Author: Vidya Bhushan Rawat
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Two Nations, One Friendship: The India-Russia Story
he grand welcome given to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis’ in Russia has not been taken kindly in the Western capitals because of various reasons. Many in India too are commenting on it in contempt without knowing the warm relationship between the two countries. Indian leaders always received a rousing reception in the Soviet Union.…
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A New Dawn for Labour: Understanding the UK’s Electoral Shift
he smooth and quick transfer of power in the United Kingdom speaks volumes about the great democratic tradition in that country. The UK election results came out during the day and by the afternoon outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak went to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation. By the time he stepped out, Labour leader…
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Babas and Politicians: The Unholy Nexus Threatening Democracy
he death of over 130 devotees in a stampede at a congregation at Hathras in Uttar Pradesh has shocked the nation but why does it surprise us? In the last three decades, this country has seen an enormous growth of Babas as devotees throng to them in search of miraculous powers. The codification of religion…
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A Divided Nation: The Struggle for Love Amidst Religious and Caste Prejudices
he criminal flogging of two individuals for their alleged relationship in Bengal is a reminder of what is happening all over the country. In this age of social media, people convert every incident into an event and give their opinion according to the side of the political divide we sit in. The stories of lynching…
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Uttarakhand’s Fiery Struggle: Forests, Fires and Fragile Ecosystems
ttarakhand’s forest fire has resulted in the loss of not only human lives but also huge forest areas. This year has been devastating for Uttarakhand as the number of forest fires in the state rose to an extraordinary level. The latest casualty has been the enchanting forests of Kasar and Winsor near Almora known for…
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Media, Monopolies and Manipulation: The Unholy Alliance Exposed in the 2024 Elections
he results of the General Elections 2024 have thoroughly exposed the Bania media and its Brahmanical proponents. I have never trusted it but it took 10 years of Modi rule to expose them completely. V T Rajshekar, the indomitable Editor of Dalit Voice which flourished in the 1990s always mocked their ”merit’ and wrote ‘Merit:…
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Beyond Closure: Rohith Vemula’s Case Reshapes India’s Justice Narrative
t is good that Telangana police has decided to reinvestigate the case of institutional murder of Rohith Vemula. The May 3rd closure report was simply outrageous. This reflects what ails our system and therefore needs a thorough overhauling. The Indian power structure, bureaucracy, police, judiciary, media and academia now need proportional representation. Though Rahul Gandhi…
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Lok Sabha Election: Will the results from Uttarakhand be surprising?
he elections being held in Uttarakhand on April 19 may yield surprising results. Although ‘experts’ are giving 5 seats to BJP but the reality is that BJP has nothing to say. People are not ready to vote in the name of Ram temple in Ayodhya, let alone Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, but it seems that…
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Unveiling Modi’s Strategy: Fear, Propaganda and the Politics of Division
arendra Modi’s vicious speeches spitting poison everywhere have become normal during the past 10 years though he started in 2002. Amidst his campaign in Gujarat, he started with ‘Mian Musharraf’ and then spoke of the faith of the then election commissioner Mr Lyngdoh, who termed the utterings as ‘despicable’, Modi has used all forums to…
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Identity Politics and Bharat Ratna: A Deep Dive into Awardees’ Allegiances
he Bharat Ratna award to late prime ministers PV Narsimha Rao, Chaudhury Charan Singh and MS Swaminathan has been welcomed by all. I have always stood against the state award sponsorship as it basically means that your work is ‘liked’ and ‘appreciated’ by the top leadership. Awards have always been political. Congress gave these awards…