The BSP faces a situation in which it either emerges stronger nationally or loses significance beyond Uttar Pradesh The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) finds itself at a unique juncture that is important for the party and for democratic and contemporary politics. As a party, it has faced trials in the …

Stirring reminders of the distance travelled and challenges ahead in securing human rights Paris flared — Paris, which the divine sun had sown with light, and where in glory waved the great future harvest of Truth and of Justice. Émile Zola, Paris I asked my soul: What is Delhi? She …

India is bombarded with electoral rhetoric that is shorn of care for citizens who inhabit desolate worlds Every person who aspires to political power ought to read the book, Considerations on Representative Government, by John Stuart Mill. Ideally, democracy is not the best form of government, wrote Mill, unless it …

Self-guided, internet-based platforms can help people cope with depression Scientists have found that a series of self-guided, internet-based therapy platforms effectively reduce depression. Researchers from Indiana University (IU) in the U.S. reviewed 21 pre-existing studies with a total of 4,781 participants. In the past several years, many internet-based apps and …

It may trigger cropland expansion, which will further increase greenhouse gas emissions Bioplastics — often promoted as a climate-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics — may lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study. According to the study by researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany, …

At the press conference post the fifth monetary policy review on December 5, Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel brushed aside a question on reduction in cash reserve ratio (CRR) saying that it is not in the ambit of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). On the face of it, …

Amendments to key laws needed before the suggestion can become reality The world is flat is an international best-seller by three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman. The title of the 2005 book was a smart take on the concept that the world should be a level-playing field, with all companies …

‘Puzzle’ about data needs explanation: Arvind Subramanian Amid raging controversy over the revised economic growth numbers, Former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian has called for an investigation by experts to clear doubts and build confidence while noting that the “puzzle” about the data needs to be explained. He stressed that …

GST collections are yet to show a stable trend which means projections for 2020-25 are difficult, says the Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission The Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, N.K. Singh, says that though the Commission will have to take the 2011 census as the base year for …

U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner continued to have private conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and advised him on how to deal with the aftermath of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. media report said. Mr. Kushner offered Prince Mohammed advice “about …