Praful Bidwai - Tag - PoliticsThis is the official home page of Praful Bidwai.2019-07-16T21:40:53+02:00urn:md5:ca99418856c258681c60a148f375f6dfDotclearCan the Indian Left seize its Phoenix Moment? - A book review by G. Sampathurn:md5:040f39ad3ebb0bbf3b2bd86e678ca2e52016-04-03T10:23:00+02:00adminLeftPolitics<p>Divided into eight chapters and spanning 500-odd pages buttressed by voluminous endnotes The Phoenix Moment begins with the founding of the Communist Party of India in 1925 . . . Now, after almost a century of training itself not to think, and not to venture beyond narrow Parliamentary politics, can the Left undertake a bold and honest introspection with a potential for radical course correction?</p> <p>The Hindu / Literary Review, April 2, 2016
Can the Indian Left seize its Phoenix Moment?
G. Sampath
The Phoenix Moment: Challenges Confronting the Indian Left; Praful Bidwai, HarperCollins, Rs. 599.
According to Bidwai, whether or not the Left manages to arrest its descent into political oblivion would depend on its ability to honestly... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2016/04/03/Can-the-Indian-Left-seize-its-Phoenix-Moment-A-book-review-by-G.-Sampath">Read</em> Can the Indian Left seize its Phoenix Moment? - A book review by G. Sampath</a></p>Book Review: Behind the Left’s decline (Roshan Kishore)urn:md5:863b1fdc429806b961a1cdcb725bf9922015-12-30T21:40:00+01:00adminIndiaLeftPolitics<p>Praful Bidwai’s book, The Phoenix Moment: Challenges Confronting the Indian Left provides a comprehensive political history of the Indian Left</p> <p>livemint.com, December 30 2015
Book review: Behind the Left’s decline
Praful Bidwai’s book, The Phoenix Moment: Challenges Confronting the Indian Left provides a comprehensive political history of the Indian Left
Roshan Kishore
A file photo of writer Praful Bidwai. Photo: Mint
In less than six months from now, the assemblies of West... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/12/30/Book-Review%3A-Behind-the-Left%E2%80%99s-decline-%28Roshan-Kishore%29">Read</em> Book Review: Behind the Left’s decline (Roshan Kishore)</a></p>Book Review: Saving What’s Left (Ajith Pillai)urn:md5:9aa6d5ecd5a727cf39796f8601cdc1ed2015-12-30T21:31:00+01:00adminIndiaLeftPolitics<p>While Praful Bidwai’s critique of the Left is sympathetic at one level, it doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to addressing flaws that have dogged the communist movement in India</p> <p>IndiaLegal, December 20, 2015
Book Review
By Ajith Pillai
Those who have followed Praful Bidwai’s writings would be well aware of the fact that he was not only sympathetic towards Left ideology but also reposed immense faith in its ability to bring about social transformation and equitable and inclusive growth. Yet, despite his own... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/12/30/Book-Review%3A-Saving-What%E2%80%99s-Left-%28Ajith-Pillai%29">Read</em> Book Review: Saving What’s Left (Ajith Pillai)</a></p>Book Review: How the Left was lost (Archis Mohan)urn:md5:c8370788916a866e7a9676c675b21dd12015-12-29T22:16:00+01:00adminIndiaLeftPolitics<p>In this book, published posthumously, author pulls no punches in detailing the reasons for the "terminal decline" of the Left movement in India</p> <p>Business Standard, December 15, 2015
How the Left was lost
In this book, published posthumously, author pulls no punches in detailing the reasons for the "terminal decline" of the Left movement in India
Archis Mohan
THE PHOENIX MOMENT
Challenges Confronting the Indian Left
Praful Bidwai
HarperCollins
586 pages; Rs 599
Praful Bidwai, who... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/12/29/Book-Review%3A-How-the-Left-was-lost-%28Archis-Mohan%29">Read</em> Book Review: How the Left was lost (Archis Mohan)</a></p>Kejriwal’s winner-takes-all intolerance bodes ill for AAPurn:md5:ced9f3bb6b14f0cd223ccbdfac2fb1bf2015-04-02T11:23:00+02:00adminDemocratisationPolitics<p>. . . there’s no long-term future for AAP unless it democratises itself and broadens its horizons beyond winning elections.</p> <p>(Published earlier in Daily News and Analysis, 2 April 2015)
