PRIME Minister Modi’s visit to the White House on February 13 was meant to illustrate how close Modi was to his friend, Donald Trump, and to bask over the photo-op that it presented. Instead, what Modi’s short visit to Washington underlined was the subaltern status that India has been reduced to under Modi’s watch.There was no tearing hurry for the Indian prime minister to have an official meeting with President Trump.

THE Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has, in her budget speech, announced the government’s intention to amend the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLNDA).  The amendment to the Atomic Energy Act is meant to facilitate the entry of the private sector in  nuclear energy production, which, in itself, is a bad idea.  However, the amendment to the CLNDA is more dangerous as it dilutes the compensation to be given to people affected by a nuclear accident, whether it be in the public sector or private sector.The CLNDA was adopted by Parliament in 2010.  A

THE inaugural speech of Donald Trump and the flurry of executive orders issued by him on the first day as president, show that Trump does what he said he will do.  In claiming to make America great again, Trump has threatened to take over the Panama Canal, the control of which had been handed to Panama by a treaty in 1977.  He has renamed the `Gulf of Mexico’ as the `Gulf of America’ and promised more imperial steps to expand American territory as no US President has done in recent history.  Trump has ordered an emergency in the southern borders with Mexico and deployed the army to check im

THE New Year 2025 started with another assault on the education system. The Modi government, through the UGC, announced new draft regulations titled, ‘University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education)’. This is yet another attempt by the central government to assume control over all the higher education institutions in the country.According to the UGC, there are 56 central universities and 481 state universities.

WHAT is one to make of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech regarding the raking up of new temple/mosque disputes?  In his speech in Pune on December 19, Bhagwat disapproved of the raking up of new temple/mosque disputes. He said that Ram temple was a matter of faith for Hindus. Construction of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya, which was a matter of faith for Hindus, should not lead to further actions. In conclusion, he said “Every day, a new matter (dispute) is being raked up.  How can this be allowed?  This cannot continue”. This speech has led to varying interpretations.