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On the 75th year of independence, India has just celebrated the 72nd anniversary of her becoming a Republic. ‘We, the people of India’ will naturally look back to the sagas of struggle waged by our predecessors for the liberation of this great country. The foundation of the Republic and the Constitution is the outcome of those immense struggles and sacrifices. Various streams of thoughts and paths of resistance came together around the common cause of freedom. The fight was unique and consistent that the mighty British imperialism was forced to pack up and return.

The worst aspects of the Modi government’s privatisation drive are now coming to the fore. The initial public offering (IPO) prospectus for disinvesting shares in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), the crown jewel of the financial sector, is expected to be issued in early February.

The chaos over the successor in the immediate aftermath of Virat Kohli’s resignation from the Test captaincy tells the story. Following the announcement of Kohli’s stepping down, speculation has been rife over Kohli's successor in the leadership role. Many have touted Rohit Sharma – who has already been named India's limited-overs captain – as India's next Test skipper. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar had named young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as his choice for the role, and India's World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh voiced his agreement.

National Employees Pension (1995) Co-ordination Committee, headquartered in Nagpur and affiliated to the Bharat Pensioners Samaj, has shot a letter to the President of India, Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and all the chief ministers stated that its members unanimously resolved to push the ‘NOTA’ button in the elections of Lok Sabha and state assemblies in protest against non-implementation of the Bhagat Singh Koshiyari Committee recommendations in 2013 to raise minimum pension from the present one of less than Rs 1000 to Rs 3000 along with dearness allowance. The slogan is ‘No Koshiyari, No Votes".

There is little being heard about Jammu and Kashmir in the mainstream media after the abrogation of Article 370 and reorganisation of the state into two union territories with effect from 31 October 2019. Apart from occasional encounters between security forces and militants, whose number and intensity seem to have come down, the only big-ticket news from the state came when Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a 3-day trip to the state in October last year.

A revision of Indian history is on the cards. Meaning children will unlearn Aurangzeb and get well-versed in Raja Bhoj and Gangu Teli. For those who do not know, the royal was someone to marvel about while Gangu Teli was hardly worth mentioning, but in the rewriting of Indian history, Gangu Teli will get his due while every effort will be made to showcase Raja Bhoj.

It takes no rocket science to understand the real reason behind the Modi government’s move to amend cadre rules of IAS and other civil service officers. The Centre has proposed the changes, citing ‘public interest’, but it is obvious that the unilateral move is meant to promote purely ‘private’ interest of certain individuals and the result of an ego clash between Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose department of personnel and training (DoPT) considers itself to be the sole ‘owner’ of all civil service officials. Accordingly, the proposed rules, any official requisitioned by the Centre will automatically stand relieved from the responsibilities of the state government concerned, giving the Centre the ultimate say in the matter.

Petty politics ought not to ruin the solemn atmosphere in celebrating Republic Day. Unfortunately, more avoidable controversies arise between the ruling party and the opposition. For instance, while there is a well-established system for selecting the tableaux, the process becomes a flashpoint for regional politics nearly every year. This year too, there is furore in the opposition ruled states as the Centre has rejected the tableaux of West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, among others. The respective chief ministers like Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) and M.K. Stalin (Tamil Nadu) have written to the Prime Minister to reconsider the decision but in vain.

India on the 72nd Republic Day presents a very grim picture with its secular constitutional pluralistic democracy not working. Country has changed politically, socially and economically. Current regime in the Centre has actively participated and aided communal and divisive forces in vitiating the harmony among religious and social groups for the ruling party to reap the electoral dividends. Media and judiciary have caved-in to government pressure, instead of holding the executive (government) to account.

Almost two years has been lost since the pandemic struck, schools in India are yet to open causing great damage to entire generation of students. Loss is worse than expected, according to several studies, and yet we could not open schools and educational institutions. We are now reeling under the third wave of COVID-19, and uncertainties are likely to continue, while about 70 per cent of students are unable to access online education.