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Saturday, February 21, 2026
TopicIdentity politics

Topic: Identity politics

To be proud or not to be — the question most Bengalis are wondering

Our weddings, festivals, and pubs now hum popular Bollywood hits, for in 2026, sophistication means pretending to be something we are not.

Zakir Naik’s empire of hate is built on two centuries of toxic religious identity politics

Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanawi's rebuttal of missionary critiques of Islam profoundly influenced Ahmad Deedat, a South African cleric. The pop-Salafism pioneered by Deedat would, in turn, prepare the ground for Naik.

Goodbye, General Category. EWS quota ends savarna’s long-enjoyed casteless identity

10% quota in government jobs and educational institutions is not an inclusive affirmative action policy but will exclusively benefit the so-called 'General Category'.

It’s sabka saath, sabka vikaas, sabka libaas for PM Modi—but there are some fashion no-gos

Narendra Modi dresses to impress and include, as evident in the wide variety outfits he has donned over the years. But there is an obvious exception.

Bhagwat’s identity politics has a DNA of its own. Indian Muslims can’t ignore it in rush to gush

Muslim intelligentsia will prove itself to be opportunist if it doesn't engage with the underlying presumptions in the RSS chief's remark that Muslims share the same DNA as Hindus.

You can’t cancel Modi, RSS: Why US-style identity politics won’t help Indian liberals’ fight

A corrosive strain of American Left-wing identity politics has taken root among the progressive sections of the young, urban elite in India. But it won’t defeat RSS.

Amartya Sen has a message for Mamata: Don’t define Bengalis narrowly like BJP does

Bengali identity politics must not devolve into a hate campaign against non-Bengali speaking people. Remember what Shiv Sena did to Maharashtra?

In Uttar Pradesh, the campaign’s back to being old trench warfare

Aspiration is turning into desperation. Nobody has much hope in an era of new Hindu Rate of Growth, and identity politics is back.

On Camera

Cautious optimism — India’s new relationship with Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh

Both Bangladesh and India will have to work together to repair the damage done during the Yunus administration.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

Embraer moves full throttle in pursuit of IAF contract, ties up with Hindalco after Adani

IAF is firming up plans to revamp airlift capabilities with medium transport aircraft that will be assembled in India & serve as its main workhorse. Embraer is leading contender as of now.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.