Mainstream Weekly

Amid Ominous Forebodings

SC — 2009-01-26T12:46:30Z

As we are about to observe the fiftyninth anniversary of an event that consolidated our independence—that is, the transformation of the Indian Union into a Republic simultaneous with the adoption of the Constitution of the free nation on January 26, 1950—and served as a shining example before all newly liberated states as well as those still striving to throw off the yoke of oppressive colonial rule, we are indeed besieged by ominous forebodings.
The security scenario inside the country (…)

- January 2009

Bapu

Jawaharlal Nehru — 2009-01-26T12:42:25Z

January 30 this year marks the sixtyfirst anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. On this occasion we remember the Father of the Nation by reproducing the following piece by Jawaharlal Nehru written shortly after Gandhiji's departure.

- January 2009

Moral Warfare

2009-01-26T12:41:01Z

By segregating ethics to the Kingdom of Heaven and depriving the Kingdom of Earth from its use man has up to now never seriously acknowledged the need of higher ideals in politics or in practical affairs. That is why when disagreements occur between individuals—violence is not encouraged but punished, but when the combatants are nations, barbaric methods are not only not condemned but glorified. The greatest of men like Buddha or Christ have from the dawn of human history stood for the ideal (…)

- January 2009

Netaji: The Undying Legend

R K Bhatnagar — 2009-01-26T12:38:31Z

January 23 happens to be the 112th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. We remember that indomitable freedom fighter and uncompromising crusader against British imperialism with the following tribute.
Is there any parallel that a leader of his eminence has a date of birth (January 23, 1897) but none for his demise? Even after 112 years and three Commissions of Enquiry, the Indian people do not believe that he is no more. Even Indira Gandhi observed that Netaji Subhas Bose is a (…)

- January 2009

Lessons from the Jammu and Kashmir Elections

Balraj Puri — 2009-01-26T12:35:21Z

Omar Abdullah received a massive reception when he arrived in Jammu, a day before taking oath of office on January 5 as the eleventh Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
In July-August Omar's effigies were burnt in Jammu for a word in his much acclaimed speech in Parliament on the confidence motion. In his remark that “we will sacrifice our life if an inch of our land was taken by an outsider” (the reference was to outside members of the Amarnath Shrine Board), the word “we” was (…)

- January 2009

Kashmir in Perspective

I K Gujral — 2009-01-26T12:32:11Z

A history-maker has surrendered to Death. For a great man like him there can be no conventional praise or blame. Physically and mentally he was outsize.
It was once said about De Gaulle—of whom he reminded me so much—that he was possessed by an all-consuming and uncontrollable passion, transcending all other cravings, for France. It was love affair with an abstraction which took physical form of mingling with the crowds of his loyal supporters. How aptly it applies to the Lion of Kashmir! (…)

- January 2009

On Kashmir and Palestine

Humra Quraishi — 2009-01-26T12:29:52Z

All these days I have been reading one report after another on the recent elections held in the state of J&K. I was in the Valley as the results came trickling in and though volumes can be written on the very reactions to these results and the post-mortems that got going, three or four factors loom large. For one, a substantial percentage voted. And though there have been cries of rigging and bogus voting but people—especially in rural pockets—did come out to cast their vote. Maybe a (…)

- January 2009

Israel's Shifting Strategy in Gaza Strip

Sujata Ashwarya Cheema — 2009-01-26T12:28:23Z

With the beginning of the ground offensive in Gaza Strip, the objective of ‘Operation Cast Lead' appears to have shifted subtly. Though the primary aim of the operation, as reiterated by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, is to force Hamas to cease targeting the civilian population in Israel, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni harbours more ambitious designs. She wants to create a ‘new security environment' in southern Israel. Does this mean ‘uprooting' the Hamas Government and reoccupation of (…)

- January 2009

Israeli Invasion of Gaza

Shree Shankar Sharan — 2009-01-26T12:27:02Z

Holocaust, the attempted annihilation of the Jews by Adolph Hitler and the Nazis had exposed the true and ghastly nature of fascism, made the world stand up against it, inspired the allies to fight World War II and stop Hitler from annexing the world and turn it into his laboratory for racial redesigning.. The Nazis lost the war by the prowess of the USSR and the USA and the will of the British Army and the Jews of Germany as were still alive and of many other countries were saved.
By an (…)

- January 2009

The Many Roads to Iraq…

Seema Sridhar — 2009-01-26T12:25:01Z

It's official now. Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th President of the United States by the 538-member Electoral College as mandated by the US Constitution and shall take charge at the 56th presidential inauguration on January 20 amidst tremendous anticipation. Much before this, the wheels of US diplomacy had started turning to coax Iraq into accepting the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that is going to determine the future of the country. The long debated US-Iraq military pact, (…)

- January 2009