Opinion and Editorials

13 Feb 2012

The Republic of Hurt Sentiments

"The protest-readings from Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses must force a rethink of our religious hate speech laws and what they mean for freedom of expression."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The Republic of Hurt Sentiments: If the ‘Rushdie readings' trigger a much larger rethink about our religious hate speech laws and what they mean for freedom of expression, then the controversy would have been well worth the making.

Nation in a State: Why are politicians not being held accountable, IAS officials ask

"Andhra Pradesh's ‘steel frame' rattles with indignation as the CBI goes after top bureaucrats in scam cases."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Nation in a State: Why are politicians not being held accountable, IAS officials ask: Where does the buck stop in government, at the desk of a minister or that of the bureaucrat who signs the files? This question has stirred a passionate debate in Andhra Pradesh, where the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two bureaucrats and questioned many more in connection with a slew of corruption scams.

A battle without winners

"The row over General V.K. Singh's age has created fissures between the Army and the Ministry of Defence. The main victim is the modernisation of the Army."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : A battle without winners: Irrespective of the outcome of the Mexican stand-off between General V.K. Singh and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over his disputed date of birth, both the Army and the Defence Ministry are eventually bound to be the losers in equal measure.

Welcome show of judicial muscle

"The 2G judgment goes beyond telecom, spoiling the party for corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and big business."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Welcome show of judicial muscle: The reverberations of the judgment actually extend far beyond telecom, crushing the subjective power of the government to issue licences and contracts in any sector like power, coal, minerals, mines, land, and even special economic zones (SEZ), that allocates scarce national resources.

This effectively attacks the fountainhead of all large corruption linked to government contracts.

Putting down the burden of borders

"Addressing unresolved bilateral issues would silence the Bangladeshi Opposition from questioning the value of improving ties with India."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Putting down the burden of borders: In an era of globalisation marked by a phenomenal growth of science and technology, Bangladesh and India cannot lag behind — nursing and sustaining mistrust and hostilities. Let us hope the relations put in place by the two countries, after decades of acrimony, will emerge as an example for South Asia.

Confusing signals on Afghanistan

With the Obama administration balancing election year with concerns about stability in Afghanistan, the confusion that passes for Washington's Afghanistan policy is very evident. With regional players such as Pakistan, India and Iran and international big powers all jostling to position themselves in the so-called Afghan endgame, the situation can only get more muddied.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Confusing signals on Afghanistan: " Afghan civilians have borne the worst of more than a decade of war, and they will continue to do as long as that country is viewed more as a geo-strategic piece of real estate rather than as a nation with real people. "

Clinical trials in the dock

For multinational companies eager to cut corners, India is a favourable destination for human clinical trials, since it offers an attractive package of weak laws, lax and almost non-existent oversight of trials, a huge illiterate, vulnerable population that can be easily exploited, very little volunteer protection and a sizeable number of unscrupulous doctors willing to compromise on ethics for gain.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Clinical trials in the dock: "Having amended the patent laws in 2005 to make India an even more attractive destination for trials, the government is duty-bound to put in place a proper regulatory and monitoring mechanism that would prevent unethical trials from being initiated and flagrant violations from taking place."

Doctors and companies earning handsome profits by throwing ethics and procedures to the winds and turning vulnerable people into guinea pigs will then, hopefully, become a thing of the past.

11 Feb 2012

Sriprakash Jaiswal says Rahul Gandhi will 'remote control' Congress rule in UP

Times View - No backseat driving, please
Counter View - It's involvement, not control

-The Times of India, February 11, 2012

Crossing The Finishing Line

If the government's social policies are to be effective, it must look at the last mile problem

Crossing The Finish Line

-The Times of India, February 11, 2012

Bookshop's Spirit Will Survive

Bookshop's Spirit Will Survive

-The Times of India, February 11, 2012

10 Feb 2012

'Today, if you get the budget right, your film finds an audience'

Actor-director Farhan Akhtar has won popular acclaim - and Filmfare awards - for his movies. The German embassy in Delhi recently showcased Akhtar's film Don - The King Is Back, about to be screened at the ongoing 62nd Berlinale International Film Festival featuring cinema from 115 countries. Akhtar spoke with Srijana Mitra Das about the rationale behind Bollywood cinema happening in the Hindi film industry, vital local improvements required - and the importance of World War II history:

Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, February 10, 2012