Selective atheism

BR. haran’s article, ‘Selective atheism of Karunanidhi’ is an Hindutva critique of Dravidian politics. “The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s so-called Aryan-Dravidian theory was used by the British to create a north-south divide”. Alleging that Karunanidhi has adopted the ‘divide and rule’ policy throughout his political career, he says, “In the process, he has never missed out even a single opportunity to make disparaging remarks on Hindus, Hindu gods, Hindu philosophy and Hindu culture apart from denigrating Sanskrit and Hindi, and simultaneously, he had appeased and appreciated the interests of minorities (read Muslims and Christians), so that he can be at the helm of affairs permanently.”

Think of eras

Sandhya jain says even the “most steadfast sycophants of the Congress party’s premier dynasty can’t deny that Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as general secretary and CWC member has failed to enthuse either the rank and file or the people at large.” Jain feels the question of a generational shift is out of sync with Indian realities. “To my mind, much of the confusion is due to the steady secularisation of our political discourse and thought process, which has made us forget that India thinks in terms of eras (yugas), rather than mere generations (peedhis).”

Neighbourhood rumbles

The cover story, by M.D. Nalapat, attacks the handling of India’s neighbourhood by the UPA government. Other countries have been making inroads. “It is not only Pakistan... Bangladesh is being gifted nuclear teeth courtesy Beijing. In the case of Myanmar, a country that has even less industry to power than North Korea, and which is moreover blessed with abundant oil and gas deposits, nearly a thousand nuclear scientists and technicians have gone to Russia for training, of which 280 are full-fledged nuclear scientists...”

... contd.