Opinion
DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE? ‘HAMMER TO KILL A FLY’ WARNING AS DELHI POLICE DETAIN CJP PROTESTERS DEMANDING CEC GYANESH KUMAR’S RESIGNATION
Massive security deployment raises questions over citizens’ right to protest, taxpayers’ money and electoral transparency; Vadodara’s striking voting pattern demands scrutiny—not speculation The CJP-led movement demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising questions about electoral transparency and the functioning of the Election Commission of India. The protest was met with extensive security arrangements, barricades, restrictions on public movement and the detention of demonstrators and movement organisers. The controversy intensified following t
N. Raghuraman's column: The impact of things that happen in midlife is not limited to that
How you treat your body and mind in the midlife years (roughly 36-60 years) can have a huge impact on how you age in the coming decades. In short, midlife health is a glimpse into your future. The seeds you plant in middle age, such as exercise, healthy eating, and a good sleeping pattern, play an important role in your longevity. Your perceptions of aging are not just psychological, they also look physical in the body. Yes, there is growing scientific evidence that health markers in midlife are actually very effective for predicting the health of the next life, rather than measuring these mar
Rashmi Bansal's column: There is some energy, there is some talk... Hello India, good morning!
Jaigaon in West Bengal is a common city in the country. Loudspeakers are playing in the market, pandals are decorated. People are talking, eating on the streets. And there is a small gate in the middle of this chaos. Present the passport and open the SIM: Without saying anything, you reach a new world. Bhutan! A small country confined in the lap of mountains, which dances to its own tune. As soon as you cross the border, you feel at ease. Orderly, clean, no noise. People look healthy, and happy too. The wind is the same, but the air is new. Well, as we moved towards Thimphu, the air also chang
Independence Day 2026: Crores Spent on Spectacle While a Nation Still Waits for “Achhe Din”
15 August 2026: As the last echoes of the national anthem faded and the sky over the Red Fort lit up with fireworks and laser displays, the Government of India and various state governments had once again spent staggering sums to commemorate the 79th anniversary of India’s Independence. Official estimates put the combined expenditure by the Centre and states on parades, cultural programmes, lighting, security, advertisements, and associated events at well over ₹450 crore. In Delhi alone, the grand show is believed to have cost more than ₹180 crore. Yet behind the choreographed grand
The Cockroach Janta Party Protest: A New Political Movement or the Same Old Playbook?
When Every Anti-Corruption Crusade Becomes the Very System, It Swore to Dismantle, India Must Ask Harder Questions About Power, Money, and Accountability In a familiar tableau that has played out repeatedly across India's democratic landscape, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has launched a high-profile public protest, complete with demands directed at the ruling dispensation, media-friendly optics, and the unmistakable ambition of political relevance. The party has put forward three demands and entered into public discussions with the ruling party — moves that, on the surface, suggest
“Our Children Deserve Better”- Education Reformer Sonam Wangchuk's Day 21 Ignites Soul-Searching Over Education Crisis, Police Action, and the Erosion of Democratic Trust
Heart of a Nation Fasting: As the scorching sun set over Jantar Mantar on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the air was thick with a palpable mix of hope and anxiety. Climate crusader, innovator, and beloved educator Sonam Wangchuk entered the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, his frail body bearing the weight of a moral crusade that has sparked a national debate far beyond the improvement of India's education system. The examination paper leaks—affecting multiple competitive exams including NEET and state-level tests—have impacted an estimated 4.5 million students across India this
Development, Democracy and the Citizen Who Feels Forgotten
For years, Indians have been told that the nation is progressing at an unprecedented pace. New highways are built, airports are inaugurated, skylines are transformed, and record-breaking economic achievements dominate political speeches. Development has become the most celebrated word in public life. Yet, beyond the advertisements, slogans, and televised celebrations, there is another India quietly asking a simple question: Development for whom? The ordinary citizen does not measure progress through government campaigns or corporate presentations. Progress is measured by the quality o
India’s antiquated law on contempt of court restricts personal liberty and must be overhauled
After having raised the issue of whether the clubby and secretive collegiums system actually preserves the independence of the judiciary former Supreme Court judge, Justice Markandey Katju, has now trained his guns on India’s antiquated contempt of court law. He has made the valid point, in this newspaper, that judicial supremacy cannot be based on the law of kings in a democracy.
India’s best hope is that the Budget due February 2015 chooses growth and jobs
The presidential address to Parliament on June 9, 2014 had focussed nearly exclusively on projects and schemes, eschewing policy. Therefore, many had eagerly awaited the budget speech for a policy vision of the new government. Unfortunately, it too left observers guessing on whether the government would tackle tough reforms or rely principally on better implementation.
If cops guard veggies now, crooks could well come up with new crimes
Perhaps outnumbering its regular guardians of the law India has a self-appointed ‘moral police’ — who dictate what people may or may not do — as well as a ‘book police’ who regulate what people can read or write. Now, if Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has his way, the capital might have a ‘veggie police’ as well.
RECENT NEWS
- Preity Zinta’s Karwa Chauth; actor jokes moon is missing
- ‘Jailer’: Rajinikanth’s 2023 film may get a black-and-white version
- Bengaluru man pays Rs 12,500 monthly for 40 months in Rs 5 lakh chit scheme, gets only Rs 20,000; consumer commission orders company to pay Rs 4.07 lakh with interest
- Mouli says ‘Donga Naa Koduku’ song pushed him out of his comfort zone
- Armaan Malik On Ramayana: Singer calls surreal Rahman–Zimmer score dream project
