Forthright
The world needs no lecture on democracy from a superpower that increasingly treats other nations’ sovereignty as negotiable, international law as optional and economic sanctions as instruments of political coercion. If there is one country whose conduct deserves relentless scrutiny, it is the United States under Donald Trump. From Europe to Bharat, political discontent, public…
The mask is slipping. Over the past 48 hours, a familiar narrative has gathered momentum: portray Bharat as a nation on the brink, magnify street protests into a national uprising, and suggest that the democratically elected government of Narendra Modi is staring at imminent collapse. If reports circulating on social media are to be believed,…
When allegations become a substitute for evidence, constitutional institutions become collateral damage in a politician’s desperate search for relevance. For nearly two years, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has kept the political pot boiling with his explosive refrain of “vote chori”. The Congress leader has accused the Election Commission of…
Bharat’s youth must look beyond political theatrics and focus on building their future Time has come for every Bharatiya, irrespective of religion, caste, language, or political affiliation, to ask a fundamental question: how long can national discourse remain trapped in confrontation when the country’s future generations are aspiring to a better life? The Constitution is…
If Rahul Gandhi and his allies have more faith in street power than constitutional democracy, they must quit Parliament first and take their battle to the people. The time for political double-speak is over. If Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and his Congress-led political camp genuinely believe that Bharat’s constitutional…
The Opposition cannot defend democracy by pressuring constitutional institutions to endorse its political demands. There is something deeply ironic about an Opposition that invokes the Constitution at every turn but appears to forget its provisions whenever they become inconvenient. The Congress-led INDIA bloc’s much-publicised political marches, memoranda and demands for the removal of constitutional functionaries…
The Supreme Court’s concern for ordinary commuters is understandable. But when the country’s highest court questions preventive security measures ahead of a potentially volatile protest, it must also acknowledge the difficult responsibility of the authorities tasked with preventing violence, protecting public institutions and maintaining law and order. Judicial scrutiny is essential; so is consistency in…
Billionaires may command global businesses, build technological empires and influence international conversations. But wealth, technological prowess and a massive social-media following do not confer the right to dictate terms to a sovereign nation. Elon Musk needs to understand this fundamental principle before accusing Bharat of protecting oligarchs and denying its people access to Starlink. Musk’s…
Some actors entertain. There are stars who command the screen. And then some rare performers become the character itself. Nana Patekar belonged to that rarest category. With his passing at 75 today, Bharatiya cinema has lost not merely a celebrated actor but one of its most authentic, uncompromising and formidable voices. Patekar did not need elaborate costumes, flamboyant…
Bharat has witnessed protests, mass movements and fierce political agitations throughout its democratic journey. That is neither unusual nor undemocratic. The right to dissent, assemble and protest is intrinsic to a vibrant democracy. But there is a fundamental line that cannot be crossed: the street cannot become a substitute for Parliament, and agitation cannot become…
