Empowering women is not quite the same as creating powerful women
(From this blog’s archives, a post first published on August 23rd, 2005.)
No nation can stand proud if it discriminates against any of its citizens. Certainly no society can claim to be part of the modern civilized world unless it treats its women on par with [...]
Let’s find out whether it works
This blog has long argued that for governance to improve more citizens must vote. So what should we make of the Gujarat state’s decision to make voting compulsory in all local body elections?
Constitutional and philosophical reasons apart (see Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s op-ed for this) this is an interesting experiment and [...]
the nuclear factor thus calls for both the declaration of a line of succession as well as ensuring that key cabinet portfolios are entrusted to separate individuals. It renders unacceptable practices that have either become norms or are compulsions of coalition politics. Parties preparing for the coming general election, therefore, would do well to go beyond announcing their prime ministerial candidates. They should announce their leadership succession strategy and the line-up for key cabinet positions.
There are no shortcuts to good governance. Certainly not negative ones
A group of well-meaning citizens and organisations came together in Mumbai on 11th January and “discussed strategies for networking, shortlisting common activities and adding value to each others’ core competencies”. Among those present were members from Youth For Equality, Yuva, Association For Democratic Reforms (ADR) [...]
A common bank of votes and notes
As the ghastly chapter of the terrorist attack on Mumbai came to an end, long time reader Jai_Choorakkot wrote to Dilip D’Souza, Rohit Pradhan and me suggesting that posting on each others’ blogs would be a great way to show that Indians are united on fundamental issues. So here, [...]
The best prosecution and the best defence
Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman is a terrorist who was caught red-handed by the police. He is very likely a trained covert operative and is likely to exploit the Indian media and through it, the legal process, to his advantage. In time, a coterie of jihadi apologists might rise to [...]
A government that can’t protect us from rainwater can’t protect us from terrorists
What can ordinary citizens do? Well, go out and vote. Salil Tripathi on the attack on Bombay:
New York has been attacked, London has faced – and avoided – attacks. Israelis are used to dealing with terror. And yet, the perception about India [...]
Too many politicians, not one leader
Over at the Cape of Good Hope, Trailblazer takes the BJP to task for taking a position that is as self-defeating as it is brazen.
India’s political class has shown a sheer lack of courage to embrace the secular ideals of the country that, to an extent, the people have adopted [...]
Further adventures of the moderate Mirwaiz
Speaking from atop his wooden throne in Srinagar’s Jama Masjid earlier this month, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivered a stinging attack on politicians who will contest the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections next month.
“I want to ask the Prime Minister of India,” the cleric and secessionist politician said in his October [...]
Connecting strategy, law and history
This is an extract from the brilliant introductory chapter of Philip Bobbitt’s remarkable The Shield of Achilles: War, Peace and the Course of History. Bobbitt disputes the view—including The Acorn’s—that law exists in practice because of the state. Be that as it may, what is interesting about Bobbitt’s thesis is his [...]
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