Alarmed by its proactive role, the three ‘pillars’ of our democracy set out to weaken the fourth estate Fundamentalisms do not necessarily announce their arrival by banging a hammer on our heads. Freedoms are often lost in little steps. The process creeps in quietly but insidiously. The path is often complex and defies a simple narrative. But here’s a straightforward fact: a concerted attempt is being made to censor, control...

Police investigation of Sanal Edamaraku for debunking a “miracle” at a church is a crime against the Constitution. Early in March, little drops of water began to drip from the feet of the statue of Jesus nailed to the cross on the church of Our Lady of Velankanni, down on to Mumbai's unlovely Irla Road. Hundreds began to flock to the church to collect the holy water in little plastic bottles,...

The interaction between less privileged and rich students will enrich the experience of both. The Supreme Court recently upheld the validity of Clause 12 of the Right to Education Act that mandates aided and non-aided private schools to reserve 25 per cent of the seats for disadvantaged children in their neighbourhoods. This is arguably a landmark judgement that creates an opportunity, though not a certainty, for rendering school a site of...

-The Telegraph A CBI court today convicted 34 accused in one of the 53 fodder scam cases registered with it, awarding rigorous imprisonment sentences ranging from one to six years and slapping fines between Rs 10,000 to Rs 3 lakh. The court of CBI special judge II, D.C. Roy, found all the accused guilty of FRAudulently withdrawing money from the Doranda treasury between 1980-90 with the help of fake invoices. The case (RC...

Cutting across party lines, Rajya Sabha members on Thursday sought a constitutional amendment to provide for promotion quota in jobs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the wake of the Supreme Court quashing the Uttar Pradesh government's decision in the matter. Replying to a short duration discussion, Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was seized of the issue and the government was willing to...