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From Siachen to Agnipath: Unravelling of the Pseudo-Patriotic Narrative

IT was half a century back. The Indian government headed by Indira Gandhi had made up its mind to extend full military support to the Bangladesh liberation struggle in 1971. A substantial political stake was involved to go for an early strike. But before starting the campaign, the then PM summoned the army chief, (the only field Marshall so far from the Indian army) Sam Manekshaw. The general put his foot down on operational grounds. He clearly stated that the army needs at least six months to attain military preparedness for a successful campaign. The prime minister had to relent.

India: Where the Fringe is Above the Law

IN history there are few precedents for the bulldozer demolitions of houses of Muslims taking place in BJP-ruled states across India accusing them of being “ rioters” without due process of law. In Nazi Germany on November 9-10, 1938, the fascist gangs of Hitler’s party went on a rampage using sledge hammers to damage the properties of the Jews while a 'benevolent' police force looked on. Those terrible days came to be known as Kristallnacht— the night of broken glass— that littered the streets from the broken windows and doors of Jewish-owned stores, buildings, and synagogues.

Kanpur Clash: Targetting of Muslims

ON Friday, June 3, in Kanpur, immediately after the Namaaz, clashes broke out in one particular locality, Yatimkhana-Parade Crossing.  There was brick-batting, a few people were injured and hospitalised and the immediate intervention by the police ensured that the clash ended within half an hour.  Compared to clashes in earlier years which led to rioting and spread to other parts of the city and which saw police firing claiming several lives, what happened on the 3rd was not a very serious affair but it has dominated headlines and TV channels for several days.

Eight Years of Modi Sarkar: Sewa, Sushasan & Kalyan for Only Corporate Sector

IT is eight years since Narendra Modi became prime minister of India, heading an NDA government. The BJP is observing this anniversary in a big way, combining it with their election campaign for some state assembly elections due later this year, Gujarat being one of the important ones. The ruling party organised a meeting of all its national and state office bearers recently in Jaipur where a long statement narrating various achievements of the Modi government was issued. Also declared in this meeting was a triple slogan for marking the anniversary from May 30 to June 15.

Why Climate Change Often Hits Women Harder Than Men

Stronger weather extremes prove particularly damaging for women and worsen existing inequalities, scientists have shown A cyclone that ripped through low-lying fishing communities. A wildfire that turned the sky red with embers and black with smoke. A drought that ravaged crops and pushed grain prices higher.  What weather extremes like these have in common is not just that burning fossil fuels makes them stronger — it's that they hit men and women in wildly different ways. In Bangladesh, nine times more women than men were killed when Cyclone Gorki battered coasts in 1991.

Fiscally Neutral UBI & Growing Corporate Tax Concessions: A Deceitful Paradox

THE “State of Inequality in India Report”, by the economic advisory council to the prime minister (EAC-PM), was released on May 18, 2022. The report prepared by the government body itself has highlighted that while the top 10 per cent of the Indian population accounts for one-third of all incomes earned, the income share of self-employed workers who are also the highest in number among the whole employed categories (45.78 per cent), happens to be the lowest.

Supreme Court, Fiscal Federalism and GST

THE experience of GST during the past five years has been disappointing, to say the least. For four years, the IT backbone for its full implementation was not in place. Tax buoyancy has been far below expectations and with Covid the shortfalls have ballooned. Compensation payments were delayed and in arrears. And now as the compensation guarantee period is ending, most of the states are drifting to the brink of the precipice of sudden fall in revenue and inevitable fiscal crisis.

Oppose Bulldozer of Price Rise

INDIANS are being crushed by a deadly combination of economic policies that have led to mass unemployment, low wages – and the most destructive of all – runaway price rise. These policies have bulldozed family budgets causing people to cut down on food and other essentials, curtail spending on education of children or care of sick. The Modi government seems to be completely indifferent to the plight of people, going about its usual boastful activities like foreign visits, inaugurating projects to win elections and drumming up religious issues to divide people.

Sundarayya’s Abiding Interest in the Agrarian Question

This article has been written on the occasion of the death anniversary of P Sundarayya, on May 19.PUCHALAPALLI Sundarayya was a revolutionary whose efforts for theoretical studies were always linked to practice. Whatever subject he chose for study, be it examining the agrarian relations, or the developments in the fields of literature and culture, they were always linked to immediate needs of practice.Sundarayya gave utmost importance to the study of concrete socio-economic conditions.

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