by Praful Bidwai
Arvind Kejriwal conducted a vengeful, bouncer-supervised, purge expelling the duo (and associates Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha) in an “either-me-or-them” vote. He also sacked party Lokpal L Ramdas — a move that sits ill with AAP’s demand for an impartial Lokpal for... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/04/02/Kejriwal%E2%80%99s-winner-takes-all-intolerance-bodes-ill-for-AAP">Read</em> Kejriwal’s winner-takes-all intolerance bodes ill for AAP</a></p>Aam Aadmi’s Self-Inflicted Wounds: Kejriwal must show visionurn:md5:7f19d4d4c82fa82bb107ce886dc646802015-03-10T21:07:00+01:00adminPolitics<p><em>It may appear to be an unfortunate coincidence to many that serious dissension should break out in India’s political wunderkind, the Aam Aadmi Party, within a few weeks of its spectacular victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, which stopped the Narendra Modi juggernaut.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
It may appear to be an unfortunate coincidence to many that serious dissension should break out in India’s political wunderkind, the Aam Aadmi Party, within a few weeks of its spectacular victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, which stopped the Narendra Modi juggernaut.
Unfortunate it certainly is—especially for those who... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/03/10/Aam-Aadmi%E2%80%99s-Self-Inflicted-Wounds%3A-Kejriwal-must-show-vision">Read</em> Aam Aadmi’s Self-Inflicted Wounds: Kejriwal must show vision</a></p>'आप' की जीत से मजबूत होंगे वामदल?urn:md5:67e10a52d996d565e6ca5ad9ddcac81c2015-03-01T02:01:00+01:00adminBJPElectionsLeftPolitics<p>ऐसा 25 साल में दूसरी बार हुआ जब एक उभरती हुई राजनीतिक शक्ति ने भारतीय जनता पार्टी का बढ़ता रथ रोका है.</p> <p>(Published on BBC Hindi, 14 फरवरी 2015)
प्रफुल्ल बिदवई
ऐसा 25 साल में दूसरी बार हुआ जब एक उभरती हुई राजनीतिक शक्ति ने भारतीय जनता पार्टी का बढ़ता रथ रोका है.
साल 1990 में बिहार के तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री लालू प्रसाद यादव ने लालकृष्ण आडवाणी की सोमनाथ से अयोध्या तक की रथ यात्रा को समस्तीपुर में रोक दिया था क्योंकि इससे बहुत खूनखराबा हुआ था.
अब... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/03/01/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA-%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%87-%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%B2">Read</em> 'आप' की जीत से मजबूत होंगे वामदल?</a></p>Beyond Congress’s Leadership Failure: An existential crisisurn:md5:a65cd833eb7230cd10e385b9705a788c2015-03-01T01:56:00+01:00adminCongress PartyIndiaPolitics<p><em>It’s a telling comment on the state of the Indian National Congress that a four-member committee it appointed four months ago to devise a strategy to rejuvenate the party and fight the Modi government has turned out a non-starter.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
It’s a telling comment on the state of the Indian National Congress that a four-member committee it appointed four months ago to devise a strategy to rejuvenate the party and fight the Modi government has turned out a non-starter.
The failure is particularly grave coming as it does immediately after the Congress’s rout in... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/03/01/Beyond-Congress%E2%80%99s-Leadership-Failure%3A-An-existential-crisis">Read</em> Beyond Congress’s Leadership Failure: An existential crisis</a></p>Indian politics has a new moral forceurn:md5:07fd198747d3361028759a1f9d0feeb62015-02-11T12:39:00+01:00adminCorruptionDemocratisationElectionsPolitics<p>''A stunning victory in Delhi’s state assembly for the anti-establishment Aam Aadmi party has brought Narendra Modi down to earth
Aam Aadmi Party win election in Delhi''</p> <p>(Published in The Guardian, 11 February 2015)
by Praful Bidwai
In a massive blow to India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, a radical anti-corruption, anti-establishment party has swept to power in the country’s capital.
