the scientific community and the mass public of both the US and India. It signalled the end to the isolation of the Indian nuclear industry. perhaps it is also a recognition of India as a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology. The July 2005 “Joint Statement” on (…)

• On Presidential Poll and Shrimati Pratibha Patil

  7 July 2007

  India Steals a March Epigraph
  Here is what we say: recognise the altered night and day; men and women must together find an honest will to put behind a habitually distorted humankind. (Badri Raina, Our Share of the World, Museindia.com)
  Since all evaluations nowadays of India’s standing in the world must be made in relation to America, we say “America, eat your heart; we win you lose.”
  Who knows when, or if, dear Hillary will ever make it to the Whitewashed House; but here, where all (…)

• Land Acquisition and Industrialisation in West Bengal : Report of a Workshop

  7 July 2007

  The land acquisition drive of the Left Front Government for promoting industries is at present the most controversial public issue in West Bengal. Recently (on April 20), the Centre for Studies in Social Science, Calcutta, organised a one-day workshop on the topic: Agriculture to Industry: The Problem of Transformation.
  In his opening remarks, Sugata Marjit, the present Director of the Centre, made it clear that the “CSSSC has no institutional and official position on the policy of (…)

• Thanksgiving and History

  7 July 2007

  IMPRESSIONS
  Perhaps there is some absence of irony in celebrating the uniquely American festival of Thanksgiving, but at the moment it is not visible. If there is one thing Americans do not need to do, then it is give thanks. There is enough hypocrisy in America, in the world, without adding a national holiday to it.
  The Mayflower pilgrims who escaped to America after facing oppression in their native land, England, celebrated a bountiful harvest in their new country by giving thanks, (…)

• New Maharajas in India

  7 July 2007, by Girish Mishra

  With the change of era, the old people and classes occupying the positions of power and influence give way to new ones. This happened in England in the 17th century and in France after 1789 when capitalism began pushing out feudalism. During the feudal era it was the various strata of lords, ranging from kings and princes to lowly landlords that occupied the positions of power at various levels. Their importance was directly proportional to the amount and the nature of rights in land. What (…)

• Sarkozy’s ‘Mediterranean Union’: What Does It Mean?

  7 July 2007, by Sujata Ashwarya Cheema

  Introduction
  A proposal by the new French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, for setting up a Union of Mediterranean Rim Countries has struck both right and wrong notes at the same time. This initiative was raised by Sarkozy in a campaign speech in February, and was reiterated in his electoral victory address. Such a proposed Union would gather sixteen countries with varied political and economic systems—from the European, West Asian, and North African region of the Mediterranean rim area—into an (…)

• Ramchandra Gandhi—Philosopher and Teacher

  7 July 2007, by Sagari Chhabra

  TRIBUTE
  Ramchandra Gandhi, writer, philosopher and the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, died in India International Centre, on June 13, appropriately perhaps, because to Ramu, as he was known to both friends and acquaintances, the IIC was like a second home. He would work in the library and then just sit in the courtyard doing what he did best—philosophising.
  He was the author of several books including ‘Sita’s Kitchen’; the shrine—sita’s rasoi buried under the debris of the Babri (…)