By clearly shedding its dependence on 'soft Hindutva' it has adopted since 2014 and foregrounding the principle of justice, Congress's Nyay Patra clearly articulates a vision of the grand old party to take on the BJP at an ideological level.

Even as a demoralised J&K awaits to be upgraded as a state, Ladakh, a region with a fragile ecosystem has been in ferment since February with four demands – statehood, inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution, a separate public service commission and two parliamentary seats for Ladakh.

The proposed synchronisation up may be good for a particular regime – that would like the elections to be held by equivocating the issues, demands and requirements at the grassroots level with that of the national level – not for a federal democracy like India.

Amending the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) with some relevant clauses for the social sector could maintain financial accountability without bringing in security considerations for organisations. However, this did not find favour with the government.  

The mass suspension of parliamentarians reflects a resolute and coordinated ousting of the opposition which perilously challenges Indian democracy. 

In the three states lost, the Congress narrative was to ape the BJP. This won't work.

But a win, by default, is no long-term solution to the Congress’s own weaknesses.

The current crackdown is transparently part of the same politics that resulted in the invention of ambiguous phrases like 'tukde-tukde gang' and ‘Urban Naxal’.

Going by the rhetoric of the BJP, conflating Hinduism, Sanatan Dharma, and Hindutva is on the cards with the polls in mind.

Available evidence, particularly from the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Germany, the US and Europe suggest that simultaneous elections yield more aligned results between national and regional elections.

Not only do the hills need a sound habitat policy, they need rational and scientific development projects beyond electoral calculations to conserve them and make them sustainable.

The majority of the verses in the Quran on jihad are not related to the issue of either war or violence.

Secularism is a major victim of the right tilt of Indian politics since 2014. Rahul Gandhi has been unclear on this issue.

The JNU scholar will be remembered as much for his monumental contribution to the world of knowledge, as for leaving behind several students in his discipline, who will carry on the tradition of intensive research.

The only solution is power-sharing through federal institutional mechanisms, which reach local democracy in a manner that most sections feel empowered with a fair share of resources.

Nehru has been accused of dishonestly usurping the premiership from Patel and treating the latter's memory shabbily after his death. As we pay tribute to Nehru on his 59th death anniversary, it is apt to critically appraise their relationship.

Questioning the propriety and constitutionality of both the instances, the two judgments put a brake on defiling of the federal institutionalism in the country.

In this novel approach to annihilation, the police are only a mute witness, not a participant.

Ram Navami violence took place in six states, but Amit Shah chose to speak to the governor of just one state and issued a warning to another state – both ruled by non-BJP parties.

The recently held panchayat in Haryana that strongly defended the role of gau rakshaks), and the emergence of neo-Khalistani activists under the leadership of Amritpal Singh, pose challenges that the security establishment must address.