Gandhi Jayanti Meets RSS Centenary: The Enduring Clash Between Inclusive Harmony and Exclusionary Nationalism
October 2, 2025, marks a confluence of milestones: the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti; the festival of Vijayadashami, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil; and the 100th Foundation Day of the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Yet, this alignment carries a profound irony. Gandhi’s vision of an “Inclusive Hinduism,” grounded […]
DURGA PUJA CELEBRATES GODDESS DURGA’S VICTORY OVER EVIL
*”Taareef kahoon main kya kya kuchh, ab Durga jee ke darasan kee”*(*What more can I praise, now of the sight of Durga ji*) Durga Puja, the grand festival that celebrates Goddess Durga’s victory of good over evil, is not only a ritual of devotion but also a cultural celebration of human unity, joy, and resilience. […]
‘I Love Muhammad’: From A Banner To A Crisis
‘I Love Muhammad’: From A Banner To A Crisis! A lightboard in a Kanpur procession in early September — reading “I Love Muhammad” — has detonated a combustible mix of politics, policing and piety across Uttar Pradesh. What began as an expression of love during an Eid-Milad procession has morphed into night-long sit-ins, stone-pelting, mass […]
Political Equivocations and Judicial Inaction
Chandrachud’s Contested Legacy: Judicial Reformer or Communal Echo? A Career of Landmark Rulings Marred by Contradictions and Controversial Remarks In a recent interview with Newslaundry’s Sreenivasan Jain, former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud sparked outrage by calling the construction of the Babri Masjid a “fundamental act of desecration.” This statement, made shortly after his […]
RSS at 100: Shadows of Exclusion in the Shadow of Saffron
A Legacy Under the Spotlight As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stands on the cusp of commemorating its centenary on September 27, 2025—exactly 100 years since its founding by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur—the organization stands as a formidable pillar in the nation’s socio-political landscape. Hailed by its adherents for its disciplined structure and grassroots […]
BALANCING RIGHTS, RESPECT AND REASON
When Faith Becomes a Flash Point: The Dangers of Assertive Religion in Secular India India is a tapestry woven with myriad religions, languages, castes, and cultures. Secularism—enshrined in the Constitution—was meant to guard this diversity and ensure equal status for all faiths. Yet in recent years, assertive religiosity—expressed through processions, slogans, loudspeakers, and public display—has […]
From Bankipore to Patna: Bihar’s Tryst with Congress History”
On the eve of the CWC meeting in Patna, the past echoes of Congress sessions in Bihar remind us of their enduring significance in India’s political journey. Bihar’s Historic Role in the Congress Story When the Congress Working Committee (CWC) gathers in Patna on 24 September 2025, it will not merely be another high-level political […]
MAHARASHTRA LANGUAGE POLICY TO POLITICS
Tongues of Power: How Language Shapes Identity, Equity and Opportunity in Maharashtra Maharashtra’s recent tussle over the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) has reopened a larger public conversation: languages are not neutral instruments of communication but political technologies that shape who we are, who gets ahead and who is left behind. The […]
Language and Identity: Religion, Nationalism, and Power
symbolic picture The government’s recent notice to several major Hindi news channels for using Urdu words has ignited debate on language, history, and identity in India. This action highlights longstanding tensions and complexities around the linguistic boundaries of Hindi and Urdu, and raises serious questions about linguistic policy, social cohesion, and political motives. *Government’s Notice […]
THE RIVER OF POETRY THAT IS MIR, STILL FLOWS
Patta Patta Boota Boota Haal Hamaara Jaane Hai”: On the 215th Death Anniversary of Khuda-e-Sukhan, Mir Taqi Mir “Mir ke deen-o-mazhab ka poonchte kya ho un nay to“kashka khaincha dair mein baitha kab ka tark Islam kiya” Every leaf, every stone, every sigh in the air of Hindustan seems to know the woe and wonder […]
