Mainstream Weekly

Pandit Nehru's Vision of a Tolerant Society

Sharad Rajimwale — 2015-12-26T13:42:30Z

Religious tolerance and liberal acceptance of diverse faiths within an accommodative fold have always been the central concern of India's social character since ancient days. It can be said that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's views on how to build a strong and secular India were mostly an extension of that inclusive philosophic legacy. Through his speeches and writings runs the urge to revive that spirit of tolerance which suffered grievously under the post-1857 British policies, for he made it (…)

- 2015

Self-Destructive Politics of BJP

Sharad Rajimwale — 2015-11-27T06:05:23Z

well under two years of its rule, the BJP Government appears to be fast losing its steam; by all indications it has started huffing and puffing. Before that it found little difficulty in whipping up sentiments in its favour in its tempestuous ascendancy in the Indian masses' imagination. The ground then was fertile enough for the saffron seeds to sprout into a crop of wild dreams that caused the voters to take the spurious for the genuine. The “fiftysix inches of chest”-brand of wishy-washy (…)

- 2015

Politics of ‘Distancing' a la BJP

Sharad Rajimwale — 2015-11-16T20:45:36Z

Among the many things fabricated by the BJP rulers after their assumption to power in India, one striking fixture is the politics of ‘distancing'. On a close look it appears to perfectly suit their total action plan which enjoys the benefit of being worked out with great care and meticulous vision by those who are not in power, yet are powerful. The RSS does not leave anything to chance. It believes in working out the fine blueprint and getting down to it well in advance. Even the communal (…)

- 2015

Language and Politics

Sharad Rajimwale — 2009-04-26T12:22:03Z

Why is it that as the date of polling gets closer, the politicians' tongues tend to break all bonds of decency within which they have long been tutored to remain? It is indeed disturbing for us to witness all this day in and day out. To say that ‘it is disturbing' may perhaps not convey the full extent of those responses which arise deep within every common Indian and overpower his or her senses. It is even possible that no word in the language is capable enough to express our emotions which (…)

- April 2009

We Admire Taliban

Sharad Rajimwale — 2009-04-18T19:01:18Z

We belong to the Ram Sene of Karnataka, and Shiva Sena of Maharashtra, and Bajrang Dal that rules the roost among Hindus in the north. Whatever the names, we have a vision of the Hindu Rashtra that is not far different from the image of the Islamic nation treasured by the Taliban and various other outfits of similar descriptions, hell-bent to bring the world to its knees in order to transform it into a world of their dreams. It may appear a little odd to many and incredibly foolish to some (…)

- April 2009