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Commentary

Of Radical Democracy and Anti-Partyism

Vol - XLVIII No. 10, March 09, 2013 | Suhas Palshikar

The populist notions that underlie critiques of the practice of representative democracy made by groups like the Aam Aadmi Party have some worrisome aspects. Their ideas of expanding the democratic involvement of citizens are not only romantic, they also tend to undermine political equality. The question that supporters of such "more democracy" need to ask themselves is, do we want to expand democratic rights but effectively restrict their scope?

The Science Technology and Innovation Policy 2013

Vol - XLVIII No. 10, March 09, 2013 | Sunil Mani

The new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of 2013 makes all the right noises, but how do we know that it will not go the way of the 2003 policy when it comes to implementation? There are indeed some interesting ideas in STIP 2013 but none show that they have been thought through.

Investigating Compliance of the RTI Act

Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | Pankaj K P Shreyaskar

Presenting issues on the compliance of the various provisions of the Right to Information Act, this article looks into how responsive public authorities in India have been to the directions of information commissions.

The Substance of Style

Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | Sankaran Krishna

In the context of the Ashis Nandy affair, this brief essay speculates on the literal-mindedness and supposed inability of India's lower classes to appreciate the nuanced defence of their corruption as well as what it says about the public sphere in contemporary India. This affair holds up a mirror to who we are, and the picture may not be to our liking.

Express Delivery of Death

A Home Minister Murders the Constitution
Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | Sukumar Muralidharan

The rush and secrecy with which Afzal Guru's execution was carried out under the orders of Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, after the presidential rejection of his clemency petition, is an affront to civilised values enshrined in the Constitution. Considering the circumstances of Afzal Guru's conviction and execution, could it be said that he simply was a man who had to be eliminated, since he had too much knowledge of the dimensions of India's two-decade long dirty war in Kashmir?

Independent Judiciary and Rule of Law

Demolished in Sri Lanka
Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | Rohini Hensman

Among the continuing acts that erode democratic institutions in Sri Lanka is the recent impeachment of the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers who head various arms of the Sri Lankan government run a repressive and autocratic regime that does not brook opposition. Despite this, the opposition parties Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance along with civil society bodies like the Federation of University Teachers' Associations and students have come together to fi ght back.

New Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

A Critical Assessment
Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | Dinesh Abrol

The government is quite high on rhetoric and intentions in the new science, technology and innovation policy announced recently by the prime minister. But it is rather weak on the issue of how it will address the challenge of transformation of the systems of innovation with respect to social inclusion and sustainability.

Class Feminism

The Kudumbashree Agitation in Kerala
Vol - XLVIII No. 09, March 02, 2013 | B L Biju and K G Abhilash Kumar

The day and night agitation organised by women self-help groups in Kerala associated with Kudumbashree - offi cially known as the State Poverty Eradication Mission - proves that weaker section of society can be mobilised and empowered through decentralisation and participatory development. The agitation was an appropriate reply to critics who equated decentralisation with depoliticisation of the development process and an ideological deviation from class struggle.

Abandoning the Right to Food

Vol - XLVIII No. 08, February 23, 2013 | Ankita Aggarwal and Harsh Mander

The proposed legislation on the National Food Security Act has been steadily watered down since it was fi rst mooted in 2009. The Parliamentary Standing Committee that examined the 2011 Bill has disappointingly continued with "targeting". If the government passes the bill incorporating the committee's suggestions, a historic opportunity to combat hunger and malnutrition would be lost.

Caste in Tamil Nadu - III

Denying Difference
Vol - XLVIII No. 08, February 23, 2013 | M S S Pandian

Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of implementing reservations on a preferential basis for different groups. The Arunthathiyar Special Reservation Act (2009) allots the Arunthathiyars 3 percentage points out of the 18% reservation for the scheduled castes. While having benefi ted the Arunthathiyars, the Act continues to be contested by other scheduled castes.