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 Precarious Post-Independence Mosaic
Operation Polo: The Integration of Hyderabad and Its Enduring Legacy Seventy-eight years after Hyderabad’s accession, the dramatic events and their impact on Indian unity remain vitally relevant. On September 17, 1948, the princely state of Hyderabad—ruled by the enigmatic and wealthy Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan—was formally integrated into the Union of India following a […]
A Halfway Step Between Justice and Deference
Supreme Court’s Interim Waqf Order: A Halfway Step Between Justice and Deference Did the Court Uphold the Principle That “Justice Must Not Only Be Done but Seen to Be Done”? On September 15, 2025, the Supreme Court of India delivered its much-awaited interim order on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, halting some of its most […]
A Nation in Flux: Implications for India’s Democratic Soul
From Barbed Wires to Hope: Stan Swamy’s Legacy Illuminates Migration’s Hidden Struggles In the vibrant pulse of Mumbai’s Nariman Point, the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre became a beacon of defiance and remembrance on September 13, 2025. As evening shadows lengthened, a diverse assembly of activists, scholars, lawyers, students, and migrant rights advocates filled the hall, their […]
THE GEN-Z SPARK: FROM SOCIAL MEDIA BAN TO REVOLUTION
Nepal’s Phoenix Moment: Sushila Karki Steers a Fractured Nation Toward Renewal as India Bolsters Democratic Revival In a historic shift that has captivated the Himalayan nation and its neighbors, Sushila Karki, Nepal’s trailblazing first female Chief Justice, has ascended to the role of interim Prime Minister amid the ashes of a youth-driven uprising. As the […]
Better Late Than Never?” — PM Modi’s Long-Awaited Visit to Manipur
An analysis of what drives this visit, what it could deliver — and whether it can heal deeply rooted wounds. The Delay — Why Now, and Why the Wait? On May 3, 2023, ethnic violence erupted in Manipur between the majority Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the tribal Kuki-Zo people from the surrounding […]
TRIBUTES TO A TIRELESS DEMOCRAT
Jagdeep S. Chhokar (1944–2025): The Relentless Crusader for Clean Politics From Railways to Reform: A Life of Many Journeys Jagdeep S. Chhokar, the co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and one of India’s most steadfast advocates for transparency in politics, passed away in Delhi on September 12, 2025, after a heart attack. He […]
