By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* This happened about two months back. Though IIT Kharagpur teacher Seema Singh apologised for her abusive remarks against the students of SC-ST-OBCs in an online class, the matter should not have ended there. When the video of her abusive class went viral, I thought whether she was a teacher at the prestigious institution or an old caste prejudiced head master in some nondescript part of the cow-belt where he would beat up the students and use filthy language. Moreover, what is this Vande Mataram, Bharat mata kee jai, business in your classroom? It looked as if some Bajrang Dal members were threatening students over not uttering the same. The behaviour of the teacher was most disgraceful. After much pressure on social media, the teacher apologised but should that be accepted? I have written many times in the past that India’s institutions of higher learning have become killing fields for the SC-ST-OBC students. Rohith Vemula was institutionally murdered yet despi

Mohan Guruswamy* calls All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)as the Muslim equivalent of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad: *** The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the Muslim equivalent of the VHP, has opposed the celebration of the International Yoga day on June 21. It has been so for a few years now. It is utterly misguided, unfortunate and silly. The Board describes Yoga as a religious symbol. It is not. It is just a school of balance focused exercises - pure and simple. Like Tai Chi. They specifically cite the Surya Namaskar as offensive when it is nothing but a common sequence of asanas. Most Hindus revere the Sun as it is the giver of life and sustenance. Because of this some of Hindus set aside a portion of their daily worship for making salutations to the Sun by prostrations. This method of adoration affords them so much muscular activity that it takes to some extent the place of physical exercise. Muslims can practice these very same asanas without worshipping the

By Arup Mitra*, Aya Okada** After the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lock-down hit the economic activities drastically the concern for job creation gets even bigger as the phenomenon of sluggish employment growth was already at the centre-stage even during the pre-COVID times. The long run employment elasticity has been low: mechanisation and the poor human capital are some of the reasons. Technological advancement which contributes to total factor productivity growth is definitely welcome. However, a mere increase in labour productivity prompted by capital accumulation is not the right indicator of progress because it does not ensure rise in the total factor productivity growth. Improvements in total factor productivity growth can lead to enhanced investments which may contribute to employment creation. Even if the application of advanced technology is expected to reduce labour required per unit of output, the expansion in economic activities from the rise in total factor produc

Vijay Prashad an Indian historian and journalist, an author of 30 books, Chief Correspondent for Globetrotter , a Columnist for Frontline , and Chief Editor of LeftWord Books , has said, “Our ecological footprint suggests that we do not live on one Earth, but on 1. 6 Earths. By our encroachment and destruction of biodiversity, our degradation of land, and our air and water pollution, we are cannibalising the planet.” His detailed message “ We Hug the Trees Because the Trees Have No Voice ”, which appeared in Tricontinental : *** Dear friends, Greetings from the desk of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research , At the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the delegates decided to hold an annual World Environment Day. In 1974, the UN urged the world to celebrate that day on 5 June with the slogan ‘Only One Earth’; this year, the theme is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’, emphasising how the capitalist system has eroded the earth’s capacity to sustain life. The Global Foo

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Two historical things have happened recently which have been passed off as non entity because it hurt the business interest of the powerful nations. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution to form an International inquiry commission to investigate, ‘ “grave human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” including violation of International laws and treaties, and all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict, including systematic discrimination and repression based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity on or before April 13th, 2021. The Commission shall be appointed by the President of the UN Human Rights Council and it seeks cooperation from all the parties. The adoption of a resolution also explained and exposed the western hypocrisy on the issue. UK, Germany and Austria and six other countries, were the main proponents of opposing the resolution. Sadly, i

By Moin Qazi* “The poetry of earth is never dead” – John Keats “Looking Back” is Sanjiv Bhatla’s maiden collection of poems. He has several authoritative and scholarly works on religious and spiritual subjects also to his credit. His poems are equally brilliant and bear out the finer sensibilities in him. His anthology was originally published by Orient Longman (now Orient Black Swan).It has now been brought in its new avatar by Crabwise Press. There are minor changes in the edition but the original flavor remains the same. In his brief but pithy introduction, Nissim Ezekiel describes Bhatla as a poet of “great promise ‘and is able to spot the subtle flashes of brilliance that only a great poet like him can decipher in the work of an emerging poet. He writes “…Lovers of serious and difficult poetry have much to brood over when they confront the subtle characters who appear in this book…they remain convincingly human in Sanjiv’s perception of them. He is not their Creator but their Comp

Some time back, a human rights defender, Vidya Bhushan Rawat, who frequently writes for Counterview, forwarded to me a video interview with Guru Prabhakar Dhakade, calling him one of India's well known violinists.  Dhakade is based in Nagpur and has devoted his life for the Hindustani classical music. A number of his disciples have now been part of Hindi cinema world in Mumbai, says Rawat. He has performed live in various parts of the country as well as abroad. What however attracted me was Dhakade's assertions in video about Dr BR Ambedkar, India's undisputed Dalit icon. Recorded several years back at his residence and music school in Nagpur, Dhakade not only speaks candidly about issues he faced, but that he is a believer in Dr Ambedkar's philosophy. It is in this context that Dhakade narrates his problems, even as stating that he is determined to achieve his goal. A violinist and a follower of Ambedkar? This was new to me. Rarely do musicians are found to take a