Here is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George
Here is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George
(The Political Line newsletter is Indias political landscape explained every week by Varghese K. George, senior editor at The Hindu. You can subscribehereto get the newsletter in your inbox every Friday.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made disapproving remarks on freebie culture and shortcuts that politicians use to win votes, twice within a week, in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
He himself can be accused of using shortcuts to win votes, but the Prime Minister has raised a valid question. There is a need fordifferentiation between cynical populism and empowering welfarism, and Mr. Modi himself must lead a debate on it, as our editorial points out.
Can we actually make a distinction between good welfare and bad welfare? Two experts discuss the question here, and they agree that it is contextual.
I had argued earlier that politicians have come to a conclusion that providing jobs has become difficult if not impossible due to the rapid changes in our production models. In democracies, they negotiate with the voters on a minimum welfare package in exchange of support.
Rituals of governance
In a bulletin ahead of the monsoon session, the parliament secretariat reminded members that they should not use the premises for demonstration, dharna, strike, fast or for the purpose of performing any religious ceremony.
This was a routine reminder that goes out before every session, but the question of religious ceremony is curious as only a few days earlier, a religious ritual accompanied the unveiling of the national emblem atop the new Parliament building that is under construction.
In December 2020, Mr. Modi had presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new building, complete with Hindu rituals.
Opposition parties questioned the propriety of the event and the PMs role in it, on at least three counts. One, Parliament is the legislature and the Prime Minister is head of the government and part of the executive. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha should have been in the lead roles for the event. Two, all political parties should have been invited. Three, a religious ritual undermined the secular nature of the Indian state.
While the first two points are evident, the secularism point is a bit complicated. In Tamil Nadu, where the storied atheism of Dravidian politics is supposedly a determinant of government action, nearly all ground-breaking ceremonies for construction of new government buildings follow Hindu rituals. Even after the DMK came to power, some Ministers and the Chief Ministers son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, a legislator, have participated in ceremonies conducted by Hindu priests at government functions. This is despite government orders and even a HC directive to the contrary.
An MP of the ruling party stopped Hindu rituals at a government event recently, and the BJP has questioned his conduct.
Kejriwal for federalism!
Thumbs down: L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena (right) has advised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal not to attend the event. file Photo PTI| Photo Credit: -
Arvind Kejriwals emergence as a politician was founded on a campaign for power to the people. Decentralisation in his plans meant that mohalla sabhas, or local councils, would decide everything about governance. That was before he came to power.As Chief Minister of Delhi since 2015, he has been a different person, following the playbook other CMs practise total centralisation of power, brooking no dissent, never taking questions from anyone and certainly not from journalists. He supported the disbanding of the State of Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre in 2019. But whenever it is convenient for him, Mr. Kejriwal reminds the Centre of federalism.
The Centres refusal of permission for him to travel to Singapore, for example, turned out to be an occasion for Mr. Kejriwal and his party to remember the norms of federalism.
The Delhi LG thinks that the conference that Mr. Kejriwal was planning to attend in Singapore was for mayors, and the themes of the conference were not for chief ministers. It is clear that the BJP wanted to deny Mr. Kejriwal an opportunity to grandstand abroad. Bad faith all the way.
Hindi in the south, English in the north
P.T. Usha.
The nomination of athlete P.T. Usha to the Rajya Sabha is part of the BJPs continuing efforts to expand its foothold in Kerala. Mr. Modi has in the past inducted Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi into the Upper House. Though the BJP has not made any immediate electoral gains in Kerala, its approval rating among the Malayalis is certainly on the rise. Ms. Usha took the oath in Hindi, and this must have warmed the cockles of many Hindutva hearts.
