India enters the new year in a mood of despair. Hopefully, this will pass. Hopefully, we shall master the problems that depress us. But right now, there is little to cheer us. The country is filled with hate from one comer to another, ready to explode into violence at the … Read More
It is too early to say whether as a result of the Union home secretary’s discussions with his Pakistani counterpart, Islamabad can now be depended upon to deny training and other facilities to Sikh terrorists. Mr. Somiah has understandably been cautious; he has said that he would wait and see … Read More
There was not much doubt that the Barnala ministry in Punjab would survive the no-confidence motions tabled against it by the breakaway Akalis headed by Mr. Badal and the Bharatiya Janata party. Its survival was assured by the support the State Congress legislature party was bound to extend to it. … Read More
The conflict between the Pathans and the Urdu-speaking people in Karachi is not new. It is almost as old as Pakistan. The two groups have all along distrusted and even hated each other. But of late, the conflict has become exceedingly bitter. Only last month, rioting between the two communities … Read More
In his address to the Congress parliamentary party on Monday, Mr Rajiv Gandhi has once again raised the issue of the Centre-State relations in respect of law and order. But it is not at all clear why he has done so. The issue was debated in parliament only last week, … Read More
The Punjab state government has arrested Mr. Tohra, Mr. Badal and others on the ground that they have been encouraging the extremists and the terrorists in the state. But why now? Because the terrorists shot dead 24 bus passengers last Sunday? Because on the same day Mr. Tohra was elected … Read More
It is not quite clear whether Punjab is once again about to be placed under President’s rule. The Prime Minister gave a hint to this effect in his statement to the Lok Sabha on Monday forenoon, but he did not repeat it when he spoke again in the evening. Mr. … Read More
Mr. Gorbachev’s four-day visit represents, as Mr Rajiv. Gandhi has said, a “major landmark” in Indo-Soviet bilateral relations. At the heart of these bilateral ties has been the problem of India’s security and so it remains. It must have figured prominently in the 10-hour-long discussions between the two leaders for … Read More
Hopefully, Mr Gorbachov’s current visit should mark another milestone in the development of Indo-Soviet friendship – on a bilateral basis. This hope can be best realised if both sides stick to the realistic bilateral perspective and do not exaggerate their capacity to initiate moves of global or even regional (Asia-Pacific) … Read More
The low vote for the Congress, still led by the heroes of the freedom struggle, – around 45 per cent of those polled – in the first general election in 1952, spoke of a political vacuum in the country. This awesome reality – awesome because no other party proved capable … Read More
