Sunday View: The Best Weekend Opinion Reads, Curated Just for You

We sifted through the papers to find the best opinion reads, so you won't have to.

Nothing like a cup of coffee and your Sunday morning reads.

(Photo: iStock)

Bim Bissell: A Visionary Who Empowered Indian Artisans

In his weekly column for Hindustan Times, diplomat and former Member of Parliament Pavan K Varma pays a heartfelt tribute to Bim Bissell, co-founder of Fabindia, who passed away recently. Along with her husband John, Bim played a pivotal role in establishing Fabindia as a global brand that celebrated Indian textiles and empowered 90,000 artisans through a unique stakeholder model.

Known for her impeccable taste, distinctive style, and deep knowledge of handlooms, Bim guided Fabindia’s growth into a sustainable and iconic business. Beyond her professional achievements, she was a cherished presence in Delhi’s social circles, known for her vibrant personality, intellectual discussions, and legendary Christmas brunches. Her passing leaves a profound void among friends, artisans, and the Fabindia community, though her legacy continues under her son, William Bissell.

Both John and Bim were convinced that the aesthetic and sense of design of Indian textile artisans were unique, and the need of the hour was to work with them to give their products a commercial outlet and due recognition and visibility.

Pavan K Varma, Hindustan Times

Delhi Gives Everyone the Blues

In her weekly column for The Indian Express, senior journalist Tavleen Singh critiques the state of the Delhi election campaign, highlighting its focus on trivialities rather than addressing the city’s pressing issues like pollution, poor waste management, and unclean rivers. She discusses the BJP’s strategy, including targeting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his residence’s alleged extravagance and making unfounded accusations against him.

While acknowledging Kejriwal’s contributions to improving education and healthcare in Delhi, Singh criticizes his grandiose promises, self-promotion, and lack of significant action on critical problems like air quality and urban planning.

The Aam Aadmi Party, desperately battling anti-incumbency, has so far done no more than respond to the BJP charges. These began to be thrown at the AAP before the date of the election was announced last week. Of these, the most damning has been the one about the ‘sheesh mahal’. Kejriwal has built his political career on portraying himself as ‘just a common man.’ So, when videos of the interiors of the Chief Minister’s residence revealed a splendiferous abode fitted with a private gym, sauna, jacuzzi and other luxuries, it showed him up as just another duplicitous politician.

Tavleen Singh, The Indian Express

H-1B, Rape Gangs and Fact Checks: When Narratives Boomerang

In his article for Deccan Herald, columnist Rajeev Srinivasan delves into recent media narratives, particularly the attack on H-1B Indians, which gained significant attention. The piece critiques how the media orchestrated this narrative, including the false rape accusations and how fact-checking exposed flaws in the story.

Srinivasan argues that when such stories unravel, they not only expose the manipulation of public opinion but also show the media’s role in shaping perceptions. The article explores how narratives, once exposed, can backfire, becoming a lesson in how the media’s power can be challenged.

It is a bad idea to fight Elon Musk, because he has Trump’s ear, and more importantly, he has the megaphone of X (earlier Twitter). He demonstrated that by bringing up what the entire British establishment had swept under the carpet: the long-running industrial-scale ‘grooming’ and rape of young white girls by Pakistani gangs. The cases in the town of Rotherham received some publicity earlier, but that has long receded in the public memory.

Rajeev Srinivasan, Deccan Herald

A New Opportunity for New Delhi and Jakarta

In his op-ed for Hindustan Times, former ambassador Gurjit Singh discusses India's invitation to Indonesia's new president, Prabowo Subianto, as the chief guest for Republic Day 2025, emphasizing its significance in bolstering ties under India's Act East policy. Singh outlines five key areas for deepening India-Indonesia relations: enhancing defence partnerships through exports and joint production, expanding economic engagement by addressing trade barriers and fostering collaborations, ensuring energy and resource security through stable policies, boosting tourism and cultural exchanges, and strengthening education and innovation ties through institutional partnerships and scholarships.

Tourism between the two countries has seen substantial growth, driven by direct flights to Bali and Jakarta. However, while Indian tourists flock to Indonesia, the reverse is less common. Indonesian tourists frequently visit destinations like Turkey, but India has yet to attract similar interest.

Gurjit Singh, Hindustan Times

Too Reddy to Boss

In this article for The Indian Express, journalist Coomi Kapoor provides a fragmented analysis of political developments across India. She begins with a critique of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s controversial handling of superstar Allu Arjun, attributing it to personal and political motives, including ego clashes, caste rivalries, and suspected political ambitions.

Kapoor then transitions to the Delhi elections, highlighting the lack of clear chief ministerial candidates among major parties and the AAP’s reliance on a Kejriwal-Atishi partnership due to legal constraints on Kejriwal. The article also touches on the Congress party’s missed opportunity to honor Manmohan Singh’s legacy during his funeral, juxtaposed with internal party tensions.

