BJP Nexus with Godmen

THE conviction of the godman Gurmeet Singh on charges of rape and the violence unleashed by his supporters in Panchkula and other places has exposed the political nexus between the BJP and such dubious peddlers of spiritual salvation.The Dera Sacha Sauda head had called upon his followers to vote for the BJP in the October 2014 assembly elections. The BJP was suitably grateful and lavished patronage on Gurmeet Singh and the Dera. 19 of the 47 BJP MLAs called on him to convey their gratitude for his support.

Modi’s Fealty to United States

THE Modi government is getting into a deeper strategic embrace with the United States. It appears Narendra Modi will do his utmost to endear himself to the Trump establishment.On August 15, there was a telephonic conversation between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi. Trump had called Modi to congratulate him on India’s independence day but the talk outlined some of the new steps in the relations between the two countries.

Triple Talaq Verdict: A Step Forward

THE five-member Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has struck down instant triple talaq as illegal and violative of the rights of Muslim women. This majority verdict by 3 to 2 is a victory for Muslim women who have suffered under the arbitrary use of talaq-e-bidat which is instant talaq.Amongst the majority of three, two of the judges have argued that instant triple talaq is violative of the fundamental right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the constitution, while the third judge has said it is illegal as it is not sanctioned by the Quran and Islamic religious practice.

Independence Day Speech: Hypocritical Propaganda

THE Independence Day speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a piece of propaganda remarkable for its disconnect with reality and reeked of hypocrisy in certain matters.This stood out most with regard to Kashmir. His exhortation that the problem will not be solved by “gaali” and “goli” but by embracing Kashmiris was the most hypocritical of them all. The Kashmir valley has been in turmoil and the use of force is the only distinctive approach of the centre to deal with the unrest among the people.

Kerala: RSS Tactics Will Not Succeed

THE RSS-BJP game-plan in Kerala has been unfolding after the assembly election in May 2016. Having failed to make a significant impact in the election, it fell back on its longstanding method of launching violent attacks targeting CPI(M) workers all across Kerala.

Build United Struggles for a Credible Alternative

THE political somersault by Nitish Kumar will rank as one of the biggest of its kind in India’s political history which, anyway, is replete with such opportunistic behaviour by bourgeois politicians. Nitish Kumar, after the success of the mahagathbandhan in the assembly elections in Bihar in 2015, had become the most prominent advocate of a grand anti-BJP alliance at the national level. Even as late as in April this year, he had advocated the unity of opposition parties to take on the BJP.

BJP Corruption Scandals in Kerala

UNDER Narendra Modi’s regime, the BJP has been boasting about the clean record of the government and the ruling party.

Malabar Naval Exercises: In Whose Interests?

THE Malabar joint naval exercises held off the Chennai coast has concluded. This 21st edition of the Malabar exercises saw the participation of the US, Indian and Japanese naval forces. This was one of the largest joint naval exercises in the region involving 16 ships, two submarines and 95 aircraft from the three countries.The joint naval exercise between the United States and India began in 1992 and it marked the beginning of the military collaboration between the two countries.

India-China: No Other Way, But Talks

THE standoff between India and China on the Doklam Plateau, adjoining the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan is now a month-old. There have been periodical instances of disagreement on the border in the past years; but this time the Doklam issue has assumed more serious proportions. This is because of the deterioration in the overall relations between the two countries. In the past instances, the two sides have accused each other of crossing into each other’s territories, or, the Line of Actual Control. However, this time there is a difference.

Modi Visit to Israel: A Pernicious Alliance

THE visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel is more than symbolic. Apart from being the first ever visit by an Indian prime minister, it is also the first time that a top Indian leader is visiting Israel and not going to Ramallah and the Palestinian territory. Modi’s trip to Israel marks the culmination of a shift in foreign policy which has developed over the years – the forging of a strategic alliance with Israel and the steady downgrading of India’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.

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Peoples Democracy

Editorial