GoI has proposed raising the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21, the minimum age for men. This supposedly aims to empower women and erode patriarchy, giving girls more time to study and choose their future. Alas, the main motive is a different, misinformed one – to reduce population growth, which […]
There’s no correlation between female empowerment and age of marriage Read More »
Bangladesh was created fifty years ago when Pakistani forces in Dhaka surrendered to Indian troops on December 16. The official Indian version is that the war began when Pakistan bombed India on December 3 and was concluded in a mere 13 days. As somebody covering that war in detail, I can testify that the Indian
Some die for their country, some lie for it Read More »
Stock markets have soared to absurd heights this year, and the current correction is no surprise. Fears remain that the downtrend will gather momentum and become a crash. Which factors will most likely produce a crash? Some point to rising interest rates, since central banks across the world can no longer ignore inflationary trends and
War may not be probable, but geopolitical clouds threaten the world economy Read More »
The World Inequality Report 2022, drafted by French economist Thomas Piketty and his colleague, once again highlights high and growing inequality across countries. It calls for draconian taxes on the super-rich to help the poor and middle class. The authors have long shouted themselves hoarse, warning of apocalypse if inequality keeps rising. But far from
Piketty’s super-rich tax is not going to end inequality Read More »
Always sacrifice economic sense if it wins a few more votes. That logic drives competitive politics in India, spurring myopic measures that inflict long-term damage. Too many elections are dominated by three issues — subsidies, job reservations and communalism. Economists Mundle and Sikdar estimate that merit subsidies (for elementary and secondary education, food distribution, water
Power freebies show pitfalls of electoral politics Read More »
Many countries, especially in Europe, have started locking down their economies again to combat a resurgence of Covid-19. A new Covid strain out of South Africa, Omicron appears to be particularly virulent, and some countries are banning flights from Africa. Many in India will call for stringent lockdowns, including a shutdown of international air traffic,
The biggest mistake India can make in fighting Omicron is imposing another lockdown Read More »
Many critics say the BJP made a tactical blunder by rushing through its farm reforms without enough consultation and debate. They think a more inclusive, persuasive approach could have succeeded. I disagree. Many differences are too deep to be settled by consultation — see the US standoff between Trump and Biden. India’s Supreme Court suspended
No, talking to farmers wouldn\’t have saved farm laws Read More »
Many critics say the BJP made a tactical blunder by rushing through its farm reforms without enough consultation and debate. They think a more inclusive, persuasive approach could have succeeded. I disagree. Many differences are too deep to be settled by consultation — see the US standoff between Trump and Biden. India’s Supreme Court suspended
No, talking to farmers wouldn\’t have saved farm laws Read More »
It is a defeat for economic sense and a victory for undeserving vote banks. Far from acting as the autocrat that critics accuse him of being, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chickened out of his proposed farm reform laws in the face of a farm agitation for over a year around Delhi. He views surrender
Farm retreat casts doubt on other economic reforms Read More »
Need to bust the myth that secularism is anti-Hindu or anti-religion, and it’s certainly not leftist Dear Chetan Bhagat, I usually love your columns, but was disturbed by your recent piece ‘ Hate smug liberals? But don’t hate just because they like it’. The liberals I know are not smug at all but very worried
Dear Chetan, secular isn’t bad, it’s beautiful Read More »
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