The absence of unity has been oversold. It is time to shift focus from the opposition’s gaps to the opposition’s will.

In this issue

05-04-202438 STORIES

‘I don’t get rattled easily’: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh says the BJP cultivated the six rebel MLAs to cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha election.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

The murky political goings-on in Himachal Pradesh

Following the recent rebellion of six MLAs, the Congress finds itself on shaky ground in the only State it now runs in north India.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

Snakeman: The origin story

Romulus Whitaker’s Snakes, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll is a delightful tale of his exciting wildlife adventures and enduring love for India.

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Bumps ahead in this Taxi ride

Old fans of Manjula Padmanabhan should probably sit out this novel and wait for the next one.

Latha Anantharaman

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Letters

Readers respond to Frontline’s coverage

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Editor’s Note: Is India heading towards an autocracy?

Can the opposition muster the will to preserve democracy’s essence, as it did during the dark days of the Emergency?

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New books on the shelves

An ode to personal courage and public protest, a deep dive into the Bhima Koregaon case, and much more.

Essays by Prabir Purkayastha: Defending reason with passion

Author explores the relationship between science, technology, the knowledge commons, and the challenge of building a nation with a scientific vision.

Venkatesh Athreya

How homogenisation can flatten knowledge systems

The Indians is an attempt to trace the poetics of diversity in India especially as it traverses through several pasts.

Shiv Visvanathan

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Narratives from the Indo-Muslim world

A multifaceted treasure trove of materials that provides us with a new and richer understanding of the legendary Urdu novelist Qurratulain Hyder.

Will Forest Conservation Amendment Act of 2023 sound the ‘death knell’ for India’s forests?

The amendments in FCAA have diluted the definition of “forests” and stripped local communities of their rights in forest management.

Spring in the step

On Basant Panchami, the Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya dargah in Delhi becomes a riot of yellow as it celebrates the arrival of spring and renewal of hope.

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Science & Technology

A tool to track cell-to-cell contact

The Australian Synchrotron goes solar, and the Indian research satellite AstroSat detects ionising photons from a rare type of galaxy.

R. Ramachandran

Dune 2: Landscape as protagonist

Can land be that anchoring, propulsive presence through which the art makes itself known?

Prathyush Parasuraman

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A date with Apollo

How an exhibition of sculptures at Mumbai’s CSMVS allows one to look at antique art not from the usual vantage point of Europe but of India.

Vishakha N. Desai

G.N. Saibaba’s acquittal prompts calls to scrap UAPA

Additionally, the harsh and inhumane treatment meted out to prisoners underscores the urgent need for a law that criminalises such acts.

Ashutosh Sharma

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Power to the people: India’s democracy needs a subaltern revival

For democracy to function, the masses must feel invested in it. A subaltern strategy thus could be a potent tool to counter the BJP’s hegemony.

Is Pakistan undergoing a reset in army-civilian ties?

As the army realises the folly of its political interventions, Pakistan hopes for a tentative military-civilian equilibrium to strengthen democracy.

Delegates at the 13th WTO ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi on February 26.

Is India truly the voice of the Global South at WTO?

While the government sees itself as such, its run-ins at the WTO ministerial conference, over subsidies, with fellow member states belie that claim.

C.P. Chandrasekhar

2024: A leap year for Indian democracy?

Given the global shift towards the Right, the 2024 election has significance beyond party rivalries. Opposition must ask for a vote against Hindutva.

Satish Deshpande

The crisis of the secular opposition

The central contradiction over a nationwide secular front against BJP is most evident in West Bengal. Is this setback or necessary autocorrection?

Debasish Roy Chowdhury

India’s oscillating opposition and the dynamic evolution of protest politics

With the ascent of a majoritarian government and concerns about dissent’s impact on policy, the social imaginary of protest politics is changing.

Ajay Gudavarthy

Why a proposed private port in Karnataka’s Honnavara faces stiff resistance from fisherfolk

The port’s construction threatens the livelihood of the fishing community and the nesting sites of olive ridley turtles in a fragile ecosystem.

Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed

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Farewell Appappan

Tall and seasoned, my grandfather had encountered seven witches, two giant trolls, and countless imps and chaathans in his lifetime.

Daring dozen: 12 crucial States where BJP is likely to face a stiff challenge

With 369 seats up for grabs, formidable regional parties in these States are poised to challenge BJP’s anticipated sweep in the Lok Sabha election.

Haryana: Scripting a new chapter

Amidst a split in the ruling BJP-JJP coalition and a leadership change in BJP, Congress ramps up efforts to challenge the saffron party’s dominance.

Karnataka: Congress still hunting for a compelling strategy

The big issue for a confident Congress in Karnataka seems to be its inability to find tools to counter the BJP’s communal propaganda machine.

Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed

Will BJP’s dogged efforts to enter Tamil Nadu and Kerala yield any results?

Prime Minister Modi’s relentless visits to the States signal BJP’s strategic move to secure elusive seats in regions resistant to its influence.

R.K. Radhakrishnan

West Bengal: Will CAA tip the scales?

The Trinamool Congress was on the ropes after Sandeshkhali, but the CAA Rules announcement has given the party a burst of new energy.

Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay

Caste alliances will shape the tense battle between NDA and INDIA bloc in Bihar

The outcome of the nerve-racking contest for 40 Lok Sabha seats in the State could play a crucial role in deciding the next government at the Centre.

Uttar Pradesh: Not yet a done deal

Despite claims of a no-contest, the BJP and Congress-SP alliance are actively vying for the OBC vote while also courting the Scheduled Castes.

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Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: An alliance and a straight fight

In Andhra Pradesh, BJP-TDP-JSP combo takes on Congress and the ruling YSRCP. In Telangana, it is a direct fight between Congress and BJP.

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Alliance of convenience: AAP, Cong seal deal for Delhi, to go solo in Punjab

The Congress and AAP are friends in Delhi but at loggerheads in Punjab, while the BJP is infusing fresh blood to retain what it won in 2019.

Ashutosh Sharma

Maharashtra: Season of hard bargains

Struggling to secure a deal with Prakash Ambedkar, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi is reaching out to smaller groups in order to build an anti-BJP narrative.

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SBI’s reluctance to reveal electoral bond data raises concerns about its independence and reliability

The response from the nation’s largest bank highlights broader worries about governmental pressure and institutional control in the banking sector.

Mitali Mukherjee

The Centre announcing the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has once again led to protests in many places. Here, one in Bengaluru on March 13.

BJP’s strategic relaunch of CAA unveils a relentless pursuit of majoritarian agenda

The move underscores a calculated strategy to galvanise public support by blending religion and state ahead of the general election.

‘UAPA must be scrapped’: Indira Jaising

Senior lawyer discusses what the acquittal of Prof. G.N. Saibaba and his fellow accused means for the country.

Kumar Shahani: Visionary filmmaker who pushed Indian cinema’s boundaries

From Maya Darpan to Tarang, Sahani’s legacy is marked by experimentation, intellectual complexity, and a lifelong dialogue with realism and the avant-

M.K. Raghavendra

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