The Theatre of the Absurd

THE cheap political drama currently unfolding in Delhi over the latest decision to refer a Supreme Court judgment to the court itself – at the behest of President Droupadi Murmu – seeking clarification on an earlier order regarding the timeline for governors to either assent to or return bills passed by the state legislature, is nothing short of a theatre of the absurd.

Manufacturing National Consensus

Notwithstanding the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for reasons best known to him, chose to stay away from the two all-party meetings convened in Parliament to discuss India’s possible response to the gruesome killings in the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam – meetings attended by leaders of various political parties – all parties present unequivocally condemned the killings carried out by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist outfit designated by the relevant UN agency. They also extended their support to the government in taking appropriate measures in response.

Behind the Ceasefire: The Unanswered Questions

PEOPLE on both sides of the border were relieved. The four-day-long military engagement between India and Pakistan came to a close on the late afternoon of May 10. Despite this, gunshots were heard late in the night. But later, the DGMOs of both countries confirmed that the ceasefire has held and war clouds have receded for now.However, these three weeks have unfolded a sequence of developments which is dramatic, unraveling a disastrous pattern in South Asia.

India’s Response to Pahalgam Attack

IN the early hours of May 7, Indian armed forces launched a military operation called Operation Sindoor, to target about nine sites in PoK and Pakistani territories. There is a consensus across the political spectrum on the need to respond to the barbaric killings of Indian tourists in Pahalgam. The evidence put on record by the Government of India and the representatives of the armed forces, proves the involvement of LeT which is an outfit directly handled by the Pakistani establishment.

After Pahalgam: What Next?

THE terrorist outrage in Pahalgam, which left 26 tourists dead, has united the whole country in condemnation and grief. 25 families spread across India and one family in Nepal saw a beloved family member being murdered in cold blood. By choosing to kill people after ascertaining their religion, the terrorists hoped to create a communal divide and fuel communal tensions in the country. But the opposite has happened. There has been a spontaneous outpouring of anger and condemnation by all sections of society and people, irrespective of caste and creed, have spoken with one voice. At the

Hands off the Supreme Court

BJP leaders and the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, have launched vicious attacks on the Supreme Court.

A Historic Judgment

THE Supreme Court has delivered a truly historic verdict, which protects the federal principle and declares any action taken by a Governor to thwart the will of the state legislature as unconstitutional. The 414-page judgment delivered by a two-member Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, has boldly called to account the misuse of the Constitutional post by Governor R N Ravi of Tamilnadu, who withheld assent for Bills passed by the state legislature.This judgment falls in the category of the landmark judgment given in the S R Bommai case o

The Party Congress Has Shown The Way Forward

THE 24th Congress of the CPI(M), which concluded at Madurai on April 6 with a massive rally, was notable in many respects. There were changes both in the agenda and content of the Congress discussions.First of all, a Political Review Report which reviewed the implementation of the political-tactical line adopted at the 23rd Congress was presented along with the Draft Political Resolution for discussion by the delegates.

Do Not Surrender

WITH the US’ Damocles sword of reciprocal tariffs hanging over its head, the Modi government is surrendering instead of resisting. The US President Donald Trump explicitly stated that India would be on the list of countries subject to reciprocal tariffs from April 2, irrespective of its good relationship with the US.

Make Delimitation A Fair Process

AS the year 2026 approaches, the issue of the delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies is drawing public attention and controversy. This is the year when the freeze on the number of seats will end, and the next round of delimitation must be undertaken following the first census conducted after 2026. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, enacted during the Emergency in 1976, initially froze delimitation.

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Peoples Democracy

Editorial