Two sisters from Arunachal Pradesh singing a Tamil patriotic song written by the great Tamil poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharati, which was retweeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has caused some social media excitement. I am delighted and proud to see this. Kudos to these shining stars of our Yuva Shakti from Arunachal Pradesh for furthering the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat by singing in Tamil, the PM posted in English and Tamil. You can watch the outstanding singing also here:
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tries to blend his regional identity politics with English aspiration. At his Bhent Mulaqat (Meet or Greet) programme, he asks school students a few questions in Chhattisgarhi language and the latter reply in English. The children who feature in these interactions are the students of Swami Atmanand Government English Medium Schools (SAGES) that the government pitches as a major highlight of a pro-people image it is attempting to build.
Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, the gradual conversion of the existing Hindi medium government schools into English medium has spelt trouble for students. Protests have erupted across the State over the admission process which involves forcible shifting of students.
I just finished Violent Fraternity: Indian Political Thought in the Global Age by Shruti Kapila. If you are interested in history or political philosophy, you will find this book outstandingly original. This book resets the historiography of the Indian national movement. For one, it questions the notion that the principle of non-violence guided and shaped Indias national movement. You may read the review here, and listen to an interview with the author. An abridged version of the interview may be read here.
Read this article:
- Scholz warns of the rise of right-wing populists ahead of EU elections - Euronews - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- An ex-GOP congressman blasts the 'populist wave' that he says has corroded conservatism: 'Now we're impeaching ... - Yahoo Canada - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Thinking About A Truly Populist Party - Above the Law - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- The Polish response to the WCK incident exposes the dangers of populism - Ynetnews - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Greatest threat facing EU is populism, Mitsotakis tells ND faithful - Kathimerini English Edition - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- Polish pro-EU wing wants local vote to end 'age of populism' - EURACTIV - April 8th, 2024 [April 8th, 2024]
- US election: how populists encourage blind mistrust and how to push back - The Conversation - December 19th, 2023 [December 19th, 2023]
- Lessons from the Netherlands on the rise of the populist radical right - UK in a Changing Europe - December 19th, 2023 [December 19th, 2023]
- Opinion | From Jacobites to Populists - The New York Times - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Why Right Wing Populism Is Unable To Address the Climate Crisis - Impakter - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- In our debased world, a new, benign Manhattan Project is ... - The New European - August 2nd, 2023 [August 2nd, 2023]
- Populism has given the elites more power than ever - Financial Times - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Starmer should beware a Left-wing insurgency - UnHerd - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- The French Far-Right Tsunami Is Coming - The Media Line - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Can Spain hold back the right? - The New European - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Populism, authoritarianism and agrarian struggles - Transnational Institute - July 19th, 2023 [July 19th, 2023]
- Mainstream Conservatives Are On The Run in Europe, Too - POLITICO - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Opinion: The Perils Of Populism - Hingham Anchor - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- In the global struggle with populism, elections are a salve - Frederick News Post - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Column: The push me-pull you of political populism - Omaha World-Herald - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Why the World Is on the Brink of Great Disorder - TIME - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Europe's liberals should take a page or two out of the populist movement's book - Euronews - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Smith, Trump and the Paranoid Populist Assault on Democracy - TheTyee.ca - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Other GOP candidates still pave the way for Trump's vile populism - National Catholic Reporter - June 2nd, 2023 [June 2nd, 2023]
- Terrorism and voting: The rise of right-wing populism in Germany - CEPR - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- From Donald Trump to Danielle Smith: 4 ways populists are ... - The Conversation - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Pluralism vs. Ultra-Nationalism: The Real Cleavage Behind Turkey's ... - E-International Relations - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- The Erdogan era lives on, as does the power of populism - asianews.network - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Democratic backsliding in Mexico: Lessons for opponents of ... - Wilson Center - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Can Ron DeSantis Out-Populist Donald Trump to Win the GOP ... - Boston University - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Danger of populism - Daily Pioneer - May 31st, 2023 [May 31st, 2023]
