Mr Bhagwat Speaks, Listen All Ye Faithful
In his weekly column for The Indian Express, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram critiques the recent remarks made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat.
"Mr Mohan Bhagwat has an uncanny sense of timing. He seldom speaks, but his choice of the day and the occasion is brilliant... Many strongly disagree with his views — and I do invariably — but one cannot but agree that Mr Bhagwat’s speeches command attention, especially after 2014,"P Chidambaram, The Indian Express
Analysing Bhagwat's speeches in the recent past, Chidambaram opines how the RSS leader's speech on 12 October was "typical Modi-speak."
"With no one to temper Mr Modi’s utterances and actions, he will feel emboldened to use his authority, abuse Opposition parties, and pursue his policies that have led to inflation, unemployment, inequality, crony capitalism, social oppression, communal conflicts and injustice. Brace yourself for more Modi-speak and Modi-actions," the author opines.
A Posthumous Bharat Ratna for Ratan Tata
In his weekly column for Hindustan Times, journalist and author Karan Thapar calls for honouring Ratan Tata with a posthumous Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.
Thapar opines that Tata's work, especially in business ethics, nation-building, and community service, merits recognition at the highest level, akin to past recipients like J.R.D. Tata.
"The sad fact we can’t escape from is that often the Bharat Ratna has been given to people who did not really deserve it or it’s been denied to others who did. Either way, it diminished the award... So, isn’t it time that we stop lamenting the fact that truly deserving Indians have been wilfully ignored or the undeserving honoured and attempt to atone for that lapse... In Ratan Tata’s case, the thousands that turned up for his funeral, as well as the pages of newsprint and hours of broadcast time devoted to him, are a testament to that fact. No one can deny that. But that doesn’t mean the State doesn’t owe them their due."Karan Thapar, Hindustan Times
Tavleen Singh writes: Why is Governance Not More Important Than Politics?
Writing for The Indian Express, Tavleen Singh reflects on the stark contrast between wealth and poverty witnessed by Adivasis in a village on the Konkan coast, near Mumbai.
Sharing her conversation with residents of the unnamed village, who lament about the lack of basic necessities, particularly clean water, the author critiques the failure of governance in addressing these disparities, questioning why politics overshadows the need for effective governance.
"One reason why governance does not improve is because we in the media rarely discuss it... Why is governance not more important than politics? Is governance not the ultimate objective of being in politics?" asks Singh.
"What does it matter who forms the government in Maharashtra if those who take power refuse to hear the voices of those whose voices most need to be heard," the columnist opines.
Can Maya Resurrect the BSP, Which is No Longer the First Choice of Dalits?
Columnist Sunita Aron, in her piece for Hindustan Times, explores the challenges faced by Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in regaining its influence in Uttar Pradesh, particularly among Dalit voters.
Aron talks about how the BSP, once the primary political choice for Dalits, is having an "existential crisis" and has weakened as other parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have made inroads into its Dalit vote bank.
"Now, it’s a do-or-die battle for Mayawati as her dedicated voters are impatient and may move on. And once they move on, the BSP will also lose its appeal. It may have to remain to contend with the national party status with no power,"Sunita Aron, Hindustan Times
How Strategic Instability is Impacting Nuclear Postures Columnists
Writing for Deccan Chronicle, Congress leader and former Union Minister Manish Tewari discusses the implications of strategic instability on nuclear postures globally.
Arguing that increasing geopolitical tensions and evolving military doctrines are reshaping how nuclear states perceive threats, Tewari opines,
"The question, therefore, is, how do you maintain nuclear stability in an age of strategic instability where three concurrent conflicts are playing themselves out in three continents simultaneously — Russia versus Ukraine, Israel versus Hamas/Hezbollah/Houthis/other proxies/ and Iran... This is the existential challenge of the times we live in."Manish Tewari, Deccan Chronicle
Just Like That | The Ignoble Western Bias in Nobel Prizes
Writing for Hindustan Times, former Rajya Sabha member and diplomat Pavan K Varma critiques the Nobel Prize selection process, arguing that it exhibits a pronounced Western bias that overlooks significant contributions from the Global South.
"The truth is that the Nobel Peace Prize is highly politicised," the author writes. The piece highlights how deserving individuals from non-Western countries are often ignored, which perpetuates a skewed narrative about global achievements in fields such as literature, peace, and science.
"We in India give too much importance to western recognition. It is time we institute our own global prizes, and objectively judge those who judge us," Varma writes.
Are Migrants Expendable? It Would Appear So
Roger Marshall, in his opinion piece for Deccan Herald, critiques the ongoing neglect of migrant workers across the globe. This is in context of ex-United State President Donald Trump's pledge to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the US.
Marshall argues that when people from poorer countries attempt to move to high-income western nations, they face a whole host of barriers, including "Kafkaesque rules that govern the issuance of visas or the granting of asylum by host countries."
"There is little doubt that economic, social and geopolitical considerations greatly influence the manner in which the visa game plays out in different parts of the world. Why on earth would Israel import Indian labourers when tens of thousands of Gazans are unemployed and, more importantly, why would the Indian government actually recruit and send these labourers? Likewise, why would the US government allow white farmers in the Mississippi Delta to recruit white agricultural workers from South Africa when any number of African-Americans in the Delta region are out of work? Since the trafficking of migrants is also trade, shouldn’t this be made part of free trade agreements, bilateral or otherwise?"
In Chennai, When it Rains, it Pours Privileged-Class Hypocrisy
In his piece for Deccan Herald, renowned singer and columnist TM Krishna discusses the issue of urban flooding in Chennai, criticising the privileged class for their selective outrage over the city's poor infrastructure. Krishna highlights the hypocrisy of benefiting from development while neglecting environmental and social consequences.
"The majority of people belonging to the category that gets preferential civic service rarely engage seriously with the systemic and structural reasons that have made flooding common in the city. Their activism stops with using cloth bags, buying organic foods, wanting better roads, and garbage segregation. In fact, if water stops coming into their houses, the problem ceases to exist in their eyes..."
Parents, Get a Life
Leher Kala, in her opinion piece for The Indian Express, discusses the intervention of the Supreme Court regarding Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation after a retired professor alleged his daughters were being held against their will and brainwashed into monk-hood.
Reflecting on the cultural pressures faced by children, particularly in India, where parental expectations often demand conformity to traditional lifestyles, such as marriage and family, Kala writes,
"The ‘sacrificing’ Indian parents who set aside their own ambitions to ensure their children’s success are an established stereotype but not enough is said about what is (quietly) demanded in return. There is an unwavering expectation that because they so painstakingly curated a life, an adult offspring is morally bound to socially validate them by obediently following convention: marriage, kids and so on."
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