Democracy News
Shashi Tharoor recalls Emergency, tears into Sanjay Gandhi's role – ‘unspeakable cruelty'
In a recent article, Shashi Tharoor criticises the Emergency period, underscoring the dangers of centralising power and silencing dissent. He emphasises the importance of vigilance in preserving democracy, while reflecting on the ‘cruelty’ of Sanjay Gandhi's forced sterilisations.
3 min read10 Jul 2025Rahul Gandhi accuses RSS of favouring Manusmriti over Constitution – ‘mask has come off again’
Rahul Gandhi asserts that the RSS's desire to amend the Constitution's Preamble reveals its true intentions of favouring Manusmriti, challenging the core values of equality and justice. This debate ignites discussions on the foundational principles of Indian democracy.
1 min read27 Jun 2025‘Cong Govt placed democracy under arrest,’ PM Modi on 50 years of Emergency – 'no Indian will ever forget'
50 years of Emergency: As India marks 50 years since the Emergency, PM Modi condemns the Congress government's actions that suspended democracy while reaffirming his government's commitment to preserving democratic principles in India.
2 min read25 Jun 2025Testimony to the enduring spirit of Indian democracy
The Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi in 1976 led to widespread detentions. While initially seen as a period of order, it was marked by oppression and violence, culminating in Indira's loss in the 1977 elections and a resilience in India's democratic spirit.
3 min read23 Jun 2025India’s judicial rebirth: Let’s fix how we select and remove judges
India needs a judicial service commission, modelled on what South Africa and Kenya have, to end the ‘uncle judge syndrome,’ let in sunlight as a disinfectant and ensure a judiciary that upholds the rule of law for every Indian.
4 min read21 May 2025Raghuram Rajan & Gita Gopinath On Why Emerging Markets Like India Are More Resilient To Global Shock
In a session on monetary policy of emerging markets, IMF Deputy Director Gita Gopinath & former RBI governor and economist Raghuram Rajan laud emerging markets' monetary policies, saying that it has made them more resilient to global shocks. Raghuram Rajan also gives an interesting take on what affects the central banks' communication with the people of the country - watch!
29 Apr 2025India’s dilemmas of delimitation go beyond unequal representation
Demographic changes have given the Lok Sabha a representational bias while overlarge constituencies amplify majoritarianism. The political ramifications are such that the idea of redrawn constituencies looks unlikely to gain traction.
5 min read14 Apr 2025Ballot: Panacea for every peril democracy faces
It’s clear that since Modi has assumed power, the Centre has directed much of its resources, energy, and focus on dealing with internal and external security challenges.
3 min read14 Apr 2025Call of justice: India should reform its process for the removal of judges
The current procedure under the Indian Constitution is too cumbersome and the judiciary is not free of corruption. We could set up a judicial service commission to appoint and oust judges, subject to Parliamentary approval.
4 min read8 Apr 2025Kaushik Basu: Democracies face a threat that demands our collective resolve to fend off
Redistributive tax policies could prevent voters from being played by self-serving special interest groups, but this requires global cooperation in a globalized world. Saving democracy needs us to join hands.
4 min read16 Feb 2025