The Aam Aadmi party (AAP) has accomplished an amazing political feat. Not only has it won more than half the total vote and... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/02/11/Indian-politics-has-a-new-moral-force">Read</em> Indian politics has a new moral force</a></p>Mufti seriously risks loosing the plot in Kashmirurn:md5:f4f240c391a67e5b0a75717ebf9037842015-01-08T19:35:00+01:00adminBJPElectionsKashmirPolitics<p><em>The Bharatiya Janata Party’s national leadership has officially confirmed that it’s in talks with the People’s Democratic Party to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir. This proposal is endorsed by a surprisingly large number of self-avowed well-wishers of the Kashmiri people, as well as cynical “realists” who believe that such a coalition of extremes, between India’s unitarian-nationalists and the Kashmir Valley’s “soft-separatists”, is J&K’s best chance of having a stable government which paves the way for its greater integration into India. The parties’ respective core-bases, Jammu and the Valley, they argue, “complement” each other. Arithmetically too, the two — with respectively 25 and 28 seats — would command a solid majority in the 87-seat Assembly.</em></p> <p>(Published earlier in Daily News and Analysis, 8 January 2014)
by Praful Bidwai
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s national leadership has officially confirmed that it’s in talks with the People’s Democratic Party to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir. This proposal is endorsed by a surprisingly large number of self-avowed well-wishers... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2015/01/08/Mufti-seriously-risks-loosing-the-plot-in-Kashmir">Read</em> Mufti seriously risks loosing the plot in Kashmir</a></p>The Janata Parivar 2.0 Initiative: Real hope or illusion?urn:md5:b5eefd25506ba48b41c6d61be3c521332014-12-20T00:03:00+01:00adminIndiaPolitics<p><em>Among the more interesting recent developments in Indian politics is the attempt to regroup fragments of the old Janata Parivar and launch a new, reunified party which recreates the once-powerful Socialist current in politics. Long a part of the Left, this current was second in importance only to the Communists until the 1970s.</em></p> <p>Published on 5 December 2014
by Praful Bidwai
Among the more interesting recent developments in Indian politics is the attempt to regroup fragments of the old Janata Parivar and launch a new, reunified party which recreates the once-powerful Socialist current in politics. Long a part of the Left, this current was second in importance only to... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/12/20/The-Janata-Parivar-2.0-Initiative%3A-Real-hope-or-illusion">Read</em> The Janata Parivar 2.0 Initiative: Real hope or illusion?</a></p>Hindutva: Back to the Savarkar-Hedgewar ideal?urn:md5:ad75e606ab0f8b9d6a184b5b15fbeda02014-11-27T01:59:00+01:00adminBJPCommunalismHindutvaPolitics<p><em>Nothing in Indian politics has dismayed me recently as much as a report (The Hindu, November 22) on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s success in attracting 600 middle-class professional families in Noida to a late-night education-cum-entertainment event featuring preacher Satyanarayan Mourya. Each family paid Rs300 to attend it. Mourya is a crasser version of Ritambhara. He speaks (http://communalism.blogspot.in/2014/11/india-rss-outreach-show-with-baba.html) execrable language while attacking Muslims, and invokes Hindutva pride by claiming that ancient India gave the world geometry and airplanes, besides mastering space and nuclear technologies, achievements that today’s youth have all but forgotten under the evil influence of modern Western culture.</em></p> <p>(Published in Daily News and Analysis, 27 November 2014)
by Praful Bidwai
Nothing in Indian politics has dismayed me recently as much as a report (The Hindu, November 22) on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s success in attracting 600 middle-class professional families in Noida to a late-night education-cum-entertainment event featuring preacher... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/11/27/Hindutva%3A-Back-to-the-Savarkar-Hedgewar-ideal">Read</em> Hindutva: Back to the Savarkar-Hedgewar ideal?</a></p>Modi’s Reshuffle & Maharashtra Mess: Politics gets more cynicalurn:md5:3699e08735617ab58345c305b562f2c12014-11-18T13:04:00+01:00adminBJPElectionsPolitics<p><em>All those who expected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deliver on his election-campaign promise of cleaning up Indian politics of money power and crime, making a break with short-term caste-and-community calculations, and placing merit above personal loyalty, would be sorely disappointed at his cabinet reshuffle, including the induction of 21 new ministers.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
