Is model nikahnama progressive? The
feminist hype for emancipation and empowerment of
women brought into sharp focus the miserable
plight of the poor and illiterate Muslim
womenfolk, particularly the victims of talaq.
* * *
‘Ban on Defence middlemen is a joke’
The Rajiv Gandhi government banned middlemen and
agents in Defence deals in 1987 but two years
later, the same government diluted the ban so much
so that today agents and middleman are
all-pervasive leading to a ‘‘non-transparent’’
system in Defence purch
* * *
Bardhan’s bluster After his
sharpshooter, Gurudas Dasgupta, took innumerable
potshots at the Union finance minister in his
jaundiced responses to the Union Budget in
Parliament, it is now the turn of comrade general
secretary to man the battle decks. In a display of
spleen
* * *
Enabling enclaves WITH THE CHINA
development experience becoming the benchmark for
a range of public policy initiatives, it is no
surprise that the Centre should come up with a
proposal for setting up special economic zones for
export processing on the lines of the Chinese
* * *
False Figures The World Health
Organization says that leprosy has been eliminated
from 108 countries out of the 122 where leprosy
was considered to be a public health problem in
1985. India happens to be one of the six countries
where intensive efforts are still needed
* * *
India, Japan shaping a new future?
JAPAN'S EFFORTS to fashion a dynamic partnership
with India and New Delhi's positive response can
be traced to some significant perceptions of Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The two countries, in
Mr. Koizumi's view, are now bound by not only
their shar
* * *
Landing the catch Fish production may
have grown at a faster pace than foodgrains, and
therefore become a growth segment within the
broadly defined agriculture sector, but the manner
of its growth leaves something to be desired.
* * *
Lights off The Maharashtra government’s
decision to renege on its electoral promise of
free power confirms the truth of the old saying
that you can fool all people some of the time and
some people all the time, but not all the people
all the time.
* * *
Monetary Policy 2005-06 -- Lending priority to
infrastructure The stance of the central
bank signalling tentativeness in respect of
financing infrastructure is surprising, given the
critical role that the sector plays in the
economy. Banks have to re-learn a few skills to
financing infrastructure in a big way. The s
* * *
Mullah-Military: The unholy alliance
Instead of empowering liberal, democratic voices,
Musharraf regime has co-opted the religious Right
and relies on it to counter civilian opposition.
* * *
Unconvincing charge With Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh issuing a certificate to the
Election Commission (EC) about its “impeccable
track record” in conducting elections and about it
being "widely respected", a clear signal has been
sent to the nation.
* * *
|
