Bihar police encounter controversy underlines the growing Singham culture among the police officers. What was once condemned as extrajudicial killings is being projected today as the rule of the law. It undermines the fundamentals of our democracy. It’s good to see BJP ministers putting CM Samrat Chaudhary in the dock.
Indians deserve clarity about what proves their citizenship. Don’t leave it to politics
Indian passport is issued to citizens, yet Modi government says it’s not legal proof of citizenship. Not voter cards, not Aadhaar, not passport. As another official document proves inadequate, uncertainty grows. Birth certificates aren’t available for everyone. Indians deserve clarity on their status. It shouldn’t be left to political contestation.
CM Vijay is exposing years of populist welfarism by Dravidian parties
First the white paper on Tamil Nadu’s finances. Now one on the electricity department’s staggering debt. Years of populist welfarism, highly subsidised power bills are being exposed. CM Vijay is smashing the long-held omerta among the Dravidian parties. With that comfortable consensus broken, he must now bring bold governance reforms.
Societies run on trust. Trust but verify is prudent for important matters. A nation of 1.4 billion residents has a strong presumption in favour of their being bona fide citizens. Increasingly, that is being stood on its head. National Register of Citizens would have required each citizen to prove her status, in a country where many poor people do not have pucca houses in which to store important documents. The recent travesty in Bengal about so many Indians being deprived of their right to vote. 2. When the government issues a passport, it is asking all foreign governments to treat its holder as a citizen of India, entitled to privileges and facilitation for foreign travel. It cannot reside from this solemn declaration.