By Bhaskar Sur*  The death of Yahya Sinwar, mastermind behind the October 7 massacre last year, came on October 16, after a life marked by violence and radicalism. Born in 1962 in a refugee camp, Sinwar harbored intense hatred towards Jews, which ultimately defined his actions and worldview. He masterminded the killing of 1,200 Israelis, and, like Hitler, envisioned a "Final Solution"—the destruction of Israel and a second Holocaust.

By NS Venkataraman* The forthcoming Climate Meet COP 29, scheduled to take place from November 9 to November 22 in Azerbaijan, has not generated much enthusiasm. On the contrary, there is significant skepticism regarding its outcome, especially given the results of the previous 28 climate summits held in various countries.

By Shankar Sharma*  This article references a recent media report : "NITI Aayog launches study to evaluate shift to renewable energy sources." While this initiative by NITI Aayog is a positive step, it raises questions about the status of the National Energy Policy (NEP), a draft of which was released in 2017 but never finalized. For such a study to be meaningful in a vast and diverse country like India, it must involve the active participation of all sectors of society at key stages of both deliberation and implementation. This includes critical engagement from key stakeholders. A major concern for civil society groups is the government's persistent reluctance to consult widely on issues of national importance, including with key stakeholder groups. To be effective, this study must carefully consider the welfare of various communities from social, economic, environmental, and logistical perspectives. Many of these concerns are already visible, and recent national and int

By Shamsul Islam*  DY Chandrachud took charge as Chief Justice of the Indian Supreme Court (SC) on November 09, 2022. On this occasion many of the pseudo-liberals who claimed to be defenders of the democratic-secular polity of India manifested great happiness. They declared that the time of SC being an appendage of the RSS-BJP government headed by PM Modi was over as Justice Chandrachud was a liberal judge committed to the democratic-secular polity of India. 

By Ram Puniyani*  On October 12, 2024, during the Vijayadashmi (Dussehra) celebrations, traditionally observed as the foundation day of the RSS, its Chief (Sarsanghchalak), Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, delivered a significant speech. This address followed his earlier remarks after the BJP's decline in the 2024 general elections. In that previous speech, Bhagwat had indirectly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had claimed divine inspiration for his leadership. Following the BJP’s drop from 303 to 240 seats, Bhagwat had commented, “A man wants to become a superman, then a Dev (deity), then a Bhagwan (God).” This marked the first election where BJP distanced itself from its previous reliance on the RSS, asserting its growing independence. Bhagwat’s speech served to humble Modi’s rising arrogance. The RSS (collectively known as the Sangh Parivar) became more active in the Haryana elections, and with favorable support from the Election Commission, the BJP defied expectations and return

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The relationship between India and Canada has plunged to unprecedented lows, with both governments seemingly exploiting the situation for their domestic political gains. Canada has long been home to several anti-India elements, with little action taken against them. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, some of these secessionist groups openly celebrated and issued further threats, particularly from Canada and Britain.  While Britain eventually acted to contain such elements in the interest of maintaining ties with India, Canada did not. Over the years, India has sought the extradition of 23 criminals residing in Canada, but the Canadian government has mostly dismissed these requests, claiming these individuals have no criminal records in their country.

By Harsh Thakor*  In my opinion, Vasant Shinde stands out as India's greatest horse racing jockey of all time. His extraordinary talent and innovative approach to race riding set him apart, earning him a reputation akin to that of a magician in the saddle. I've rarely witnessed such a magical touch from an Indian jockey coupled with a perfectly balanced seat, a keen instinct for pace, and an electrifying finishing kick. 

By Richard D. Wolff*  An old theme within social theory holds that societies with very unequal distributions of wealth can sustain their social cohesion so long as total wealth is growing. Such total growth enables all who get a distributed share of that wealth—even those with the smallest shares—to experience at least some increase. The rich with the biggest shares can grab most of the growth so long as some is provided to those with small shares. The pie analogy works well: so long as the pie is growing all distributed shares of it can also grow. Some will grow more, others less, but all can grow. If all do grow, social stability is facilitated (assuming the society’s population accepts unequal shares). Modern capitalism’s prioritization of economic growth as urgently necessary reflects such social theory (much as economic growth has reinforced it).

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh*  Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp