THE worst aspects of the Modi government’s privatisation drive are now coming to the fore.  The initial public offering (IPO) prospectus for disinvesting shares in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), the crown jewel of the financial sector, is expected to be issued in early February. The LIC is a unique corporation that has played a pioneering role in spreading the culture of life insurance in the country.  The widespread coverage of life insurance achieved through LIC is especially important in the absence of an effective government-backed social security scheme that extends protective c

THE manner in which the tableaux presented by certain states for the Republic Day parade on January 26 has been rejected by the centre reveals a lot about the mindset of the BJP rulers. The rejection of the tableaux of the state governments of Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu shows the deep contempt for federalism and the socio-cultural traditions of the freedom struggle. The theme of this year’s parade is 75 years of independence.  In accordance with that, West Bengal had submitted a tableau depicting the role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA) in the freedo

EVEN two weeks after the hate-mongering dharma sansad in Haridwar on December 17 to 19, where calls were given to attack Muslims and eliminate them by mass murder, there has not been a single arrest.  The first FIR lodged had only one name, that too of a Muslim who converted to Hinduism.  Subsequently, after another FIR was filed, four more names were added including that of Yati Narsinghanand, the organiser of the event.On January 1, the Uttarakhand police had announced a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the matter and the police officer-in-charge, when asked if arr

THE Karnataka anti-conversion bill passed by the legislative assembly is a direct attack on the rights of religious minorities and religious freedom.

THE killing of 14 civilians in Mon, Nagaland by a special force of the Assam Rifles has brought into sharp relief the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a lawless law that enables the security forces to act with impunity, which has led to atrocity after atrocity on the civilian population in the North-East.  Eight young men, who were coal miners, were travelling in a van when they were ambushed by a special force, who were purportedly targeting armed insurgents.  The killing of six of the miners led to protests by the local people, which resulted in eight more deaths due to firing b