Everything For India !

‘Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance’- Laurie Halse Anderson.  There is a growing trend in the socio-political landscape of this country to impose restrictions, supress voices and ban freedom. The present spate on bans of different kinds is slowly making India –the Republic of Bans! Growing intolerance and the tendency to mainstream the fringe is at the heart of the debate. It is not the first time the state is telling us what to read, view or even eat. Although the Constitution of India, has given ‘We the people’, the ‘Right to Freedom and Speech’, yet since time immemorial, bans have been imposed in this country. However, this tendency has seen a growth in recent times. In a diverse country like India, the people may or may not take these ‘Bans’ or ‘Fatwas’ seriously, but argumentative Indians and particularly the media takes sadistic pleasure in order to play up these restrictions. To an extent, the media reflects the society. It mirr...

The Following essay would attempt to present a larger picture of how the Bharatiya Janata Party has weakened India’s fight against terrorism. Facts and newsreports will testify that the BJP which indulges in chest thumping and brow beating when it comes to Nationalism and fighting the menace of terrorism has actually been soft on terror and created conditions which have resulted in cross border terrorism thriving in the country. Jammu & Kashmir : How BJP appointee Jagmohan faltered [1] In July, 1989, General K.V. Krishna Rao was appointed as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir. In October, that year the state had the largest number of tourists. In November 1989, the Lok Sabha elections took place. Kashmir was peaceful and not even an issue. In December 1989, the V. P Singh Government supported by the BJP was sworn in. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the appointed as the Home Minister. The Kashmiri militants reacted to this by kidnapping his daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed. To secure ...

The law may be an ass- an idiot; but it’s all we’ve got                                                                                           - Modified 'Oliver Twist' Quote Ever since the issue of the hanging of Yakub Memom came into public discourse, there is a raging debate on social as well as mainstream media that he was executed because the criminal justice system in India is Communal. Many liberals were swayed by this argument on two accounts. First, Why does the Hindutva rioters like Maya Kodnani and Babu Bajrangi are all out on bail and secondly, why did Bal Thackeray, one of the main protagonist of the Mumbai riots not brought to book and given a state funeral. On the face of it these two arguments looked valid. I agree, that Bal Thac...

Indian politics has come a long way. Democracy has deepened and elections have become a 24X7, 365 days affair instead of becoming a 6 month campaign affair just before the 5 year term ends. The socialistic liberal democratic ideals which governed India for decades have changed into a completely opposite conservative religious right governing the country in full majority now. The fringe has become the mainstream. Bigotry is on the rise, so as political colouring of the institutions. Mediocracy in governance as well as in institutions is slowly creeping in. Religious right of all hues and colours are gaining dominance and the country is going through times which it has never imagined. Marketing of governance has become more importance than actual governance. Without advertising and packaging the dreams and promises won't sell. People have also started buying this exuberant public relation exercises by governments. Whether you govern or not is not really important, the fact...

June 21 st is not only the Summer Solstice in the Northern hemisphere, but the International Day for Yoga declared by the United Nations. As an Indian, it is indeed a matter of great pride that this daily practice of meditation and exercise carried out by millions of Indians in their ordinary routine has attained a global symbol. Although, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not the first man to promote Yoga internationally, but certainly the way he is event managing the entire show showcasing it as a spectacle – a new thing to the entire world is certainly commendable Marketing and event management is an art in which our Prime Minister has mastered. As CM, he had the services of PR firm APCO Worldwide, now he even does not need that. The master of selfies is doing every bit to create a spectacle with a 35-minute mass demonstration of 15 yoga asanas by 45,000 school children, government officials, diplomats, army personnel and NCC cadets at Rajpath on June 21 st 20 ...