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Friday, Apr 05, 2024

Journalism of Courage

P Chidambaram

P Chidambaram is former Finance minister of India.

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P Chidambaram writes: The final assault on Constitution

March 31,2024 07:45:56 AM

Next is Operation Lotus, another patented exercise of the BJP: encourage defections and give tickets to the defectors. I am told that the BJP will eventually nominate a little over 400 candidates. Up to 50 candidates will be defectors.

Sun, Mar 31, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: The soup kitchen

March 24,2024 08:30:23 AM

The crisis created by alphabets, numerics and alpha-numerics has assumed proportions that may threaten national interest and, even, national security.

Sun, Mar 24, 2024

The first few election contests in India were lopsided: Congress was the only organized political party, Jawaharlal Nehru was a colossus, and there were only pockets of resistance to the Congress’ juggernaut.

P Chidambaram writes: Can we elect freedom and development?

March 17,2024 07:10:11 AM

The success of the regional parties has worsened the distance between the North and South.

Sun, Mar 17, 2024

There are many shortcomings in the conduct of elections. The first is the number of phases of polling. (PTI Photo)

P Chidambaram writes: Democracy deserves a festival

March 10,2024 08:15:51 AM

There should be no more than three phases of election in the country and polling in a state should be held on one day; in bigger states, it can be on two days.

Sun, Mar 10, 2024

Now, its CEO has announced his discovery that the poor in India are no more than 5 per cent of the population. (Representational Image)

P Chidambaram writes: There are no poor in India

March 03,2024 07:45:43 AM

The CEO made this astonishing claim based on the results of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) published by the National Sample Survey Office

Mon, Mar 04, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: Under 6 per cent is uninspiring

February 25,2024 07:07:29 AM

The record of the BJP/NDA government in the last 10 years has been uninspiring. Against the UPA’s record of 6.7 per cent under the new series (it was 7.5 per cent under the old series), the NDA government has been able to register a growth rate of only 5.9 per cent over ten years

Sun, Feb 25, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: All black or white

February 18,2024 08:00:32 AM

The government’s White paper was too white. It blacked out the many achievements of the UPA government and white-washed the monumental failures of the NDA government (including demonetisation and the destruction of the micro and small sector).

Sun, Feb 18, 2024

Finanace Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (Express File Photo)

Bullhorn Economics

February 11,2024 08:00:01 AM

The NDA government likes to be very loud. This year, while presenting the interim Budget for 2024-25, the Hon’ble Finance Minister (FM) chose to use a bullhorn

Sun, Feb 11, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: Rules of war, love and politics Sign In to read

February 04,2024 08:00:17 AM

My favorite poet-philosopher had a whole Part on love in his immortal work, Tirukkural (c. 500 CE). The Part on love has 25 Chapters and 250 couplets. Here are some that could help discover some rules:

Sun, Feb 04, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: Reducing states to municipalitiesSign In to read

January 28,2024 07:55:44 AM

The states’ share of 41 per cent of net tax revenues has been deviously reduced to approximately 31 per cent.

Sun, Jan 28, 2024

The media is gushing over the claims that AI is growing at a mind-boggling CAGR, AI is driving consumption, and AI will make India a USD 5 trillion economy by the year (Representational Image)

P Chidambaram writes: The dazzle of affluent IndiaSign In to read

January 21,2024 07:15:25 AM

The Opposition parties and the media may not be vigilant but the poor and middle classes — the 93 per cent — are watching and waiting.

Sun, Jan 21, 2024

Public outrage may stir other judges to correct the errors. Daniels will come to judgement. The rule of law prevails over everything. (Express File Photo)

P Chidambaram writes: A Daniel come to judgementSubscriber Only

January 14,2024 07:45:16 AM

The lessons of the Bilkis Bano case are that the dignity, liberty, privacy and human rights of citizens are violated with impunity. But there are intrepid police officers and courageous judges who will punish the guilty.

Tue, Jan 30, 2024

P Chidambaram writes: It’s Happy New Year for someSign In to read

January 07,2024 07:34:39 AM

The modest growth achieved in the Modi years has not been shared by large sections of the people because the policies of the government have failed to deal with inflation and unemployment.

