Mainstream Weekly

Free Speech in the History of Ideas

Meher Engineer — 2010-12-12T18:24:24Z

Preamble
“Indian historians have forgotten the history of ideas.” The claim appeared as the headline of a recent newspaper article.1 Add it to your worry-list if you will, but do not forget as you do that similar claims can be made, with as much force, about many of the country's civil and political societies. The frequent rows that erupt over “seditious speech” make that obvious.
Seditious Speech in India
LOTS of people make such speeches, without any- one saying anything. But (…)

- 2010

The Keshpur Line

Meher Engineer — 2009-06-02T08:49:19Z

Here is a “Result Declared”. It is taken from the website of the Election Commission of India. S.No.NamePartyVotes 1 GURUDAS DASGUPTA CPI 625923 2 NARAYAN CHANDRA SAMAT BSP 12065 3 NURE ALAM CHOWDHURY AITC 478739 4 MATILAL KHATUA BJP 35004 5 ARUN KUMAR DAS JMM 5333 6 AHITOSH MAITY RDMP 3515 7 LIYAKAT KHAN IJP 9355
It is for West Bengal's Ghatal Lok Sabha seat = Panskura West, Sabang, Pingla, Debra, Daspur, Ghatal (SC) and Keshpur (SC) Assembly segments. The seat grew out (…)

- May 2009

Follies of the Republic

Meher Engineer — 2009-02-19T09:35:13Z

Communication
Subhas Borker describes the most alarming of the many disorders of the Indian Republic (“Rapid Inclusive Growth: The Only Way Forward”, Mainstream, January 23-29, 2009) well. He uses the language of psychology to draw parallels between the disorders and psychological states like Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Thanks to him. Thanks, also, to those who signed the admirable plea for media restraint in South Asia (DOCUMENT, ibid.). More on that after a few (…)

- February 2009