All three major parties in the forthcoming Delhi elections are at a disadvantage in not being able to project a chief ministerial face. The BJP and Congress have failed to build a dynamic local leadership in the Capital and are depending largely on their high commands and political heavyweights from outside to woo voters. Ironically, although Arvind Kejriwal is generally perceived as AAP’s CM face, since an apex court order specifically bars him from signing official files or entering the CM’s office, he cannot declare himself as a candidate. The AAP has, perforce, projected a double-engine sarkar of Kejriwal and CM Atishi. The unspoken message is that the faithful aide will carry out her boss’s bidding.

Coomi Kapoor, The Indian Express

Annihilating Caste, Defending Religion

In his article for Deccan Herald, mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik explores the deep-rooted influence of caste in India, discussing its persistence despite efforts to eradicate it. He highlights how caste operates as a social construct within Hinduism, while also acknowledging its presence in other religions in India.

Pattanaik critiques the selective focus on caste within Hinduism, contrasting it with the reluctance to challenge caste and discrimination in other faiths. He argues that caste, like other social constructs such as gender and religion, is deeply embedded in identity and group dynamics.

Marx called religion the opium of the people. But this addiction is respected even by woke activists who dare not speak about annihilating Islam (for fear of being labelled Islamophobic) or Judaism (for fear of being labelled anti-Semitic). Those who speak for the oppressed people of Palestine, or Kashmir, never raise their voice against institutionalised homophobia of Muslim nations. No one speaks of oppressive practices of the Catholic Church in Africa where gays and lesbians continue to be treated as criminals, and women are denied rights to abort unwanted fetuses. Clearly, some social constructs are tolerated, while others are not.

Devdutt Pattanaik, Deccan Herald

Gaze Isn’t Necessarily Framed by Gender Lens

In her article for Hindustan Times, journalist Anuradha Vellat examines the pervasive influence of the male gaze in visual media, particularly cinema, where patriarchal norms have long dictated the portrayal of women as objects of male desire. Drawing from theories by John Berger and Laura Mulvey, Vellat highlights how even films by women can perpetuate these norms, as seen in Bollywood examples like 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Jism 2'.

While efforts to subvert the male gaze, such as the female gaze or progressive lyrics in songs like 'Oo Antava', exist, they often fall short due to lack of depth or intention. The piece advocates for a more introspective and intentional portrayal of desire, pointing to films like 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' and 'Mandi' as examples of layered, authentic narratives that challenge traditional, oppressive depictions.

Cinema engages the human form with the surroundings, the scale, and the characters, which derive meaning through the fascination of the spectator, regardless of gender. In conventional mainstream cinema, this fascination is fed by a range of factors, including the body as a site of curiosity, projected desire, aspiration, and consumption, all of which overlap.

Anuradha Vellat, Hindustan Times

Vice Chancellors will Become Viceroys

In his article for The Indian Express, former finance minister P Chidambaram criticizes the UGC’s draft regulations for appointing university vice chancellors, arguing that they centralize power by sidelining state governments and giving control to governors and the UGC, both aligned with the central government. He highlights how politically appointed governors bypass elected state governments, creating a “dyarchy” in opposition-ruled states.

Framing this as part of the BJP’s broader centralization agenda under its 'One Nation, One Government' policy, Chidambaram warns that such measures erode federalism, undermine democracy, and threaten state autonomy in higher education. It calls for resistance from states, educators, and students to preserve these rights.

Times have changed — for the worse. Under the present dispensation, governors are political appointees rewarded for loyalty to the RSS/BJP’s ideology or trusted retired civil servants. In Opposition-ruled states, the governor is instructed to act as the Viceroy of the central government and to shackle the state government. In effect, there is a Dyarchy in the states: the elected government and the unelected governor. The ‘aid and advice’ clause in the Constitution of India has been thrown to the wind.

P Chidambaram, The Indian Express

Hallowed chains: Parents need care but are the kids alright?

This Deccan Herald article by columnist Anusha S Rao examines the complex relationship between parents and children, using a Supreme Court decision involving a property dispute as a starting point. She delves into the moral teachings of Sanskrit texts, highlighting the values of filial devotion, but also acknowledging stories that challenge these ideals, such as the tale of King Harischandra and the dreadful sacrifice of a son by his father.

Rao argues that while respect for parents is vital, legal protections for children’s rights must also be considered when parents act harmfully.

While I am hard-pressed to think of stories about bad mothers in Sanskrit, there are certainly stories of bad fathers. The Aitareya Brahmana tells us that the well-known king, Harischandra, had no sons. And so, on the problematic advice of the sage Narada, he prayed to the god Varuna for a son, promising Varuna that he would sacrifice the boy to him once he was born. And then, a son was born to him, whom he named Rohita. But predictably, he did not really want to sacrifice him. When Varuna appeared to demand the sacrifice, he said that he would sacrifice his son after ten days.

Anusha S Rao, Deccan Herald

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