- Algeria: A populist leader challenging our notions of what is possible in the Middle East - Middle East Monitor - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- How Imran Khan's populism has divided Pakistan and put it on a knife's edge - The Conversation - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Slovakia to Get 'Expert' Government But Return to Populism Looms - Balkan Insight - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Portuguese president: empowering youth will be the death of populism - EURACTIV - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The anti-intellectualism of conservative ... - Winnipeg Free Press - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The populism of Matthew Goodwinand its many problems - Prospect Magazine - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- The Business Nightmare of Dealing with Government - The New York Times - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Ciarn Fitzgerald: Focus on food prices is mere populism - Agriland - May 14th, 2023 [May 14th, 2023]
- Populism in the United States - Wikipedia - February 26th, 2023 [February 26th, 2023]
- What is Populism? | Political Science - Stanford University - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Why Populism Is Rising And How To Combat It - Forbes - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Mexicos Dying Democracy: AMLO and the Toll of Authoritarian Populism - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Trump, Brexit, and the Rise of Populism: Economic Have-Nots and ... - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Pope lunches with poor, denounces sirens of populism - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- 3 steps forward, but 2.5 back for populism - bangkokpost.com - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Pence warns of 'unprincipled populism,' 'Putin apologists' - Fox 34 - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- London lesson: The 44-day govt in Britain is a reminder to our politicians to give up fiscal populism - Times of India - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Left-wing populism - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Populism on the rise in Canada as unelectable Pierre Poilievre sweeps ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- The Left Is Demonizing PopulistsFor Pushing What the Left Once ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- DAILY | Poilievre vs. Media Party; Trudeau on populism, disinfo; Mayor ... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Globalization is fueling the populism surging across the Western world - The Hill - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Smith rides high on populist wave Winnipeg Free Press - Winnipeg Free Press - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- J. D. Vance and the Collapse of Dignity - The Atlantic - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- 7 non-fiction book releases to add to your TBR - The Daily Vox - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Ian Bremmer: How crises opened the way for some positive change in Europe - New Zealand Herald - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- From OPRF to Poland with a focus on Ukraine - Wednesday Journal - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Florida's DeSantis takes conservative populism to the Rust Belt - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Journalism and the Threat of Neo-Populism - Geopoliticalmonitor.com - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- History As It Happens: The 'fake' populists - Washington Times - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- European populist parties vote share on the rise, especially on right - Pew Research Center - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- DYER: Progress and decline of populism Red Deer Advocate - Red Deer Advocate - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The Populist Pugilist Vying to Replace Conor Lamb - The American Prospect - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Understanding Europes shift to the right - POLITICO Europe - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Trump still "king" and "kingmaker" to some in Pennsylvania - CBS News - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Investigation reveals Poilievre, populist and pro-natural gas groups spread fertilizer disinformation to whip up outrage against Trudeau - Canada's... - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Citizens or consumers | The Times - The Wellington Times - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The Challenges of Epistemic Communities in Shaping Policy in the Age of Post-Truth - E-International Relations - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- The EU, not Meloni, is the threat to democracy - Arab News - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Bulgaria's elections could threaten NATO and EU unity on Ukraine - Washington Examiner - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- I'm not optimistic about the future of the global economy and I don't expect the next 10 years to be particularly good - CTech - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Brazil's election: The rise and impact of populism - University of Michigan News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Opinion | Right-Wing Populism May Rise in the U.S. - The Wall Street Journal - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Survey: Right-wing populism ex pat Estonians' main negative image of home - ERR News - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Jair Bolsonaro's Hard-Right Populism Is Horrifying. But He Didn't Come From Nowhere. - Jacobin magazine - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- The Wild Ones - by Nick Catoggio - The Dispatch - September 29th, 2022 [September 29th, 2022]
- Political scientists to study populist rhetoric as a threat to democracy - The Source - Washington University in St. Louis - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Italy's opposition blame disunity and populism for defeat - Reuters - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Utopian Nostalgia and the Radical Right - The Dispatch - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]