Articles

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Who Will Govern The Governors?

Tamil Nadu. Kerala. Delhi. Telangana. Punjab. West Bengal. Maharashtra (until recently). These states have seen a lot of news smouldering in their Raj Bhavans and Governors overstepping their mandates. From trying to topple a democratically elected state government in Maharashtra to interfering in the functioning of elected governments; from withholding assent for Bills passed by the House and going off-script in the Tamil Nadu assembly to holding political and provocative press conferences in Kerala, the list of improprieties is long.

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How to defeat the BJP in 2024

The year 2023 will be a lot like 2022. The first week into the new year and media channels and the eco-system that sustains them are spreading the myth that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is invincible — that 2024 is already a done deal for him. The only point of debate, according to this flawed narrative, is the margin of his party’s victory. Simply put, this is a (mis)reading of the political tea leaves.

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News Channels, Chasing TRPs, Ignore The Necessary

In the new year, Television Rating Points (TRPs) should be renamed by media networks. To reflect the content being churned out every evening, the abbreviation could just as easily stand for Third Rate Programming (TRP)! Controversial, cynical statements that polarize are a prime time favorite. A Chief Minister of a BJP state will try and outdo a woman MP from his party to spew communal venom. An easy way to earn points in the Modi-Shah era.

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Christmas cheer bypasses House

Last week, a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu surprised a few of us in Central Hall. He placed his black duffel bag on the desk, unzipped it, and announced, “Here is some traditional Christmas cake”. The day before yesterday, an MP from Bengal brought two boxes of rich-fruit Christmas cake to share with colleagues across all parties. The cakes from Kolkata were hand-made from a recipe invented 120-years ago at Nahoum’s, a Jewish bakery located in New Market. Rich in history, legacy, and flavour, it is a true taste of Christmas in the city. This was exciting. Everything else in Parliament was bland.

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Of Messi, Mbappe, World Cup Final And The Politics Of Football

Sunday, 18 December, 8.30 pm IST. Messi versus Mbappe. After 63 matches that began on November 20, the world and India are waiting.

The oft-asked question – 1.3 billion of us and we can’t come up with a top-notch football team?

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My six-point challenge to BJP

The Winter Session of Parliament began on Wednesday. The BJP has a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha. They effortlessly manufacture a majority in the Rajya Sabha. The numbers are on their side. But do they have the courage to take up even one of these issues in the ongoing winter session of Parliament?

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Parliament Now The Interval Between Elections And Modi’s PR

Nowadays, sadly, a parliament session is the interval between elections and Modi’s Public Relations exercises. 

Usually, the winter session of parliament begins in the second half of November and adjourns before Christmas. This winter session, however, will begin from 7 December, just two days after voting ends in Gujarat.

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What Next? Now BJP Slogans In Parliament Panel Meetings

Parliament is being undermined even when it is not in session. There is enough evidence, from records of official debates to live telecasts and statistics, to show how this sacred institution is being subverted.

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