M.S Shanker

Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

When New York Mayor Forgets the Meaning of Sovereignty

New York’s new Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has projected himself as the face of a “new era” in American urban politics—audacious, ideological, and unrestrained. But audacity without responsibility quickly mutates into arrogance. That line appears to have been crossed when Mamdani openly declared solidarity with Umar Khalid, an accused conspirator in India’s anti-CAA violence cases, while…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Time to Draw the Line: Why Bangladeshi Players Should Be Barred from IPL 2026

There comes a moment when neutrality stops being a virtue and begins to resemble complicity. Indian cricket—and by extension the Indian Premier League—has reached that moment with Bangladesh. The growing demand by Hindu religious leaders and civil society groups to bar Bangladeshi cricketers from IPL 2026 is not an eruption of irrational anger, as some…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Dev Bhoomi’s Moral Collapse

The death of Anjel Chakma, a young student from Tripura studying in Dehradun, is not merely a criminal incident—it is a moral indictment of a society that continues to deny, normalise, and excuse its deep-seated prejudices against people from India’s North-East. Chakma succumbed to his injuries after being brutally assaulted by local goons, reportedly under…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Bangladesh at a Crossroads: The Return of Tarique Rahman and the Future of Democracy

The sudden and dramatic return of Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and scion of one of Bangladesh’s two dominant political dynasties, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s political evolution. After nearly 17 years in exile, Rahman arrived in Dhaka to a massive, emotional welcome — an event that could…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Thackeray Reunion: Resurrection or Political Farce?

The sudden warmth between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray has triggered predictable excitement in sections of Maharashtra’s political commentariat. Old photographs are being dusted off, emotional appeals to “Marathi asmita” are resurfacing, and whispers of a united Thackeray front challenging the BJP—especially in Mumbai—are growing louder. But beneath the optics lies an uncomfortable question: is…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Hijab, Hiring, and the Questions Bihar Must Answer

A viral social media video has added a controversial and politically sensitive layer to the already condemned incident involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the hijab-lifting episode during a government appointment event. While the Chief Minister’s act drew widespread criticism across party lines for being inappropriate and indefensible, the narrative being circulated online now…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

India Corrected, Not Rebranded

For nearly 65 years after Independence, India was governed more by political convenience than constitutional conviction. The Congress party, which dominated power for most of this period, institutionalised indecision, nurtured vote-bank politics, and allowed systemic corruption to become an accepted feature of governance. By 2014, India had not failed—but it had been deliberately restrained. Narendra…

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