THE duality in the BJP’s election campaign is getting exposed. At the top, there is a veneer of Modispeak about “development” and promise of good governance and employment. Lurking beneath is an intense communal campaign which is specially concentrated in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
YET another acquittal. Yet another denial of justice. In the recent past, it was Bathani Thola, then Laxmanpur Bathe and now it is Chundur. Similar pattern. Similar excuses. Similar role of the governments, investigation authorities, police machinery... lack of credible evidence, doubts on the witness accounts...
THE remarks made by driver of the taxi we had boarded set the tone. “Saab why are you going to that Muslim locality” was his refrain, once we informed him of our destination. This is what Varanasi has been turned into. A communal cauldron. Deep runs the mistrust. The BJP’s decision to field Modi from Varanasi is only going to widen this divide.
Social Media to Have Little Influence on Indian Elections: Report
Are we over estimating the influence of social networking websites on the Indian elections?
AMID the high decibel action on social media sites, you would be forgiven for thinking that the Indian elections this year could see a vote swing influenced by Facebook and Twitter.
Ever since this 56-inch Vikas Purush has been chosen as the prime ministerial candidate of the right wing communal party, there has been a very strong and coordinated overpowering of the social media and social networking outlets with the NaMo's "manufactured growth."
ON April 12, polling for East Tripura (ST) parliamentary constituency passed off peacefully, with a high percentage of turnout. According to the initial statement of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state, 82.5 percent votes were cast for the constituency as a whole.
THE election campaign for the 16th Lok Sabha poll, which has already entered into a very intensive phase in all the districts of West Bengal, is a unique experience in our state for more than one reason. This time the Lok Sabha election is going to be held in the state in the backdrop of nearly three years of TMC autocracy. The bitter experiences of the violence-marred panchayat and municipal elections are still fresh in the minds of the people.
ON April 7, the Friends of Latin America, India, organised a seminar, in collaboration with Centre of Marxian Studies, at Jadavpur University in Kolkata to commemorate the former Venezuelan president, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, the great Bolivarian socialist leader whose commitment to social justice and a better deal for the poorer classes had pitted him against the neo-liberal imperialist powers, on his first death anniversary. “Commandant Hugo Chavez and Beyond” was the topic of deliberations at the seminar.
LIBYA seems to be on the verge of imploding three years after the western imposed regime change. The interim government does not even have control of the capital Tripoli, if recent events are any indications. The parliament has been raided by militias. Political figures have been targeted for assassination. The international airport has been targeted with missiles and the prime minister, Ali Zeidan, was briefly kidnapped. In the second week of March, he was forced to flee from the country after the government issued a warrant for his arrest.
Through its “Operation Janmabhoomi,” news portal Cobrapost revisited the conspiracy and the people behind the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, and found out that it was an act of planned sabotage.
Cobrapost then brought to light how certain leaders of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement conspired to raze and succeeded in razing the disputed sixteenth century structure to dust on December 6, 1992. It was a conspiracy that even an apex investigation agency like the CBI has not been able to conclusively establish after years of investigation.