Articles

Not a Commemoration, but a Summons!

IT was in December 1992 that I had a direct interaction with Com. Fidel Castro. As part of the delegation led by Com. Harkishan Singh Surjeet, the then General Secretary of the CPI(M), I had travelled to Cuba to receive the Caribbean Princess, which had sailed from Haldia to Havana. The relief ship was carrying more than 10,000 tonnes of wheat raised by Indian farmers and workers, during Cuba’s severe economic ‘Special Period’, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

An Amputated Republic

SEVEN years ago, on August 5, 2019, the Republic quietly amputated one of its own limbs. Article 370 and Article 35A were struck down while Jammu and Kashmir sat under President’s Rule, its leaders were under house arrest, its phone lines were dead and when there was no assembly left to consult. A full-fledged state, one that had joined India through its own Instrument of Accession, was dismembered and bifurcated into two Union Territories by an executive decree.

Who is Afraid of Rahul Sankrityayan?

IN the dead of night on July 20, some ‘unknown miscreants’ made away with a full-size statue of Rahul Sankrityayan which had been standing at a major crossing of Ranigunj, an industrial city in West Bengal. In the morning, nothing was left of it but some scattered bricks and stones. Shocked residents immediately reported the matter to the adjacent police station, but since then the police have not been able to identify even a single culprit.

'Hindutva Pop': Hate Music Industry fueling Militant Hindutva

DEAFENING music, high-tempo beats, inflammatory lyrics, and crowds swaying to the rhythm are common sights at processions organised by Hindutva groups across the country. People, intoxicated by the arrogance of Hindu supremacy, frequently shout provocative slogans. As the tempo of the music rises, so does the fervor of the crowd; it appears as though the music has completely taken them over. The lyrics accompanying the music begin to dominate both heart and mind.

Three Bills That Could Change Who Governs

THREE bills moved together through Parliament in August 2025, and taken separately, each look almost technical. The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025 deals with what happens to a chief minister or prime minister who is arrested. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 extend a similar logic to other Union Territories.

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