Author: Esha Gupta
As the winter season approaches, Delhi and its neighboring areas are once again grappling with severe air pollution, marked by a pervasive layer of smog. On October 19, 2024, the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi reached 273, categorizing it as ‘Poor.’ Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 246, while Noida registered 228. Notably, the Akshardham and Anand Vihar areas reported the highest levels in the capital, with an AQI of 334, classified as ‘Very Poor.’ The situation has raised alarms among health experts, environmentalists, and local authorities. Historical Context: Trends in Air Quality To understand the current crisis, it is…
In the aftermath of the recent electoral upheaval, the narrative has taken a dramatic shift. What was once hailed as an unbeatable juggernaut now lies in tatters, the debris of shattered illusions strewn across the political landscape. It’s a tale of defeat cloaked in the semblance of victory, where rejection masquerades as endorsement and hubris meets its reckoning. The dismantling of the Narendra Modi brand is a spectacle to behold. Amidst the rubble of his political posturing, the echoes of “char-sau-paar” boasts reverberate hollowly, exposing the absurdity of his once-vaunted invincibility. From alluring promises to false claims, from divisive tactics…
The recent detention of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sparked a heated discussion about India’s democracy, with many criticising the Narendra Modi administration for its purportedly authoritarian inclinations. This momentous occasion highlights a larger trend of democratic degradation that has been progressively taking place since Modi’s ascent to power in 2014. Modi’s rise to authoritarianism can be linked to his time as Gujarat’s chief minister, when he used divisive strategies to increase his support, most notably by inflaming tensions between different communities. But it is during his present term as prime minister that Modi has daringly stepped outside the…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview created more concerns than it answered regarding journalistic integrity, shattering India’s mainstream media landscape and exposing its weaknesses. Following the submission of his nomination, Modi made an astonishing statement in a televised interview with a media anchor who is more appropriately characterised as a mouthpiece than a journalist. In a show of emotion that Rahul Gandhi had foreshadowed weeks in advance, Modi denied ever calling Indian Muslims “infiltrators” or claiming that they were having more children. He was shocked and asked why discussions concerning big families seemed to focus only on Muslims. “Poor families in…
The integrity of elections is a fundamental component of democratic processes. However, recent remarks made by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar at the 18th Lok Sabha election announcement have raised questions about the electoral system’s openness in India. The CEC’s casual statements and rejection of concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs) have drawn criticism from both experts and citizens. Though elegant, the CEC’s poetic response to opponents of EVMs misses the main point. He ignores the core tenets of democracy by arguing that only losers doubt the accuracy of EVMs. Elections are the means by which citizens exercise their…
The recent detention of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sparked a heated discussion about India’s democracy, with many criticising the Narendra Modi administration for its purportedly authoritarian inclinations. This momentous occasion highlights a larger trend of democratic degradation that has been progressively taking place since Modi’s ascent to power in 2014. Modi’s rise to authoritarianism can be linked to his time as Gujarat’s chief minister, when he used divisive strategies to increase his support, most notably by inflaming tensions between different communities. But it is during his present term as prime minister that Modi has daringly stepped outside the…
As more information about the electoral bond scam comes to light, attention is focused on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced would be implemented. This action, which comes almost four years after its death and just before general elections, highlights the BJP’s calculated political manoeuvres. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) effort in Assam, where people were asked to provide documentation verifying their citizenship status, is where the CAA had its start. The story of widespread infiltration by millions of Bangladeshi Muslims was taken aback when the true numbers showed a quite different picture…
A revolution is taking place in the centre of the revived Ayodhya in New India as the growing influence of capitalism clashes with the magnetism of religion. Ayodhya is no longer just a spiritual retreat; it is increasingly teeming with contractor capitalism, with businesses vying for market share as the city gains more and more importance. The unseen hands of Gujarati contractors and management, who are displacing native attitudes and customs, are leading this transformation. The sleek cruise boats that are ready to serve a wave of affluent tourists have arrived on the once tranquil banks of the Sarju River.…
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been making notable progress in its attitude towards minority communities in the dynamic realm of Indian politics. The days of the party’s leadership being dominated by members of the Hindu community are long gone. The BJP’s efforts to reach out to minorities—Muslims and Christians in particular—showcase a strategic change in its goals and a desire for wider acceptance across a variety of social groups. Indian politics have undergone a significant transformation since the BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in 2014. The BJP, capitalising on feelings of…
A dispute at a higher secondary school in Khajuri village, in a remote area of Rajasthan’s Kota district, raised concerns about inter-communal harmony in India. Three Muslim instructors have been accused of forcing their students to say namaz and arranging for students to undergo religious conversions. Tensions were further heightened by the Sarva Hindu Samaj’s narrative, which depicted these educators as facilitators of “Islamic jihadi activities” and “love jihad.” The alleged conversion of a Hindu girl, which set off a wave of agitation, was at the centre of the dispute. As the community united against the suspension of these teachers,…