Fukuoka Grand Prize 2021

P Sainath is the recipient of the Fukuoka Grand Prize 2021, "for investigating impoverished farming villages in India, listening to voices from the rural population."

 - WIRE 

daily life

"Democracy is not just an election. 

It is our daily life."

Tsai Ing-Wen

Thought for the day, Times of India, March 01, 2021

dysfunctional democracy

 If democracy is not merely holding of free and fair elections, India is no longer a democracy. 

It s now a state that is humorless,  clueless and lashes out periodically without common sense.

It cannot smile at it's own follies and charges at a funny person. 

And last month, it issued guidelines to restrict Indian universities from holding international conferences, on topics that relate to India's internal affairs. And any topic can be linked to internal affairs - politics, society, economics, security, natural and applied sciences.

Without trying to be funny, India is generating smirking laughter all around the world - with it's Chinese -like mania, for control.

After 70 years of political Independence, we are pitiless, humorless, clueless - as a society and  as administrators of ourselves. It is our fault.     

- Kanti Bajpai,        Absurdist Bubble,          Times of India       Feb.20,  2021  

judiciary losing credibility?

 Former Chief Justice of India, & Rajya Sabha member Ranjan Gogoi, souringly speaks of a failing Indian judiciary. 

And Gogoi himself is part of this problem. 

He hastily seated himself in the Rajya Sabha, barely months after demitting office. 

And worries about judicial independence being compromised. 

Editorial,     Times Of India,      Feb. 15, 2021

Kashmir elections

There was significant difference in voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir regions. 

Against a range of 64.21% to 72.71 % turnout in the Jammu region, Kashmir recorded 29.91% to 40.65%  turnout. 

One can see that, the elections have opened some democratic space in Kashmir - and the BJP has been seeking credit.  But much of this is due to  alliance parties. They chose participation over boycott, reviving and re-invigorating the political space.

- Rekha Chowdhary,    The Wire 

Signing unconstitutional bills - a case for impeachment?

"No suit, persecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Federal government or the State governments, it's officials or any other person in respect of anything, which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or of any rules or orders made there under."

 And you thought the laws were only about farmers?

Immunity given to all those in those in respect of anything, 'acting in good faith', whatever they do is sweeping. Not only can they not be taken to court, they are protected against legal action. 

Who is any other person doing in good faith, who cannot be challenged? 

This is about the ease of business, very big Business.

Farmers cannot sue, public interest litigations cannot, nor can non-profit groups, farm unions, or any citizen.  

These laws convert the low-level executive into a judiciary. 

P Sainath,    The WIRE

don't know hindi? then leave - AYUSH Secretary

 

AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said, that he would not speak in English. 

And told those who do not understand Hindi to leave the video call. 

"From the very first day at lest 4 sessions were held in Hindi. Some speakers tried to be bilingual - but the conclusion was always in Hindi. It was difficult for us to follow and we were constantly raising  the issue," said a doctor, who attended the 2 day conference from August 18 to 20, 2020.

- The News Minute