All those who expected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deliver on his election-campaign promise of cleaning up Indian politics of money power and crime, making a break with short-term caste-and-community calculations, and placing merit above personal loyalty, would be sorely disappointed at his cabinet reshuffle, including the... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/11/18/Modi%E2%80%99s-Reshuffle-Maharashtra-Mess%3A-Politics-gets-more-cynical">Read</em> Modi’s Reshuffle & Maharashtra Mess: Politics gets more cynical</a></p>An Emerging New Social Coalition?: The BJP’s latest victoriesurn:md5:736105de1e22ab309ddd0a6a9f2800822014-10-26T23:30:00+01:00adminBJPElectionsPolitics<p><em>With its impressive performance in the Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has clearly reconfirmed its status, established by the Lok Sabha elections, as the principal pole or central point of reference in Indian politics. Behind its latest success, and not least its marginalisation of established regional parties in the two states, lie medium- and long-term factors which are likely to influence Indian politics for some time to come.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
With its impressive performance in the Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has clearly reconfirmed its status, established by the Lok Sabha elections, as the principal pole or central point of reference in Indian politics. Behind its latest success, and not least its marginalisation of... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/10/26/An-Emerging-New-Social-Coalition%3A-The-BJP%E2%80%99s-latest-victories">Read</em> An Emerging New Social Coalition?: The BJP’s latest victories</a></p>Natwar Singh’s Hollow ‘Disclosures’: But Congress’s crisis is grimurn:md5:e0c48e16a4c9a20224dcb417543a85ff2014-08-11T12:37:00+02:00adminCongress PartyHistoryIndiaPolitics<p><em>Mr Singh sheds very little light on a tumultuous period in history which saw the end of the Cold War and the emergence of a newly aggressive United States, and a drastic re-alignment of India’s foreign policy towards it, in which he himself played a part. He presents himself as a staunch defender of India’s independent foreign policy and Non-Alignment, when the recent record shows the opposite.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
Former foreign minister Natwar Singh is no ordinary diplomat-turned-politician. A part of the Indian Establishment for half-a-century, he is well educated, widely travelled, a witness to or participant in major events, and capable of serious reflection. So when he published his memoir One Life is Not Enough, readers had reasons... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/08/11/Natwar-Singh%E2%80%99s-Hollow-%E2%80%98Disclosures%E2%80%99%3A-But-Congress%E2%80%99s-crisis-is-grim">Read</em> Natwar Singh’s Hollow ‘Disclosures’: But Congress’s crisis is grim</a></p>Natwar’s disclosures and Congress’ crisisurn:md5:ebd689d84faf3a1c29a1b6f2ac6814ee2014-08-10T14:21:00+02:00adminIndiaPolitics<p><em>India’s former foreign minister Natwar Singh is no ordinary diplomat-turned-politician. A part of the Establishment for half-a-century, he is well educated, widely travelled, a close witness to major events, and capable of reflection. So when he published his memoirs One Life is Not Enough, readers expected more from him than from the recent book on Manmohan Singh by his former media adviser, Sanjaya Baru.</em></p> <p>(Published in The News International), August 09, 2014
by Praful Bidwai
India’s former foreign minister Natwar Singh is no ordinary diplomat-turned-politician. A part of the Establishment for half-a-century, he is well educated, widely travelled, a close witness to major events, and capable of reflection. So when he published his memoirs One... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/08/10/Natwar%E2%80%99s-disclosures-and-Congress%E2%80%99-crisis">Read</em> Natwar’s disclosures and Congress’ crisis</a></p>Polls Driven By Bigotry & Big Money: Is the EC failing the public?urn:md5:df5cad2e52b2c7a1ac8eefb9ae8d7f4e2014-04-29T11:35:00+02:00adminBJPCommunalismElectionsPolitics<p><em>Two weeks ago, many public-spirited Indians complimented the Election Commission for banning public speeches and rallies by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Uttar Pradesh chief campaign manager Amit Shah, and the Samajwadi Party’s fiery Azam Khan, both of whom had made provocative speeches for or against religious groups. This action was seen as in keeping with the Commission’s mandate, legally well-founded, even-handed, exemplary in punishing/deterring the use of communal means during canvassing, and encouraging the conduct of elections in a free and fair manner, as befits a democracy.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
Two weeks ago, many public-spirited Indians complimented the Election Commission for banning public speeches and rallies by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Uttar Pradesh chief campaign manager Amit Shah, and the Samajwadi Party’s fiery Azam Khan, both of whom had made provocative speeches for or against religious groups.
This... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/04/29/Polls-Driven-By-Bigotry-Big-Money%3A-Is-the-EC-failing-the-public">Read</em> Polls Driven By Bigotry & Big Money: Is the EC failing the public?</a></p>Bigotry, big money and Indiaurn:md5:029d5a4cb5b17edfbd3d06e81a3e92982014-04-26T08:48:00+02:00adminBJPCommunalismElectionsIndiaMediaPolitics<p><em>Two weeks ago, many public-spirited Indians complimented the country’s Election Commission for banning public campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Uttar Pradesh chief election manager Amit Shah, and the Samajwadi Party’s fiery Azam Khan, both of whom spoke provocatively for or against specific religious groups.</em></p> <p>(The News, April 26, 2014)
by Praful Bidwai
Two weeks ago, many public-spirited Indians complimented the country’s Election Commission for banning public campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Uttar Pradesh chief election manager Amit Shah, and the Samajwadi Party’s fiery Azam Khan, both of whom spoke provocatively for or against specific... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/04/26/Bigotry%2C-big-money-and-India">Read</em> Bigotry, big money and India</a></p>Not fielding Priyanka against Modi is a blunderurn:md5:1cb947db0e5a9bb7e1b72537a12271812014-04-24T08:52:00+02:00adminElectionsNarendra ModiPolitics<p><em>Narendra Modi files his nomination in Varanasi, Praful Bidwai believes 'a straight contest against Priyanka would have put Modi on the defensive and forced him to concentrate on Varanasi.</em>'</p> <p>rediff.com - 24 April 2014
Narendra Modi files his nomination in Varanasi, Praful Bidwai believes 'a straight contest against Priyanka would have put Modi on the defensive and forced him to concentrate on Varanasi.'
Something unusual happened to the exhausted, jaded, effete Indian National Congress the other day. After years, somebody in the... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/04/24/Not-fielding-Priyanka-against-Modi-is-a-blunder">Read</em> Not fielding Priyanka against Modi is a blunder</a></p>Baru’s book: too much hype, too little real disclosureurn:md5:9e78e574da0b07e888d90aac3916b3fd2014-04-18T22:53:00+02:00adminIndiaPolitics<p><em>The Accidental Prime Minister, the book by Sanjaya Baru, media adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004-08, has become a sensational best-seller primarily because its release was timed to coincide with the election campaign. Unsurprisingly, the BJP seized upon it to repeat its pet charge about Singh being India’s “weakest-ever” PM, and otherwise malign the Congress.</em></p> <p>by Praful Bidwai
The Accidental Prime Minister, the book by Sanjaya Baru, media adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004-08, has become a sensational best-seller primarily because its release was timed to coincide with the election campaign. Unsurprisingly, the BJP seized upon it to repeat its pet charge about Singh being India’s... <em><a href="http://www.prafulbidwai.org/index.php?post/2014/04/18/Baru%E2%80%99s-book%3A-too-much-hype%2C-too-little-real-disclosure">Read</em> Baru’s book: too much hype, too little real disclosure</a></p>