THE constitution of India is the foundational document that guides our country's polity. For every Indian citizen, the constitution secures justice, freedom of thought, expression, belief, worship and faith as well as equality of status. The constitution was the outcome of our national movement for independence from colonial rule that involved people from all strata of Indian society. It is a matter of great concern, however, that many of these constitutional guarantees available to Indian citizens are threatened in the recent period.

FOR a hyper-nationalistic government that boasts of a muscular military posture, the defence budget of 2020 strikes a discordant note. The finance minister, while presenting the union budget for the year in a dreary two-hour long speech, began by proclaiming that “national security is the top priority of this government.” Yet there was no mention of the allocations for defence in her budget.

THE All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has, in a statement issued on February 10, expressed shock and strongly condemned the harassment of girl students by a group of pro-CAA supporters inside Gargi College on February 6. 

THE Modi government has gone on record in parliament that it has not taken any decision till now to prepare the National Register of Indian Citizens.  This was the reply given by the minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai, to a written question.  This is in line with what the prime minister had said at a rally in Delhi on December 22, 2019 that since his government came to power in 2014, there has been no discussion on the NRC. 

AFTER spending 86 days in police and judicial custody as a victim of political vendetta of the BJP- IPFT government, Badal Chowdhury, CPI(M) Central Committee member and deputy leader of opposition in state legislative assembly, finally got bail on February 1. Justice Arindam Lodh of Tripura High Court granted him bail as the police failed to submit chargesheet against him even after almost three months.