Finally, the bluff of Doubling Farmers’ Income has been called. Not by any critic of the government, but by Dr. Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture) of the Niti Aayog. No, it was not a confession. You don’t expect that from functionaries in the Narendra Modi government. Rather, the truth tumbled out in the course of a casual and disingenuous plea for […]
Our collective reaction to Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s ouster from Ashoka University is disappointing for more than one reason. A short-lived outrage in a small circle seems to have given way to a quiet acquiescence. Professor Arvind Subramanian’s response was exemplary in its timing and messaging, not the least because he cannot be dubbed as anti-government. The statements by the faculty and the student body at Ashoka showed more courage than you would […]
S Jaishankar has an unenviable task. He has been handed over the job to give a liberal gloss to a government that cannot spell l-i-b-e-r-a-l. More than manage external relations, he is here to manage external public relations, to ensure that the Narendra Modi government doesn’t get a bad international image. Now, that’s manifold more challenging than managing domestic media, mostly darbari if not outright sarkari, with a handful of carrots […]
Ballari is famous, or infamous, for many things – Ballari brothers, mining scams, the Sonia Gandhi vs Sushma Swaraj election – but its agricultural produce market is not one of them. Located on prime land in the district headquarter, this mandi is no different from mandis all over Karnataka. Its size, infrastructure, system of auction, and record-keeping is better than […]
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s decision to intervene in the upcoming assembly elections is bound to re-ignite an old debate: Should the farmers’ movement keep away from politics? The demand for apolitical movements, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s derision of andolanjivis, reflects a new low in our rapidly shrinking democracy. Just for the record, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is not going to campaign for any party or candidate. […]
I worry about the coming assembly election in West Bengal. Not because I am particularly invested in who wins or loses this election. By all accounts, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has run an average government with some popular schemes. Its track record on democratic rights, or corruption is hardly sterling. The demise of the Left and the continuing irrelevance of the […]
Ahistoric farmers’ movement is a moment to unveil a vision for the future. Not just for farmers or agriculture, but for rural India, and indeed for the future of India. This movement has already created history. It has firmly brought back the farmers to the national imagination. You can’t pretend they don’t exist. It has put the fear of vote, more effective than the fear […]
Can the farmers of India be offered a guaranteed remunerative price for their produce? The Narendra Modi government, some economists, and the country’s media would have you believe that this is impossible — both logistically and financially. They are wrong. They either do not understand what the farmers demand. Or they have not calculated the costs. Or they mislead, deliberately. […]
In rejecting the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee to mediate between farmers and the Narendra Modi government, the farmers’ organisations have not only wisely sidestepped a possible trap, but they have also reaffirmed a basic principle of democratic accountability and responsible governance. Let there be no confusion about it. The expert committee appointed by the SC is not meant to advise the court […]