MN Roy was to Marxism what Vivekananda was to Hinduism. He separated spirit and form

DENNIS DALTON When Michael Borodin baptized Roy into Marxism in 1919, Roy came from Indian nationalism to the new faith with the zeal commonly found amongst fresh converts. ‘Marxism is a wonderful philosophy, is it not?’ he exclaimed to a fellow comrade in 1923. ‘It has made of history such an exact science. Roy’s first… Read More MN Roy was to Marxism what Vivekananda was to Hinduism. He separated spirit and form

Bollywood film accused of trivialising Holocaust with Auschwitz scenes

NB: The mind-numbing historical illiteracy and moral vacuity of some of our artists and members of the intelligentsia is embarassing, were it not also predictable. Adolf Hitler is much admired amongst many educated persons, Mein Kampf is freely available even though Rushdie’s Satanic Verses is banned. The ideological icon of India’s current ruling dispensation –… Read More Bollywood film accused of trivialising Holocaust with Auschwitz scenes

RIP Bhiku Daji Bhilare: the man who saved Gandhiji’s life in 1944

Subhash Gatade First posted August 06, 2017 For a section of people – whose number is diminishing fast – it is a moment of nostalgia when idealism was in air and sacrificing oneself for the cause of emancipation of humanity was looked at with respect, whereas for a larger section which is being intoxicated with… Read More RIP Bhiku Daji Bhilare: the man who saved Gandhiji’s life in 1944

The Censorship Files: The Battle of Algiers (1966)

By Philippe Clifton, William Gao, Oskar Zimowski WHO: Gillo Pontecorvo, Saadi YacefWHAT: The Battle of AlgiersWHEN: 1966 – 1971WHERE: The Republic of FranceWHY: For depicting a pro-Algerian perspective of the Battle of Algiers The Battle of Algiers (1966) is a historical film depicting the resistance efforts of Algerian national groups against French colonial authorities between 1954 and… Read More The Censorship Files: The Battle of Algiers (1966)

Govt goes into pantomime mode to assuage foreign critics

Bharat Bhushan From Washington DC and Cairo to Paris and Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the season’s flavour. However, the recurrent charge that his government is antithetical to India’s religious minorities hobbles his stride across the world stage. On the day he was guest of honour at France’s Bastille Day Parade, its premier… Read More Govt goes into pantomime mode to assuage foreign critics

A World After Liberalism: the Radical Right and the dream of tradition

A World After Liberalism, a fascinating new book by Yale scholar Matthew Rose, considers the thought and influence of five thinkers beyond the political and academic mainstream who have played a significant role in establishing the intellectual framework for the movement, which Rose refers to as the ‘Radical Right’. Justin Reynolds Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… Read More A World After Liberalism: the Radical Right and the dream of tradition

The political impact of Rahul Gandhi’s legal woes

the public is increasingly sceptical about the legal processes and their outcome. The press conference by four supreme court judges about the state of the apex court in 2018, the behaviour of former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment case against him, his eager acceptance of a Rajya Sabha nomination, the non-judicial rationalisations… Read More The political impact of Rahul Gandhi’s legal woes

Manipur Conflict: Echoes of History & Perils of False Narratives

In a revealing interview with The Wire, Meitei MLA Nishikant Singh Sapam, Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Ethics in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, stated that the conflict primarily revolves around land. It becomes evident that labelling Kukis as ‘terrorists,’ ‘narco-terrorists,’ ‘illegal immigrants,’ or ‘foreigners’ serves no purpose other than undermining their legitimacy, subjecting… Read More Manipur Conflict: Echoes of History & Perils of False Narratives