29 Maoists killed in Bastar – What must India do to prevent their replacement?

NB: The author of this thoughtful article is to be congratulated for doing his research. He ends thus “To address the problem, India needs to do something infinitely more difficult than killing Maoists: Giving Adivasis some justice.” The sabotage of justice in India has been unfolding as a recurrent nightmare for decades, and it concerns… Read More 29 Maoists killed in Bastar – What must India do to prevent their replacement?

22nd April 202422nd April 2024 Dilip

Released from jail after a decade, Professor Saibaba says ‘it’s a miracle to be alive’

NB: The High Court said the sanction for prosecution granted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was null and void; and had been given by the state authority without ‘application of mind’. It also said the report by the independent authority recommending invocation of UAPA provisions was a ‘cryptic and a laconic half page… Read More Released from jail after a decade, Professor Saibaba says ‘it’s a miracle to be alive’

8th March 20248th March 2024 Dilip

A Political Man: Memories of Ranajit Guha

By Dilip Simeon NB: This is an extended reminiscence of a conversation about Ranajit Guha and the Naxalite movement. The conversation was arranged at the request of the Bangla journal Anustup; and took place between me and a History honours student at the University of Delhi. (I am obliged to Anustup for having prompted this… Read More A Political Man: Memories of Ranajit Guha

30th September 20231st October 2023 Dilip

Closing the Circle (Frontier, August 2012)

First posted August 11, 2012 Closing the Circle I look at the world and I notice it’s turningWhile my guitar gently weepsWith every mistake we must surely be learningStill my guitar gently weeps George Harrison and Ravi Shankar at the Concert for Bangladesh; August 1, 1971 Introduction The word revolution came to acquire a new political usage from… Read More Closing the Circle (Frontier, August 2012)

16th August 202316th August 2023 Dilip

The decline of idealism

First posted August 14, 2017 NB: Outlook asked me to write an article on ‘the decline of idealism’, with a focus on the Left. Here is what I wrote – it has appeared under the title The Idea and its Mutant – DS Before discussing the idealism of the Left, it would be a good idea to think… Read More The decline of idealism

12th July 202312th July 2023 Dilip

A Hard Rain Falling: on the death of T. P. Chandrasekharan (EPW, June 2012)

First posted June 27, 2012 A Hard Rain Falling by Dilip Simeon He went to bed, turned on the BBC World News and switched it off again. Half-truths. Quarter-truths. What the world really knows about itself, it doesn’t dare say: John le Carre, in Our Kind of Traitor A baleful feature of contemporary Indian politics is the subjugation… Read More A Hard Rain Falling: on the death of T. P. Chandrasekharan (EPW, June 2012)

7th June 202327th May 2023 Dilip

Glory Days, or remembering how Indians love(d) China

First posted December 15, 2011 This article appeared in the India International Centre Quarterly special issue titled India and China: Neighbours, Strangers, edited by Ira Pande; 2010. Glory Daysby Dilip Simeon Many years ago, when some of us argued about the ills of the present and, more to the point, the ills of contemporary India, we… Read More Glory Days, or remembering how Indians love(d) China

6th June 202327th May 2023 Dilip

An Open Letter to the world on the Bangladesh crisis of 1971

First posted Tuesday, April 09, 2013 Letter from Members of the CPI (ML) See the facsimile of the original here: http://www.sacw.net/article4164.html Explanatory Note 1./ This is an open letter I wrote in December 1971, as a Naxalite cadre (among many) who experienced the political crisis accompanying the disintegration of Pakistan in 1970-71. It was anonymous, and I was the… Read More An Open Letter to the world on the Bangladesh crisis of 1971

3rd June 202327th May 2023 Dilip

Achintya Barua remembers Ranajit Guha

Recollections that well up the eyes NB: This little remembrance was part of my presentation to a conference held between December 15 and 16 in Presidency University, Kolkata, to celebrate Professor Ranajit Guha’s attainment of the status of a centurion. I take no credit for it beyond that of asking my old friend and comrade… Read More Achintya Barua remembers Ranajit Guha

23rd December 202223rd December 2022 Dilip

Remembering Rabindra

First posted January 19, 2019 Rabindra Ray, who taught sociology at the Delhi School of Economics till his retirement a few years ago, died on January 15, 2019. For 52 years I called him Lalloo (with two l’s). His death has led to an outpouring of memories from his friends and students. This is one… Read More Remembering Rabindra