The Supreme Court’s Retreat on Hate Speech: From Vigilant Guardian to Cautious Observer
In India’s fractious democracy, hate speech has morphed from fringe rhetoric into mainstream political currency, often amplified by those in power. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and affiliated right-wing groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have repeatedly crossed lines, targeting minorities—particularly Muslims—with inflammatory language that stokes division. […]
Tracing the Mahabharata City and Its Legacy in Modern Delhi
Calls to rename India’s cities are once again stirring public debate, with arguments anchored in civilisational memory and epic heritage. Against this backdrop, the idea that Delhi may once have been the legendary Indraprastha has returned to the centre of political and cultural discourse. The question, however, is larger than nomenclature. It touches upon archaeology, […]
How Rajaji’s Bust Became a Political Prop: BJP’s Latest Effort at Historical Co-optation
February , 2026, a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan marked yet another symbolic gesture by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–led government that goes beyond mere commemoration. The bust of C. Rajagopalachari—India’s first and only Indian Governor-General—was unveiled, replacing the bust of the British architect Edwin Lutyens that had stood in the grand staircase of the presidential […]
Demystifying the Bench: Is NCERT’s Judicial Candour a Masterclass in Critical Thinking?
The classroom has long been a space for idealism, often presenting the pillars of democracy as flawless monoliths. However, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has recently pivoted toward a more “realist” pedagogical approach. The new Social Science curriculum for Class 8 now explicitly addresses the “shadows” of the Indian legal system—specifically […]
AI Impact Summit 2026: Ambition Undermined by Chaos and Credulity
India’s bid to lead global AI discourse faltered spectacularly at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi from February 16-21, 2026, where logistical failures and scandals overshadowed substantive dialogue. Opening Day Debacle The summit kicked off at Bharat Mandapam with monumental mismanagement, as around 80,000 attendees faced interminable queues from 7 AM, inadequate security briefings, […]
Power, Proximity and Public Morality: India’s Ethical Test in the Shadow of the Epstein Revelations
When Association Becomes a Moral Question Across continents, the release of fresh documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has triggered resignations, investigations and public reckonings. From Europe to North America, prominent figures have stepped aside or been compelled to explain why they continued to engage with a man who, […]
When Patriotism Is Mandated: The Constitutional Perils of Compulsory Vande Mataram
A Directive That Reopens Old Wounds The recent directive of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs mandating the recitation of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram before the National Anthem at public functions marks a decisive and troubling moment in India’s constitutional journey. What may appear, at first glance, as a gesture of cultural pride […]
RAMADAN IN INDIA FROM FEB 19
NEW DELHI: Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is observed by millions of Muslims across India and the world through fasting, prayer, and charity. Many are already looking for clarity on when Ramadan will begin in India and when Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be celebrated. Ramadan 2026 start date in India Ramadan follows […]
The Eternal Timelessness of Mirza Ghalib
February 15 marked the 157th death anniversary of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797–1869), the crowning jewel of Urdu and Persian literature. A nobleman of the fading Mughal court and a witness to the seismic shifts of 1857, Ghalib was more than a poet; he was a philosopher of the human condition whose relevance has only […]
*Pahle naav Ganesh ka, lijiye sees nawae*The Syncretic Echoes of Nazeer’s Mahashivaratri
In the hush of midnight vigils on Mahashivratri, as devotees fast and chant through the lengthening shadows of February, Nazeer Akbarabadi’s verses transport us to a time when faith flowed unbound by rigid divides. This 18th-century Muslim poet, revered as the “People’s Poet,” opens his nazm *Mahadev-ji ka Byaah* with an invocation to Ganesha, seeking […]
