-
Columnists
-
Bloggers
-
Opinion: The Congress Party's Death Wish - by Ramachandra Guha
Those who wish for a change of government in 2024 must surely recognize that the Congress is at present by far the weakest link in the Opposition.
-
Opinion: Why Modi And Shah Fear Young Activists - by Ramachandra Guha
This is a government with no humanity, no civility, no decency, no transparency. It is committed only to the pursuit of total power. It seeks absolute political, ideological, and personal supremacy.
-
Opinion: 6 Lessons From A Himalayan Tragedy - by Ramachandra Guha
Inspired by years of learning from Bhatt and Pathak, and drawing from my own research as well, this column suggests that there are six key lessons that the recent tragedy in Uttarakhand holds for us all.
-
Opinion: Modi Government's Paranoia On Full Display, Courtesy Rihanna
The government's response to a single six-word tweet by a foreigner was disingenuous, dishonest, and absolutely over the top.
-
Opinion: Why The Gandhis Must Go Now - by Ramachandra Guha
Their departure will increase our chances of rescuing what remains of the Republic from the ravages of Hindutva authoritarianism.
-
Opinion: The Myth Of Modi The Economic Reformer - by Ramachandra Guha
The Modi Government is contemptuous of economic expertise, disregards environmental considerations, and blatantly favours some capitalists over others.
-
Opinion: From Hathras To Delhi, A Land Without Justice - by Ramachandra Guha
That there exists a deep class, caste, and religious bias in how justice is administered in India has long been known. But even by our always abysmally low standards, the recent behaviour of the police and the state administration in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh has been unprecedented.
-
Opinion: What Modi Could Learn From Lal Bahadur Shastri - Ramachandra Guha
Our Prime Minister has three-and-a-half years of his current term to run. There is still time to learn from the example of his great predecessor, to put into practice Lal Bahadur Shastri's absolute lack of sectarianism, his desire to work with and empower cabinet colleagues, his readiness to acknowledge and amend for his mistakes.
-
Opinion: The Problem With 'Strong' Prime Ministers - Ramachandra Guha
If Prime Ministers who are too weak can pose a threat to the nation's well-being, Prime Ministers who are too strong pose a greater threat still.
-
Opinion: The Wilful Destruction Of The Himalaya Must Stop - by Ramachandra Guha
The Himalaya are India's most important natural asset. Without them, the country would not survive. These grand mountains are a barrier to invaders, the source of our greatest rivers, a rich reservoir of biodiversity, and home to our holiest shrines. Ecologically, economically,culturally,and strategically,the Himalaya are vital to the future of India as a nation.
-
Opinion: 5 Reasons Why Rahul Gandhi Cannot Take On Modi For PM - by Ramachandra Guha
That Rahul Gandhi is the son, grandson and great grandson of former Prime Ministers is not an advantage in the eyes of most Indians, who are increasingly disenchanted with claims to entitlement based on birth and ancestry.
-
Opinion: Government's Actions In Kashmir Mark A New Low
Even so, what the Modi-Shah regime has done in the past year marks a new low. It has wilfully and systematically intensified the already enormous sufferings of the people of Kashmir. The actions of our government must surely shame all Indians - regardless of religious faith or political affiliation - who still have some sort of moral conscience.
-
Opinion: The Gutting Of Indian Democracy By Modi-Shah - by Ramachandra Guha
In his bid to impose his absolute authority on his party, his government, and his nation, Narendra Modi has had one key ally-his long-time associate from Gujarat, Amit Shah. First as Party President and now as Home Minister, Shah has played an indispensable and devilishly effective role in neutering democratic opposition outside the government. And in bending to the P...
-
Opinion: The Delhi Police Degrades Democracy - by Ramachandra Guha
Even so, the recent depredations of the Delhi Police, their absolute disregard for truth, justice, and due process, represent something qualitatively different. That, in the country's capital today, a non-violent, peace-loving, citizen cannot expect fair treatment from the so-called custodians of the law merely because of her religious or political affiliation, is a c...
-
Opinion: On China, Modi Acted Very Much Like Nehru - by Ramachandra Guha
The recent clashes in Ladakh, leading to the tragic deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, prompt a fresh look at our government's policy towards China. The military, strategic and economic aspects of that relationship I leave to others more qualified in those fields. Writing here as a historian, I wish to draw attention to the curious parallels between the policy towards Chin...
-
Opinion: 3 Traits Of Modi That Have Cost India Dearly - by Ramachandra Guha
Narendra Modi has been a disappointment as a Prime Minister not because he has bad advisers or because some good advisers died relatively young, but because of his own faults and failings. There are three character traits in particular that help explain why, despite the two resounding electoral mandates he has won, Narendra Modi has not been able to deliver the sort o...
-
Opinion: No, China Will Not Conquer The World - by Ramachandra Guha
The Chinese might grow even more prosperous and powerful, and yet China shall never attract the range of friends and admirers in other countries that their great rival, the United States, has, and will.
-
Opinion: What Modi Got Wrong On Covid-19 And How He Can Fix It - By Ramachandra Guha
As the panel discussion I listened to so strikingly showed, the country has a vast array of scientific and administrative expertise that the Prime Minister and the union government can call upon for advice in coping with a post-COVID world. Whether they are large-hearted and open-minded enough to do so is, of course, another matter altogether.
-
Opinion: Via Virus Crisis, Modi Furthers Cult Of His Personality - By Ramachandra Guha
The COVID-19 pandemic has however changed everything. It has given Narendra Modi and his government the opportunity to weaken the federal structure and radically strengthen the powers of the centre vis-a-vis the states.
-
Opinion: Give Us Kerala Model Over Gujarat Model, Any Day - By Ramachandra Guha
For all their flaws, the state and people of Kerala have many things to teach us, who live in the rest of India. We forgot about their virtues in the past decade, but now these virtues are once more being discussed, to both inspire and chastise us. The success of the state in the past and in the present have rested on science, transparency, decentralization, and socia...
