The republic's tree of life

"President Pratibha Patil might have meant well by using her Republic Day address to warn reformers not to shake the tree of state so hard in their drive to remove bad fruit that the tree itself is brought down but behind her arboreal metaphor lie contentious assumptions and unacceptable insinuations about the civil society movement against corruption. "

More than as a word of caution, her remarks seem intended to discredit the civil society movement against corruption. The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : The republic's tree of life: Actually, "negativity" and "rejection", the states of mind President Patil warns the country against, are words that best describe the attitude and response-mechanism of the UPA government at the Centre.

If the Indian Republic is to flourish and prosper, the tree the President spoke about cannot be left to the mercy of politicians alone.

Misdirected ire

"Mr. Obama has to grandstand in the remaining period of his Presidency. It is, therefore, natural that hit out at the outsourcing of jobs, yet again, though this time his ire was directed mostly against manufacturing companies.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Misdirected ire: The President proposed that companies which outsource jobs should be denied tax benefits just as those that create them in the U.S. should be rewarded."

It can only be hoped that such populist rhetoric does not get sanctified as legislation in the run-up to the election.

Wulff at the door

"The problems surrounding German President Christian Wulff have compounded those Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing, to the point where her coalition government could collapse."

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Wulff at the door: Mr. Wulff has been involved in murky financial deals and has now tried to intimidate the press. Now the Chancellor and her coalition have a long, hard road to walk before the 2013 general election.

Wages of justice

"By filing a Special Leave Petition against the Karnataka High Court order directing payment of statutory minimum wages to workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the UPA government has betrayed its insensitivity to the rights of the poor.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Wages of justice: The courts have ruled that payment below minimum wage amounts to “forced labour”, which is constitutionally prohibited. The Centre's implacable stand that workers employed under the scheme are not entitled to anything higher than the Rs.100 ceiling fixed by it smacks of perversity."

Norway, yes, but let's also look within

"The Norwegian child welfare services may not understand how children are brought up elsewhere but the Indian system of child protection is highly interventionist and ends up unfairly targeting poor parents."

The case in Norway relating to the two Indian children who were removed from their parental home raises critical concerns about what is meant by the concept of “best interest” in matters relating to children. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Norway, yes, but let's also look within

In Manipur elections, a test for ‘Nagalim'

"When Manipur goes to the polls, there is much for the rest of India to pay attention to."

The upcoming Assembly elections are of key significance because they have the potential to mainstream the demands by the NPF and the Kuki groups and bring them under the purview of political discussion conducted by elected representatives.

Link: The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : In Manipur elections, a test for ‘Nagalim'

The threat to Salman Rushdie's life

Dr. Gurdial Singh Sandhu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Home Affairs, Home Guards & Civil Defence Jail, Government of Rajasthan, defends the state government against the allegations that have surfaced by saying "It seems that complete information may not have been available with you on this incident."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : The threat to Salman Rushdie's life

In response the editor of The Hindu defends the editorial “A national shame” in The Hindu on Monday, 23 January, 2012. and other related articles that were published.

Putin's must-read list

"Vladimir Putin has laid out his plans to compile a canon of 100 Russian books “that every Russian school leaver will be required to read” in an attempt to preserve the “dominance of Russian culture”."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Putin's must-read list

Censorship won't stop bird flu contagion

"The ‘security threat' posed by H5NI mutations is already out there. What is needed is collaborative research based on the sharing of scientific literature."

The United States National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) decision to “recommend” that Science and Nature journals publish only redacted versions of bird flu research results is nothing but an exaggerated and over-zealous reaction that is bound to fail in its prime objective. The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Censorship won't stop bird flu contagion

Most of the information the United States government intends to censor is already available in scientific literature. If anything, its decision will only seriously impact legitimate flu researchers.

Australia tour: A failure of leadership, not just batting

Agreed, the Indians performed poorly this time down under and the results of the same are there for all of us to see...

Was it just batting, bowling and the fielding that went wrong or is there more to it?

How bad was our leadership?

Australia tour: A failure of leadership, not just batting

Mamata's memoirs

Mamata Banerjee released three of her books at the recently concluded Kolkota literary festival, (simultaneous to the Jaipur books festival) one of them being her autobiographies, "My Unforgettable Memories".

Sunethra Chawdary explains how the congress can read it to analyse the lady who is throwing so many tantrums at her...

Mamata's memoirs and how to throw the book at her

UGC moots 20 universities, 800 colleges exclusively for women

Times View - It's a pointless move
Counter View - Will ensure gender equity


The Times of India, January 28, 2012

A Ray Of Hope

There are important lessons to be learnt from the Jaipur Literature Festival's success 


A Ray Of Hope

-The Times of India, January 28, 2012

Chetan Bhagat looks at the positive side of things in India, which is to do with the world-famous Jaipur Literature Festival, and its success. He posits six reasons behind the JLF phenomenon.

"Let us rejoice that India, once known as the land of scholars and knowledge, still has the best literary festival in the world."

You're Free To Call Me Stupid

You're Free To Call Me Stupid

India's global status is now under question. Since the last two years, India has seen itself on the wrong side of the good for all the "2G scam, corruption, urban chaos, an administrative near-paralysis on decision-making, a dysfunctional parliament with a do-nothing opposition and an apparent official unwillingness to take up the responsibilities that go with a global role"

And now, freedom of speech and expression in a secular democracy is under arrest. 

Meet Karma Chameleon

Earthly contradictions, yogic calmness, India has it all 

Meet Karma Chameleon

-The Times of India, January 28, 2012

A very colourful and tasty rendition of the Indian madness.