Aakar Patel
 "Aakar Patel")
Aakar Patel
Aakar Patel is a columnist who has edited English and Gujarati newspapers. He has worked with several Indian media organisations.
Aakar Patel is a columnist who has edited English and Gujarati newspapers. He has worked with several Indian media organisations.
Page 2 - Aakar Patel
BJP's return to its roots
After a long hiatus, the party has come full circle in West Bengal - the state it began its ascent to power with
 "BJP's return to its roots")
An irrational fear of civil society
Through a series of innovative measures, the government has succeeded in kneecapping NGOs, if not finishing them off entirely
 "An irrational fear of civil society")
Union Budget 2021: Need to move beyond the chant for real effect
What sort of grand policy produces the opposite result of the one that it sought to achieve? What failed and how would this be corrected?
Why it's time to rethink protests
Far from being an annoyance, mass movements are the only legitimate way of engaging the government today
 "Why it's time to rethink protests")
New laws mark the end of innocence
The reversal of burden of proof on cow, love Jihad, dissent and citizenship turns the tenets of judicial system on its head
 "New laws mark the end of innocence")
Beyond a seat at the UN high table
India wants to be on the Security Council, but it is not clear why
 "Beyond a seat at the UN high table")
What explains the unabated upward trend of India's Covid-19 curve?
The interesting thing about this virus is that its damage to society, public health and the economy will be recorded not by historians but by journalists and in real time
 "What explains the unabated upward trend of India's Covid-19 curve?")
India in the age of contempt
Are contempt proceedings the best way of protecting the dignity of the court?
 "India in the age of contempt")
Feeding into the feedback
The democratisation of social media carries with it the understanding that its users will be responsible. For this reason it is less regulated than print or television media
 "Feeding into the feedback")
The myth of the rational voter
Conditions exist in India today to test the theory that voters reward performance and punish failure
 "The myth of the rational voter")
Twists and turns
Mr Rybczynski explores the history of the screw and its evolution. Much of this is modern (18th and 19th century) and, therefore, is well documented, including the story of the first company
And when the lockdown lifts?
The assumption from the state is that the citizen will 'misuse' individual liberty and get up to mischief if not threatened or coerced
 "And when the lockdown lifts?")
Faith and freedom
US report on religious rights is a moment of truth for India
 "Faith and freedom")
Away from office, on the job
While there is a reason the siesta happens in the middle of the day but its benefits are not equal for all and some of us cannot sleep in the daylight
 "Away from office, on the job")
Disjointed affairs of India
Whether on the issue of Kashmir, COVID or CAA, the government's strategy lacks clarity
 "Disjointed affairs of India")
Virus in the works
For some reason China seems to be the point of origin of a lot of diseases that affect us globally
 "Virus in the works")
Defending the indefensible?
It is becoming increasingly hard for India to ignore the global antipathy to its majoritarian politics
 "Defending the indefensible?")
The trio who came together to chronicle a little-covered Mughal era
If you are looking for whether venality is baked into our politics, you would do well to go through the pages of this work
 "The trio who came together to chronicle a little-covered Mughal era")
Cutting close to the bone
The Oscars are often like Nobel Peace prizes
 "Cutting close to the bone")
Neighbouring visit
Bangladesh is not unlike India and it would not be easy for most people to be able to tell Bangladesh apart from West Bengal
 "Neighbouring visit")
