Parliamentary members are once rated very high in society. Now? One is not sure. There are now reports on how our hon’ble MPs conduct themselves in Parliament. The Rajya Sabha is packed with all sorts of people, there are valid criticisms about how the RS members are nominated. It is even said the RS as…
Old Greece and today’s Greece
Olympic Games in Athens in August 2004 How the current Greek people and the Athenians look at their ancient sports that had staged a comback for the modern world? Afew new books on this ancient sport and the Greek people who today is intolerant of outsiders! If there is a single day when the modern…
Intellectual beliefs for a new century!
What India needs is a critical core agenda! On the day when the just installed Manmohan Singh govt. was faced with its first crisis, when Mr. Karunanidhi of the DMK threatened to walk out over portfolio allocation, I bought two old books in an antiquarian bookshop. One, Hugh Gaitskell, 1906-1963. Two, Anthony Crosland’s Socialism. Now,…
Farmers’suicides in the news
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised a new controversy with his teacher’- like exposition of the finances of the State Electricity Boards. In inaugurating a power station in Himachal Pradesh, the PM said free power to farmers is not justified and also asked for reducing power subsidies to farmers. This has raised a storm. The first…
Government back tracks on education promises?
Midday meals programme for all children only in a “phased manner” The Congress -led coalition government, within a matter of just two weeks had developed cold feet! Its tall promises in its so-called Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is heavily diluted, if not heavily backtracked. Its bold promise on education, specially on elementary education was seen…
Young MPs, too many, in Parliament!
Youth is a symbol of idealism or cynicism? I am sure the young men and women of today are much more sensitive to events in the world and in India. Or, am I wrong in imagining the young MPs who are now elected to Parliament are otherwise? Once they join the more seniors in politics,…
Education outside the classroom?
There is too much outside! Media, Cinema and TV; they educate or divert attention? Mahesh Bhatt, the famed Mumbai film maker and a social thinker and social activist has written a thought-provoking article (Economic Times, April 22, 2004) on our “attention deficit disorder”. By this he means how our Bollywood stars and other film industry…
Open letter to Vajpayee
Thoughts for ex PM! This is not a charge sheet. Nor a balance sheet. It is a tribute to a leader who raised the image of India in the world. The 2004 elections are variously called as a great historic turnaround for the country. The BJP which contested the elections on a very confident note…