PRAGOTI

Eminent historian Eric Hobsbawm makes a statement after a controversy was created in The Telegraph newspaper (and lapped up by others) following the publication of an interview of his in the New Left Review magazine.

I really enjoyed the speech by Brinda Karat, Rajya Sabha member from the CPI(M) on the women's reservation bill. On a groundbreaking day where other legislators also spoke very well on the issue (albeit some Congress' legislators were more keen on fawning praise on the UPA's lynchpins - the PM and Sonia Gandhi). But Brinda Karat's evocative gratitude to the struggles by grassroots women's organisations was very apt. Embedded below is her speech in the Rajya Sabha (courtesy - Rajya Sabha TV). Also attached is the transcript of her speech in pdf format. 

 As I write this, 7 unruly members of parliament belonging to errant political parties - the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal in particular, have been suspended for their pathetic conduct yesterday in the Rajya Sabha. These legislators were doing their worst to prevent the Women's Reservation Bill, which now enjoys a great degree of majority support in both Houses of the Indian Parliament. This post quickly brings out some facets about the idea of quota-based representation in legislatures all across the world. 

 A blog post on the belied expectations on Women's Day today.

Israel is possibly the only unapologetic state in the world that believes in assassination of opponents as a state policy. Ironically, that this nation does "hit jobs" through its notorious spy agency - the Mossad, actually gives it an "aura" of professionalism - as much as the Mumbai underworld looked "cool" in the eyes of many during its heydays.

In mid-December 2009, I visited fishing areas in and around the Mundra coastal region which hosts the vast Mundra Port and SEZ Limited (MPSEZL). The visit to the coastal areas adjoining the Mundra port in the Kutch revealed discontent among fisherfolk, traders and pastoralists over the creation of a special economic zone in the area. Apart from environmental concerns, the traditional livelihoods of residents in the area have also been affected by the new industrial projects, leading to organised protests, as witnessed in Bhadreswar village a few months ago.

 I wrote a piece in the Daily Times, Pakistan on the non-inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League's third season, despite their invitation to the auction process through a circuitous route. 
The piece can be read here. 

A critical take on Hisila Yami's article in the Kathmandu Post on Indo-Nepal relations. 

 There are writers and then there is Ashok Mitra. The former finance minister of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front government and one among the five to be sworn along with chief minister Jyoti Basu on June 21st, 1977 has these words to say in his homage to his erstwhile senior colleague- 

Jyoti Basu was nearly 96 when he breathed his last yesterday. For someone who was born in 1979 such as myself, it is difficult to say or write anything about this legendary communist who ruled as the uninterrupted chief minister of the longest running elected government, provincial or otherwise in the world, for 23 years (1977-2000) before calling it a day. Jyoti Basu's reign coincided with a time before I reached my "political maturation", so to speak, but there are vignettes that I remember about this leader which are enough to provide a rough image of his legend for me.