THE BJP is treading a familiar path. This time its agenda is to declare the Bhagavad Gita the 'National Book'. This demand has been voiced by senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, presently the country's foreign minister. In her statement to the media, one gets two terms - 'National Book' and 'National Scripture'. Call a rose by any name it will spread the same scent. Or rather, in reality, what will spread is the stench. Baba Ramdev and the newly-elected Chief Minister of Haryana have supported Sushmaji with their hands held high.

THE central government, which had adamantly refused to accept any resolution of the issues arising out of the hate speech by its minister Niranjan Jyoti, was forced to accept a compromise resolution read out by the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.The episode highlights various facets of the BJP or rather the Modi style of governance.From the initial response of the prime minister it was clear that he had no intention of addressing the protests rightly expressed by the opposition in both Houses of Parliament.  He was present on the first day itself in the Lok Sabha but refused to say a word.

TRILOKPURI, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar…and more than the two hundred odd riots after the Modi government took office pose a serious challenge. They represent the dangerous combination of neo-liberalism and communalism that has come to represent the corporate backed ruling classes in contemporary India. Hence we can safely say that majoritarian communalism is a hegemonic ideology of the present day ruling classes and an instrument of State whose leadership is in the hands of Hindutva leaders.

THE Left Parties – CPI (M), CPI, CPI (ML), Marxist Co-ordination Committee and Forward Bloc – organised a state-level convention against communalism at Ranchi’s Theological Hall.

Akin to a seed cast on the Earth, a word planted in the heart will bear fruit someday.  – From A Word Planted in The Heart, Devanur MahadevaTHE high economic growth seeking polity in India today is highly submissive and cooperative towards casteist, communal, obscurantist and occult traditions. This is reflected yet again in the recent incidents of malicious attacks on a science activist and an academic in Karnataka.