Indira Gandhi, as noted in the previous article, took a hand in the propagation of the Nehru myth. But she was not its architect. Indeed, the myth had no human architect or architects, though many, including Gandhiji, had contributed to it. It was the product of the collective Indian psyche, … Read More
In death, as in life, Indira Gandhi continues to be measured essentially by one yardstick – the popular view of her father, Jawaharlal Nehru. And in death, as in life, so measured, she continues to be found wanting. The comparison is wholly inapt. Indira Gandhi was Nehru’s darling daughter and … Read More
Since Mr. SB Chavan continues to hold the home portfolio at the Centre, it must be assumed that he has spoken at Karla near Pune on Punjab in that capacity. In that case it is an amazing performance. Essentially Mr. Chavan has made five points. Foreign powers jealous of Indian’s … Read More
If it is indeed true, as is widely said and believed, that Mr. Rajiv Gandhi wanted the Congress to lose the elections in Punjab, it is his and his party’s business. Even so the rest of us are concerned with the implications of such an approach, the most important being … Read More
The well-known columnist Jack Anderson, who was the first person to tell us of the Nixon-Kissinger decision to “tilt” towards Pakistan at the time of the Bangladesh crisis in 1971, has now disclosed that the Reagan administration may be beginning to “tilt” towards India. If this in fact happens, it … Read More
It is reasonably clear that the Sikhs have by and large welcomed the Rajiv-Longowal accord on Punjab. Or else the Akali Dal’s rival organisation, Baba Joginder Singh’s so-called United Akali Dal, would not have found its fortunes at such a low ebb. It is equally clear that while the Akali … Read More
It is pointless either to commend or criticize the Union government’s decision to go ahead with the proposed elections in Punjab despite the assassination of Sant Longowal. It has no choice in the matter whatever some opposition leaders have said. An early poll was an unstated but integral part of … Read More
It is perhaps unrealistic to expect that the Solanki phenomenon, involving as it did a virtual civil war, indeed two civil wars, in Gujarat will persuade passionate advocates of a decentralized political order to take a pause and ponder the possible consequences of his continuance in office. Even so the … Read More
As the dialogue with Pakistan is being resumed, we can already hear voices arguing that Mr. Rajiv Gandhi must try and work out an overall agreement which would even cover major issues such as Pakistan’s search for nuclear weapons capability and its acquisition of highly sophisticated weapons. We will surely … Read More
Despite the obvious success of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to the United States, it is an open question whether it marks a turning-point in Indo-US relations. The answer will depend on a variety of factors, above all on whether we can come out of our defensiveness and whether America … Read More