Sun, Jan 07, 2024

In a parliamentary system, the Executive government is presumed to have a majority in the House (Express File Photo)

Shutting out debate in talking shopSign In to read

December 31,2023 07:18:11 AM

Besides, the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Home Minister stayed away from the two Houses for several days even while the Hon’ble Home Minister spoke at length on the subject to a TV channel.

Sun, Dec 31, 2023

casteism, caste system in Indian, castes in India, caste survey, varna system, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudra, caste, opinion on castes, indian express news

P Chidambaram writes: How are the four ‘castes’ doing?Sign In to read

December 24,2023 07:55:44 AM

Every year, farmers produce a record-breaking quantity of wheat and rice evidenced by the burgeoning stocks of wheat and rice in the central pool

Sun, Dec 24, 2023

P Chidambaram writes: Towards a dystopian futureSign In to read

December 17,2023 07:15:11 AM

The Court pointed out that the provisions of the Constitution of India had been, step by step, between 1950 and 2019, extended to J&K and the ‘abrogation’ of Article 370 (a temporary provision) was the culmination of the process.

Sun, Dec 17, 2023

P Chidambaram writes | Caution: Mind the Gap Sign In to read

December 10,2023 07:00:21 AM

Elections are no longer speech vs speech, rally vs rally, policy vs policy or manifesto vs manifesto.

Sun, Dec 10, 2023

Assembly elections in five states, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2023, Telangana Polls 2023, Chattisgarh election results, Madhya Pradesh Election 2023 Result, Mizoram assembly elections updates, Rajasathan assembly polls, Election Commission of India, Assembly Election Result Date, MP Elections Exit Polls, MP Election News, MP Polls, Indian Express

P Chidambaram writes: Pick your horses in five electionsSubscriber Only

December 03,2023 07:00:28 AM

The long shadow of price rise and unemployment has fallen on the elections. Mr Modi avoided both but the Congress hammered away on both subjects.

Sun, Dec 03, 2023

p chidambaram writes on criminal law reform in india

P Chidambaram writes: Copy, Cut and Paste ‘Reform’Subscriber Only

November 26,2023 07:00:03 AM

Reform of laws is a good idea; reform of a law does not mean re-arranging or re-numbering the existing provisions.

Sun, Nov 26, 2023

p chidambaram writes on how narendra modi has changed the rules for bjp and elections

P Chidambaram writes: Different states, Different strokesSubscriber Only

November 19,2023 07:07:49 AM

Narendra Modi has re-written the rules of the BJP and, to some extent, the rules of elections.

Sun, Nov 19, 2023

P Chidambaram writes: Government in denial, economy in distressSubscriber Only

November 12,2023 07:02:21 AM

There are economists and economists. There are also bank economists. If you believe some economists, nothing is wrong with India’s economy or its management and, even better, nothing can go wrong ever.

Sun, Nov 12, 2023

‘I cannot change my caste’Subscriber Only

November 05,2023 07:42:21 AM

P Chidambaram writes: Prima facie, the statement is unexceptionable. On a closer examination, I wondered why the caste of Mr Fadnavis became an issue

Sun, Nov 05, 2023

Battles were fought between soldiers on battlegrounds from sunrise to sunset. The battle resumed the next day at sunrise. (Representational Image)

P Chidambaram writes: Wars that have no rulesSubscriber Only

October 29,2023 07:00:54 AM

The United Nations has spectacularly failed in its goals of saving generations from the scourge of war and of ensuring that armed force is not used.

Sun, Oct 29, 2023

p chidambaram writes on the supreme court verdict on same-sex marriage

P Chidambaram writes: Dark Shadow over LoveSubscriber Only

October 22,2023 07:55:14 AM

Naturally, there is angst, disappointment and sadness among the LGBTQIA+ community. Married couples are devastated; they had hoped that the Court will declare their relationship as a ‘civil union’ (if not a marriage) recognized for all legal purposes.

Sun, Oct 22, 2023

Congress, assembly elections in five states

P Chidambaram writes: A test for Congress and BJPSubscriber Only

October 15,2023 07:21:15 AM

The old NDA no longer exists after the exit of significant political parties such as the JD(U), Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and AIADMK.

Sun, Oct 15, 2023