Has the UPA government covertly given foreign missionaries a free hand to proselytise and convert ‘heathens’ in India? Persons seeking passport services in November 2012 were startled to discover that, without any discussion in Parliament or in public, the UPA Government has quietly relaxed restrictions on the entry and stay … Read More
A startling consequence of the global financial meltdown, particularly the rising levels of unemployment, spiraling prices, decline in living standards, and growing insecurity of the middle class and marginalised sections of society, has been an unprecedented flight from religion. Amongst the monotheistic faiths, Christianity and Judaism have witnessed a huge … Read More
Writing about the Sir Creek issue some months ago, Pakistani analyst SM Hali noted that the Indus is shifting and Indian and Pakistani hydrographers are aware that the latest position favours Pakistan (The Dawn, June 27, 2012). More pertinently, once maritime and international boundaries are fixed, they cannot be repositioned … Read More
In a confidential memorandum in December 1991, Lawrence Summers, World Bank Chief Economist, urged his colleagues: “‘Dirty’ Industries: Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]? I can think of three reasons”. Those who believe … Read More
Amidst an Assembly election fraught with national implications, the Congress announced that in the next general elections it would be led by a quartet comprising party president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi and Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Hot on the heels of this announcement, Narendra … Read More
Amidst a concerted effort by some intellectuals, retired military and foreign office mandarins to somehow cede the Siachen Glacier to Pakistan, some analysts are striving to promote the Mahabharata in public consciousness as India’s epic of war. The Archaeological Survey of India’s wing at Siri Fort is hosting an exhibition … Read More
The Aadhaar biometric data collection system is so fraught with danger of misuse that the Election Commission’s intervention to stall the direct cash transfer scheme linked to it, while timely, is inadequate. Hopefully the Supreme Court which has admitted a petition challenging Aadhaar for lack of constitutional validity will effectively … Read More
By a curious synergy or perhaps a growing synchronicity between the ruling party and the judiciary, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde called for a ‘rethink’ on capital punishment almost immediately after Ajmal Kasab’s hanging, while the Supreme Court expressed resentment at laws mandating death penalty for certain crimes. The … Read More
At a time when the nation is reeling under mega-scam upon super-scam unfolding with unceasing regularity under the auspices of UPA2, it is hardly surprising that India ranks an abysmal 78th out of 97 nations covered by the World Justice Report on ‘Rule of Law Index 2012’. Clearly, notwithstanding the … Read More
A disturbing trend of playing to a liberal gallery is leading a section of the judiciary to give low weightage to rules regarding such a sensitive service as the Indian Army. Recently, the Karnataka High Court dismissed a writ appeal by the Army challenging a single judge order directing it … Read More
