Turncoats Thrive in Politics Because Voters Allow Them
Writing for Hindustan Times, journalist and author Karan Thapar lays out why Janata Dal United (JD(U)) chief Nitish Kumar succeeded in taking him by surprise for the fifth time. He opines that Kumar's "opportunistic and repeated changing of allies" would be condemned in any major Western democracy, before posing an essential question: Why do Indian voters accept politicians who betray the very basis on which they've been elected instead of punishing them?
"Ultimately, the fault lies in ourselves, not in our stars. We knowingly vote for those who are in it for themselves – even if they occasionally share a bit – and don’t stand for any bigger goal or greater good. As long as that continues, the Nitish Kumars of India will have a free run of our politics. And our future."Karan Thapar, for Hindustan Times
Rules of War, Love and Politics
Congress leader P Chidambaram, in his column for The Indian Express, attempts to decipher the 'Rules of Politics', emphasising that it must not be confused with the 'Law on Politics' as they are often dichotomous. Offering the law barring defections as an example, he mockingly mentions that Nitish Kumar is the point person for those seeking further clarity on the rules of politics.
"In the case of politics, it is well to not confuse the rules of politics with the law on politics. The law is one thing and the rules – the manner in which the game is played – is another thing. In fact, in some matches, the game is played according to the unstated rules that aim to defeat the stated rules."P Chidambaram, for The Indian Express
What the Temple Says About the New India
Writing for Hindustan Times, Chanakya dismisses commentary that focuses on the past of the newly consecrated Ram Temple in Ayodhya and urges readers to consider, instead, the temple's true import on the country's future. He posits that the opening of the temple could lead to an awakening among the majority where "religion will be the filter through which they perceive everything – history and culture, art, literature, education, politics, commerce, diplomacy, personal relationships, diet, and even science."
"Identity has always been a key aspect of the Indian psyche. Traditionally, political parties have approached this in terms of caste or region. The BJP is different. While it may, at times, harp on caste or regional identity, it has consistently looked at a broader one – religion as a national identity. This is derived from the core ideology of its progenitor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which sees no difference between Indian and Hindu."Chanakya, for Hindustan Times
Party With a Difference
In his piece for The Telegraph, political commentator Mukul Kesavan examines what sets the BJP apart from the rest of the political pack. Among other findings, he expresses awe at the current regime's ability "to act systematically" when it comes to gathering data on its citizens.
"The Indian State under Modi has grown to be a digital Leviathan, unconstrained in its ability to monitor its citizens. I recently bought a travel card for the Delhi Metro. Earlier, this was a simple monetary transaction at the station’s ticket window, as it is in virtually every metro system in the world. Now I needed to produce an Aadhaar card and volunteer my mobile phone number, which was duly noted in a register, before I could buy one."Mukul Kesavan, for The Telegraph
It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s an MLA
In the context of Jharkhand, Upala Sen of The Telegraph offers a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the political strategy of temporarily relocating MLAs to avoid defections. While conceding that the move isn't exactly foolproof, she remarks that MLAs in today's India are the only "freely flying mammals" besides bats.
"No sooner did Champai Soren take oath as the new chief minister of Jharkhand than a little more than three dozen MLAs were whisked away to counter attempts to poach them. Defecting MLAs, as is the trend now, fly to the nearest rival-proof state. But one wouldn’t hazard putting that down in stone. In some cases, as in 2022 with Eknath Shinde’s band of loyalists, MLAs have hopped."Upala Sen, for The Telegraph
Things More Important Than the Budget
In her piece for The Indian Express, columnist Tavleen Singh explains why she would have preferred that the media report on "stories of poverty" than cover the Union Budget. She states that India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 will be out of reach unless "the euphoria and hope we see at the top begins to trickle down to those who still have nothing."
"The newspapers on the day after the Budget had no pictures of poverty. They were filled with praise for the 'visionary leadership' that Narendra Modi has given us. It was not just political leaders who sang praises to the Leader and his vision, but mighty businessmen, well-known economists, and political pundits of the highest order."Tavleen Singh, for The Indian Express
Exposing India’s Financial Markets to the Vultures
Writing for The Hindu, economists Yilmaz Akyüz and T Sabri Öncü break down what it means for the "potential inclusion of the Indian LC government and corporate bonds in more benchmark indices." With the likes of JP Morgan and Bloomberg reportedly encouraging the internationalisation of bond markets and currencies of emerging economies like India, they warn that "the risks involved are seriously underestimated."
"A key benefit of opening local bond markets to foreign investors emphasised by the mainstream, relates to the so-called “original sin” problem – that is, the inability of emerging economies to borrow internationally in their own currencies. Unlike local currency debt, external debt denominated in reserve currencies exposes debtors to the exchange rate risk. In times of sharp currency declines, this exposure could result in widespread private insolvencies and large public deficits – as seen in various instances of crisis in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere."Yilmaz Akyüz and T Sabri Öncü, for The Hindu
How Revolt of 1857 Lit the Spark for Setting Up AMU
Days after the Supreme Court heard final arguments on whether Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) enjoys minority status under Article 30 of the Indian Constitution, Adrija Roy Chowdhury of The Indian Express traces the history of "one of the premier universities in the country." She reveals how AMU was born out of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's dream of establishing an institution that could be the "Oxbridge of the East."
"For the next few years, Sir Syed wrote extensively to rally support for building the college of his dreams. Finally on May 24, 1875, the Madrasatul Uloom Musalmanan-e-Hind was inaugurated with seven teachers and the Oxford-educated HGI Siddons as its headmaster. Two years later, the school turned into the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College."Adrija Roy Chowdhury, for The Indian Express
Watch Out for a New Line of Glossier Pakistan-Fixated Hindi Films Fighting to the Gallery
In her piece for The Economic Times, film critic Anna MM Veticad writes about the spate of "chest-thumping", "Pakistan-fixated" Hindi movies that have hit theatres in India recently. Contrasting the box office success of the Gadar franchise with the floundering of Fighter, she opines that "viewers want originality even in propaganda."
"The past decade has witnessed a spate of Pakistan-fixated Hindi films, many of which have earned massive monetary returns. Knowing this industry's penchant for jumping on to the safest bandwagon in sight, a probable after-effect of Fighter's struggles is that production houses will return to the drawing board to find more innovative ways of playing to the gallery."Anna MM Veticad, for The Economic Times
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