Showing 1 - 7 of 7
The popular decimation of India's democracy
Oped, Pranab Bardhan, Published on 18/05/2024
» India's ongoing parliamentary election, in which nearly a billion people casting their votes over a six-week period, should represent an extraordinary exercise of democracy. The bleak reality, however, is that the election appears poised to consolidate a decade-long process of democratic decay, which has included the decimation of liberal institutions and practices and weakening of political competition. After all, the leader who has presided over this process -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- remains wildly popular.
Better, in my book
Oped, Postbag, Published on 21/02/2023
» Re: "Reading a relationship", (BP, Feb 18). If former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva agrees now to the offer of becoming a party-list member of the Democrat Party, he would be seen as lacking in principle.
Bangladesh factory inferno fire kills 52
AFP, Published on 09/07/2021
» RUPGANJ, Bangladesh: A massive blaze tore through a Bangladesh factory killing at least 52 people trapped by flames that forced many workers to leap for their lives from upper floors, police said Friday.
Narendra Modi and the tragedy of India's poor
Asia focus, Pranab Bardhan, Published on 01/06/2020
» Prime Minister Narendra Modi's penchant for theatrics has had deadly consequences for India's poor. That was certainly the case with his disastrous demonetisation policy in 2016 and his government's rushed imposition of a national Goods and Services Tax, which resulted in widespread harassment of small businesses.
India must prepare for a post-lockdown world
Oped, Pranab Dhal Samanta, Published on 15/04/2020
» The Covid-19 pandemic, by the time it's done, would have set the stage for altering the global power dynamic. International institutions are already coming under severe scrutiny and stress, while the good old nation-state, riding on strong nationalist sentiments, seems to be taking centre stage.
Getting things done in India's messy democracy
Asia focus, Pranab Bardhan in Berkeley, Published on 17/06/2019
» The failure of the Indian state to provide basic public services and carry out job-creating infrastructure projects was a prominent theme in the country's recent general election. In this regard, critics often compare India unfavourably to China's seemingly purposeful and effective authoritarian government, despite the recent excesses of President Xi Jinping in consolidating his personal power.
Indian temple helps nurture 'extinct' turtle back to life
AFP, Published on 11/06/2019
» HAJO (INDIA) - The black softshell turtle is officially extinct in the wild, but a centuries-old Indian temple and its nature-loving caretaker are helping the creature make a tentative comeback.