Policy

Sub-categorisation of SCs and STs: Key Issues

Jatin Mathur In a 6:1 landmark verdict, the Supreme Court yesterday allowed the sub-categorisation of scheduled castes in reservations, allowing wider protection for underrepresented groups. A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has thus ruled on whether sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is permissible for the purpose of …

Features

Chai, Cups, and Caste: Everyday Observations of Inequality

Ritika Srivastava This article is based on my everyday observations and interactions in various social spaces. It focuses on three specific contexts that show how caste-based practices remain prevalent in society. This write-up does not claim any generalisations. Instead, the episodes highlight how caste discrimination and segregation are perpetuated through the use of utensils, food, …

Policy

Union Budget 2024: A Practical Analysis of Promises and Ground Realities

Shubham S. Kamble The Union Budget 2024, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is an ambitious blueprint for India’s economic future. As the third NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces domestic and global challenges, the budget attempts to balance growth with social welfare. While the allocations across various sectors indicate a commitment to …

Assertion

“I Wish I Wasn’t Born a Hindu”: A Tale of Discrimination and Disillusionment

Leichan Ayekpam Growing up in Manipur, my childhood was steeped in the rich traditions and vibrant rituals of Manipuri Hinduism. Our festivals were a blend of joy, spirituality, and community, with each celebration deeply rooted in our unique cultural heritage. The serene temples, the rhythmic chants (Sankirtana), and the age-old customs made me proud of …

Dr. Ambedkar

Expanding Dewey’s Part of the Dewey-Ambedkar Story

Scott R. Stroud The relationship between Bhimrao Ambedkar, anti-caste thinker and activist, and John Dewey, his teacher at Columbia University, is significant and unique. Ambedkar sat in three of Dewey’s courses while he was studying at Columbia University and kept up with the American thinker’s philosophical evolution over the following four decades largely through collecting …

Assertion

From Non-Brahmin Politics to Ambedkarite Buddhism: Reading the Blue Star film

Sree Govind Bharatvaraj From Non-Brahmin Politics to Ambedkarite Buddhism: Reading Blue Star Jayakumar’s Blue Star makes a critique of the non-Brahmin politics and insists Ambedkarite Buddhism as a notion to unite Dalits and intermediate castes in the Tamil state. Neelam Production (film Company of Pa. Ranjith) has released its recent film, Blue Star (2024), directed …

Assertion

Academic Dishonesty of Shashi Tharoor Towards Dr BR Ambedkar’s Scholarship  

Jyoti Bania & Ashok Danavath Shashi Tharoor is the fox that Malcolm X warned of Shashi Tharoor, a Nair liberal, member of the Indian Parliament (MP) and author of many books made many inaccurate, controversial and contradictory comments in a recent talk on Ambedkar: The Quest for Equality held on June 13, 2023, at Selwyn …

Assertion

The Tale of Arunachal: Cultural Distortion and Appropriation

Nyima Tarung Tana Ah, Arunachal Pradesh, the land where the sun kisses the mountains first, where the rivers sing ancient songs, and where every stone has a story. As an Apatani-Monpa Buddhist, let me share with you a tale, poetic yet piercing, of how our vibrant culture is being slowly smothered by the silken shroud …