Why Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan’s “Menon” Oath Stirred a Caste Debate
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan took oath as “Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan,” unlike earlier occasions where he had dropped “Menon,” an upper-caste surname. Days later, he went to the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple and offered thulabharam (ritual weighing) with butter, a ritual in which a devotee is weighed against an offering made to the deity. Coming within a week of the formation of a Congress government, the two decisions have triggered unease in the state because the party had projected itself as secular and inclusive.
Editors Guild: Indian Officials’ Clashes With Dutch, Norwegian Journalists ‘Embarrassing’
The Editors Guild of India has criticised recent stand-offs involving Indian government representatives and journalists from the Netherlands and Norway as “embarrassing,” saying they followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to take questions from local media during visits to the two countries.
‘Careful’: A Gen Z Journalist in Nepal Writes an Open Letter to India’s ‘Cockroach’ Party
How are you doing, “cockroaches”? While you celebrate your success in gaining followers and dominating global headlines, how long can you rely on that? Do you realise you are being dismissed as a mere “meme movement” and a “page-based phenomenon”? This is a label you will likely lament, saying critics always need something to say, and this is simply what they have come up with.
Indian Youth’s ‘Cockroach’ Party Now the Biggest on Instagram; What’s Their Message?
A satirical Indian political movement, called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and built entirely on internet culture, has gained more than double the Instagram following of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), just days after being founded in response to remarks by the country’s chief justice allegedly comparing unemployed young people to insects. Its rapid rise signals the depth of frustration among a generation burdened by unemployment, exam fraud and what appears to be growing distrust toward institutions.
The Question Is Not Why Raghav Chadha Left AAP, But Where He Went
Raghav Chadha, a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and one of its most prominent Rajya Sabha faces, has left the party along with six other MPs from the same party to join the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The question his departure raises is not whether his stated grievances about AAP’s inner functioning were genuine, but whether those grievances, even taken at face value, explain why he chose to join the BJP.
Opposition Alleges Politics Behind Women’s Reservation Law
Opposition parties have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter to all political party leaders seeking their support to pass amendments during an extended sitting of Parliament, saying he framed the issue as a collective responsibility to mask what they call a political calculation.
The India Thread in the Epstein Files: Everything That’s Been Documented
The documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, a U.S. financier who built a network of relationships with political leaders, business figures and public personalities, contain several references involving India, including instances of direct contact between Epstein and Indian political and business figures. Here is a clear account of what the Epstein files say about India and how to read those references.
Fresh Violence in Manipur; Court Hears Case on Ex-CM’s Alleged Role in 2023 Unrest
The Supreme Court expressed frustration on April 6 over repeated forensic delays in authenticating audio clips that allegedly implicate former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in the state’s ethnic violence. Meanwhile, a bomb attack the following day in Manipur’s Bishnupur district killed two children and triggered fresh unrest.
Why Does the Government Want to Review Journalism Courses?
The education ministry has reportedly written to all university vice-chancellors, forwarding a suggestion from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that journalism syllabuses be reviewed “to make them more effective.” The ministry offered no specification of what the review should contain or why the current syllabuses fall short. This vagueness, which appears to be deliberate, is concerning.
Congress Alleges Assam CM’s Wife Holds Foreign Passports, Assets Abroad; CM Denies, Vows Legal Action
The Congress party has alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, holds multiple foreign passports and undisclosed overseas assets, triggering a political confrontation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has rejected the claims and announced legal action.
‘No One’ Killed This Manipur MLA, and That Defines the State’s Accountability Crisis
Vungzagin Valte, a Manipur MLA from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), died on February 21 after nearly three years of medical complications caused by a mob attack during the 2023 violence. His case remains pending and no arrests have been reported so far. The continuing absence of visible justice may further deepen the political disillusionment of the Kuki-Zo community in its relationship with the state government.
Supreme Court Raises Alarm Over States’ Free Electricity Push
The Supreme Court has questioned the Tamil Nadu government’s policy of providing free electricity to certain consumer groups, opening a wider debate about where welfare support ends and political freebie culture begins. The central concern in this dispute is how far governments can expand subsidies without putting public finances and long-term development under strain.
Valentine’s Day: The Politics and Psychology of Hating Love
Each year Hindu nationalist groups carry out violent crackdowns on couples in public spaces during Valentine’s Day in India. These incidents show how moral policing, group identity politics and anxiety about social change combine to justify control over private emotion and public behaviour.
8,630 Complaints Against Sitting Judges in 10 Years
On February 13, the Union Law Ministry told the Lok Sabha that the office of the Chief Justice of India received 8,360 complaints against sitting judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts across the 10 year period from 2016 to 2025, based on data supplied by the Supreme Court. The disclosure invites a closer look at how judicial accountability works, and what this information reveals about public trust in the courts.
Opposition Threatens Speaker with No-Confidence Motion, Citing Partisan Conduct
Opposition parties in Lok Sabha have warned they may file a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of obstructing the parliamentary rights of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. The standoff, now entering a second week, centres on Gandhi being denied permission to speak about a controversial unpublished book by former army chief Manoj Naravane, while members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were permitted to make attacks against the Nehru-Gandhi family without censure.
On Manipur’s New ‘Phantom’ Government
Manipur now has a new government, which on paper, signals the return of democratic rule after a one-year spell of President’s Rule. But in reality, the state remains deeply divided and only partially governed, with large sections of the population still excluded from its reach since a deadly and prolonged wave of violence began on May 3, 2023. The situation calls to mind the idea of a “phantom government,” a structure that holds office but cannot carry out the basic functions of governance.
Why a Former Army Chief’s Book Has Caused a Furore
India’s former army chief, General M.M. Naravane, has alleged in an unpublished memoir that political leaders failed to give the army clear operational directions during the 2020 border crisis with China. The allegation, brought to public attention by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in parliament, is serious because it raises questions about civilian command responsibility in military engagements, and whether India’s highest political office abdicated its role during a critical national security moment.
Indian Media’s Focus on Epstein’s Sex Crimes Misses the Larger Issue
The Indian media has responded to the Epstein email by focusing on his status as a sex crimes convict, framing the issue largely in moral terms. But this misses the real concern raised by the wealthy American financier’s claim that India’s Prime Minister followed his advice in visiting Israel to strengthen ties with the United States. Suppose, for a moment, Epstein had never been convicted of any crime. Would the assertion still trouble us?
A Political Science View of Assam CM’s Threat Against Activist Harsh Mander
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has threatened to file “at least 100 cases” against activist Harsh Mander after Mander lodged a legal complaint accusing him of hate speech against Bengali Muslims. The threat suggests that Sarma sees legal action as a means to settle political scores rather than address genuine legal concerns.
What the Epstein Files Say About India, and Why the Opposition Wants Answers
The U.S. government recently released files related to Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy American financier who cultivated relationships with heads of government, senior politicians, intelligence linked figures and influential academics across countries. The data includes a 2017 email that claims India’s Prime Minister followed Epstein’s advice in visiting Israel to strengthen ties with the United States.