Dear Reader,
As the electoral heat rises, more than half of India has already voted in the 2019 parliamentary elections, with the voting trend possibly matching the 2014 turnout. While that remains to be seen and will only be apparent on counting day (May 23), what is clear is the Indian establishment’s efforts to ensure that no Indian citizen is left out of the democratic exercise in this country, which rightly prides itself as the world’s largest democracy, a fact Frank Islam highlights in By Invitation.
Social media has increasingly become an integral and vital part of the electoral exercise, not only in India but globally. For political parties here it is a vital tool to disseminate information and, often, dis(or mis)information. The government has tried to crack down on the latter or fake news, as it is better known. But with ownership of all major social media networks being foreign and headquartered abroad, can India act effectively to curb the virus, we ask in our Cover feature, as we look at all aspects of the problem.
A composite overview of the current trends in the ongoing electoral exercise, who stands where and why political parties are doing what they are (like the ruling BJP fielding a person accused on charges of terrorism and the Congress releasing a national security plan while the former tries to claim that space) is our focus in both our Nation section and Defence.
The defence of the Sri Lankan nation was ripped apart by a series of bomb blasts on Easter Sunday, reviving the vicious head of terrorism in our region again. As the island nation and India’s close neighbour struggled through shock and tears to come to terms with the assault, Cmdre (retd) Uday Bhaskar in Periscope raises the question of whether South Asia will be able to stamp out jihadi terrorism.
Foreign Affairs also examines how Sri Lanka’s tragedy which, according to reliable accounts, could have been prevented if security forces had acted on intelligence inputs provided to them, affect India and the region. How improved ties with Saudi Arabia have enhanced India’s security also feature, as does the security enhancing collaboration for Chabahar port.
Security as a priority for India in the region, from China to Afghanistan and, of course, Pakistan is the subject of South Block Watch and Bilateral affairs.
In a hugely significant decision, highlighted in our Nation segment, the Supreme Court passed a landmark verdict awarding compensation and justice to Bilkis Bano, 17 years after the Gujarat riots.
The Indian Economy has taken a definite hit as a variety of surveys and reports indicate. In the midst of this negativity we look at whether the real estate sector may revive and release the “animal spirits” required to restore the economy.
Reviving agriculture is another essential feature for economic growth to be restored. In
Changing India we feature one man’s efforts to bring change to the lives of thousands of farmers in Telangana.
Culture is a theme which also permeates the Back Page in this issue, with the first Indian temple in Abu Dhabi to a book fair, flowers and incense and magnificent monuments, all are in focus.
Happy reading!
We hope you enjoy reading through what we have put together in this edition of India Review and Analysis. Do please share your thoughts and comments about the contents of the journal.
Warmly,