THE NEWS IN
PROPORTION
20 January 2020
20 January 2020
EDITORIAL
The big fight over RTE
It is the first meaningful attempt by the Government of India to make good on a promise it made at the time of Independence itself, and yet, the RTE law has ended up in the courts. What happened and why? The India Together editorial.
The big fight over RTE
It is the first meaningful attempt by the Government of India to make good on a promise it made at the time of Independence itself, and yet, the RTE law has ended up in the courts. What happened and why? The India Together editorial.
SECTION 377
Sex meets society, in courtThe Centre, mulling over the Delhi High Court verdict on Section 377 of the IPC, should recognise a basic principle of democratic freedoms - we are free when others are free. The India Together editorial.
MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS
Will it be different this time?Should we believe the promises politicians make to us this time around? Whatever it is you want the government to do about terrorism, begin by asking who will do it, and how. The India Together editorial on the Mumbai terror attacks.
EDITORIAL - INDEPENDENCE DAY
Less government, by defaultWhile endless rounds of complaint and criticism have been seen in every arena, this has not led the public to demand that the size of government be reduced. How long will this last? The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL
Ministries must stop being regulatorsRegulation that is working well, as well as others that plainly speak of misgovernance, are both instructive; the road forward lies in separating regulation from the government, and vesting this instead in independent and autonomous bodies created by Parliament. The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL
Free expression, without contemptMost public matters before judges are simply 'in court', and not necessarily sub judice to the extent that voicing one's views about them publicly would merit contempt charges. The courts should recognise the distinction formally, with a clear standard for separating the two. The India Together editorial.
THE NARMADA PROTEST
A moral breach in the damAs the demands for justice draw embarrassingly close to the PM, the decision to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam is being reviewed. But promises are nothing new, and officials have always known that they can be broken with impunity. Should we expect anything different this time? The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL / ECONOMY
Too little, for too longMinimum wage regulations continue to defy the very meaning of what the wage is for. The original premise - wages for people to live with minimum level of economic security, as well as dignity - is gone, its spirit lost in myriad variables that rise from states, sectors, bureaucracies and notifications. The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL
The infrastructure of trustOur governments face mistrust, cynicism, and opposition from citizens, and even good plans are often defeated by this. Therefore, our development plans should focus first not on building physical infrastructure, but on erecting the infrastructure to restore citizens' trust in government. The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL: CONSOLIDATING MUNICIPALITIES
The sum of broken partsShould Bangalore and its surrounding municipalities be merged into a single jurisdiction, as the state's politicians are now proposing to do? The Constitutional standard as well as Bangalore's abysmal record of administering even the core metropolis both argue against centralisation. The India Together editorial.
EDITORIAL / DEVELOPMENT
An exceptional nationCan we be a 'rich' people without doing any of the things that 'rich' countries now do, without the foundations on which they built their progress? That's an important question - because if the answer is no, then our current path to prosperity is in vain, and won't forestall another few decades of poverty and all-round deprivation. The India Together editorial.
Think outside the barrel
Global oil prices have risen dramatically, and nationalised oil companies have been crying themselves hoarse over the government's reluctance to correspondingly increase retail prices. The sensible long term alternative is to move beyond fossil fuels, with clear policy initiatives. The India Together editorial.
Global oil prices have risen dramatically, and nationalised oil companies have been crying themselves hoarse over the government's reluctance to correspondingly increase retail prices. The sensible long term alternative is to move beyond fossil fuels, with clear policy initiatives. The India Together editorial.
A qualified freedom
For hundreds of millions of citizens, the pursuit of dignity and happiness remains an unfinished journey. Political parties are still busy interpreting freedom for the people, rather than simply giving it to them. As a result, the appearance of independence is strong, whereas in practice there is much more to be done. The India Together editorial.
For hundreds of millions of citizens, the pursuit of dignity and happiness remains an unfinished journey. Political parties are still busy interpreting freedom for the people, rather than simply giving it to them. As a result, the appearance of independence is strong, whereas in practice there is much more to be done. The India Together editorial.
India Together offers an excellent forum for people from diverse fields of expertise to present their views, share their experiences and raise questions about where our country and society are headed in the future.
Amitabha Basu
- Retired Scientist
- National Physical
- Laboratory
- India Together reader
India Together
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From Aug 2013, published with support from Oorvani Foundation, a champion of public-funded media for the new India.
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