Opinion

When “Why?” Becomes a Threat: Is West Bengal’s Democratic Space Shrinking?

West Bengal’s recent clashes over classrooms, universities, the press and cultural institutions raise a larger question: what happens when political power enters spaces meant for independent thought? The incidents may not be connected, but together they reveal how easily institutional autonomy and dissent can come under pressure.

‘Assalamu Alaikum, Inshaallah, Jazakallah’: Peace, Hope and Gratitude Don’t Cancel Out Your Merit

Dr Bushara Bano’s use of “Assalamu Alaikum”, “InshaAllah” and “Jazakallah” has sparked controversy. But can three expressions of faith overshadow an IPS officer’s qualifications, competitive achievements and professional record? The debate raises a larger question about identity, neutrality and merit in public service.

You Can Crack IIT. Can You Crack Its Caste System?

IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode’s suicide has revived questions about caste discrimination, merit and student rights in India’s elite institutions. As allegations of harassment and casteist abuse emerge, the larger concern is whether campuses meant to nurture talent are becoming hostile spaces for marginalised students

What Is India’s Youth Asking For: Cultural Identity or the Right to a Future?

India’s youth have always questioned power, from the student movements of the 1970s to the Anna movement. Today, programmes in Ujjain and Indore raise a new question: is young India seeking cultural identity, political recognition or something more basic — the right to shape its future?

BRICS Isn’t Beijing’s Game. It’s India’s Strategic Autonomy

India’s BRICS engagement is not about choosing China over the West but protecting its strategic autonomy. As the global order turns multipolar, India must retain strong ties across competing blocs while defending its independent foreign policy and ensuring that national interests, not Western approval, shape its international choices.
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Hindutva’s Long War Against Two Words in the Constitution: ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’

The RSS General Secretary, Dattatray Hosabale, second in the RSS leadership hierarchy, stated on the eve of the imposition of the Emergency in 1975...

Waqf Protest Debate: Faith and the Constitution — A Contract, Not a Creed

The Waqf protest was more than a Muslim issue—it was a constitutional assertion of religious and community rights. Yet, its critics revealed a deeper discomfort with faith in public life. The backlash exposes India’s growing secular blind spot, where pluralism is praised in theory but punished when practiced by minorities.

Between Hurt Sentiments and Constitutional Rights: A Muslim’s Plea

India’s evolving legal landscape is turning peaceful Islamic preaching into a punishable offence. Vague laws on religious insult and conversion are being used to arrest Muslim preachers and suppress da’wah. This piece argues that true protection for Islam lies not in blasphemy laws, but in upholding secular constitutional freedoms.

Bihar’s Unofficial ‘NRC’: How the Poor Are Being Erased from Democracy

A flawed Special Intensive Revision of voter list in Bihar threatens to erase millions from voter rolls by prioritising matriculation certificates over accessible IDs. With low literacy, high poverty, and a large migrant population, the move risks disenfranchising Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and women—undermining the very spirit of universal suffrage in Indian democracy.

JNU’s Shame, BJP’s Silence: India’s Guilt in Najeeb’s Disappearance

Najeeb Ahmed, a 27-year-old MSc Biotechnology student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), vanished on October 15, 2016, following a violent altercation the previous night...

Two Percent Courage: Mamdani Shows the Way, Will Rahul Follow?

Zohran Mamdani’s call for a 2% tax on New York’s millionaires reignited the debate on economic justice. In contrast, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress promised income support for India’s poor but hesitated to confront the rich. To fight inequality meaningfully, political leaders must stop flinching from taxing the wealthy elite
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