Prepare For More of The Same
In his weekly column for The Indian Express, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram laments on the lack of consensus and debate in Parliament, with decisions seemingly driven by PM Narendra Modi's "directives" rather than democratic consensus.
"Apart from the visible signals, it is evident that Mr Modi has firmly decreed that the pre-election claims, boasts, policies, programmes, style, demeanour, vendetta et al will be defended, reiterated and continued. The tragedy is that Mr Modi’s decree seemed to prevail within both Houses of Parliament too,"P Chidambaram, for The Indian Express
Highlighting the regional political dynamics and challenges for the ruling BJP-NDA coalition, the Congress leader opines:
"The keys to the kingdom are in the hands of the TDP (16 MPs) and JD-U (12 MPs). Both will bide their time. Both will await the Budget. Both will keep up the demand for ‘special category’ status which they know Mr Modi will not give them. Both will await the outcome of the state elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand that are due in a few months,"
The Political Landscape is So Bereft of Heroes Now That People Seek Them Elsewhere
In her weekly 'Fifth Column' in The Indian Express, Tavleen Singh reflects on contrasting events in India—a triumphant welcome for the Indian cricket team contrasting with a tragic stampede in Hathras.
"What happened would never have happened if there was minimal governance and minimal administrative competence. After more than 120 people, mostly women, were stampeded to death, questions have begun to be asked about how a gathering of this size was allowed at all. Where were the police when the fake messiah fled in his convoy as soon as the stampede began? Where were the arrangements for the medical treatment of the injured?"Tavleen Singh, Indian Express
A Charter for Parliament to Improve its Functioning
In his weekly column for Hindustan Times, senior journalist and author Karan Thapar writes on the urgent need to find solutions to tackle the issue of declining productivity in the Parliament.
"The remedy is simple and straightforward — the Lok Sabhas must sit for a fixed minimum number of days each year and all bills must be sent to parliamentary committees for detailed scrutiny before they are passed,"Karan Thapar, Hindustan Times
Some of the key suggestions include regularising parliamentary sessions, ensuring constructive debates, enhancing committee roles, and promoting transparency.
"If adopted, these conventions would increase trust. They would give the Opposition a stake with a sense of their real contribution and they would give the Indian people confidence that different opinions and arguments are being canvassed and discussed,Karan Thapar, Hindustan Times
What India Can Expect from Labour
Senior columnist Shyam Bhatia, in his piece for The New Indian Express, writes on how the defeat of the Conservatives in Britain's general election means New Delhi "can no longer count on London’s silence or automatic support for policies undermining minority communities in India."
According to Bhatia, the Labour party "can invoke those links for a warmer relationship. But on foreign policy, the UK will remain closely aligned with the US."
"One final bilateral concern that Labour has so far avoided discussing is the return of India’s stolen treasures. Paintings, jewels and archaeological wonders worth billions of dollars were ripped out of India by British colonial officials and are currently stored in museums, stately homes and chor bazaars across the length and breadth of the UK. If Labour is sincere about upgrading ties with India, it could make a start by finding a way of returning the colonial loot,"Shyam Bhatia, The New Indian Express
Hooch tragedy: Dravidian Movement Needs a Voice That Does not Fear Itself
In his piece for Deccan Herald, singer and writer-activist TM Krishna writes on the recent hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, which led to the death of 65 persons following the consumption of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi.
Critiquing the DMK government, Krishna argues for a revival of the Dravidian movement's original ethos of social justice and empowerment. The author called for leaders to prioritise the welfare of marginalised communities over political expediency.
"Tamil Nadu is, without doubt, a very special state. A land where social discrimination is unabashedly part of public discourse... Yet, Tamil Nadu is also a place where the fear of caste looms over a considerable section of society. This worrisome contradiction needs to be addressed with great urgency because lives are at stake. The social justice awakening that Tamil Nadu triggered was a cardinal moment in Indian history, but it cannot remain fossilised in the past... Dravidian thought is urgently in need of a contemporary philosophical, political and social voice. A voice that does not fear itself,"
Parties Must Fulfil Poll Promises to Women
In her column for Hindustan Times, senior journalist Lalitha Panicker writes on the need for political parties to prioritise women's issues and fulfil their electoral promises in India.
Highlighting the disparity between commitments made during elections and implementation of policies that benefit women, Panicker talks on how political parties must translate rhetoric into tangible reforms, in order to foster true inclusivity and progress in Indian society.
"The number of women in Parliament now is a dismal 74 but this does not mean that women’s issues can be deprioritised once elections are done and dusted. As the last election showed, the vote of any group, leave alone one as disparate as women, cannot be taken for granted. Parties must redeem their manifesto promises without delay. Can they take their own time to fulfill pledges even as women increasingly use the electoral process to voice expectations?"Lalitha Panicker, Hindustan Times
Time for Maximum Modi, Minimum Govt
Writing for The New Indian Express, senior journalist Prabhu Chawla opines that it is time for PM Narendra Modi to revisit his "previous basic promises which he left trusted ministers and babus to implement."
Chawla believes that in order to ensure a fourth win in 2029, the BJP needed a "new Modi." The author also advocates for streamlining government processes, enhancing accountability, and promoting economic growth through minimal government intervention.
"The current numbers and slogans have outlived their utility. India will become a $5-trillion economy sooner than later. A swasth Modi would mean both Swachh and Samriddh Bharat. Invention must replace invective, and vindication must replace vindictiveness of ideologically-unaccredited attention-seekers for Modi 4.0 to arrive with a bang, not slang,"Prabhu Chawla, New Indian Express
On Koo, Failures and Successes in India’s Startup Ecosystem
Writing for Times of India, Nikhil Pahwa, founder of MediaNama, talks on how the shuttering of Koo, a microblogging platform, has rekindled discussions about why India doesn’t have its own Google, Facebook, or WhatsApp and "whether a protectionist approach like China’s is necessary to build such services."
"Global companies have increased their presence by offering services in Indian scripts. Building local products that scale is a long, difficult process requiring significant funds, time, and innovation, and generating revenue in social media products via advertising is especially difficult... Making these products sticky requires network effects, product innovation and a unique use case. LinkedIn is for professionals, Twitter now X for news and common interests, and Facebook and Instagram are for friends and family. Without substantial funds and unique offerings, Koo struggled in a mature market,"
More to Digitality Inequality than Access to Phones
In his piece for The Indian Express, Mayukh Devdas, a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, delves into the influence of caste dynamics within India's digital sphere.
Devdas writes on how existing studies on caste issues in the digital sphere focus primarily on access disparities between upper-caste and Dalit communities, and neglect deeper issues like digital skills and empowerment.
"The introduction of feedback loops and recommendation algorithms is exacerbating digital inequality. In particular, the digital usage of students, mostly Dalits, who share their devices with their families, is largely impacted by their family’s digital choices. This means that the educational disparities emerging from the advent of technologies will compound the existing ones. This could result in an increasing divide between Dalits and the upper castes in terms of social advancement, educational development, economic advancement, power sharing, and political participation in future,"Mayukh Devdas, Indian Express
More from The Quint:
Unlike the Last 10 Years, Rahul Won't Let Parliament Be a Cakewalk for Modi
Why Chandrababu Naidu is Treading Lightly for Andhra's Special Category Status
Most Victims of Hathras Stampede are Women. We Must Address This Gender Aspect
Why the Tories' Devastating Loss Marks a Change in the Shape of British Politics
As Three New Criminal Laws Come Into Effect, Is India's Justice System Ready?
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