Columnists

Alok Rai

The writer taught in the department of English, Delhi University.

Indian inflection of herd immunity’ has deep cultural roots

Mon, Jun 15, 2020

In its corona version, poor are infected in sufficient numbers to produce immunity which accrues to those who have done nothing to earn it.

As former CJI accepts RS berth, let’s say it again: Judges are not law, but its creatures

Thu, Mar 26, 2020

The dignity of the Law is not a matter of concern merely to judges — though I believe it should be a matter of concern to them, too.

Govt’s assurance on CAA-NRC-NPR ignores a basic moral principle: Humanity, humaneness begin with empathy

Wed, Mar 04, 2020

It is a concern for the rights of others that makes us human, humane beings. So, honourable (and dishonourable) apologists, please desist — I speak not merely although my rights are unaffected, but even because my rights are unaffected.

Azaadi is a dangerous word

Fri, Jan 03, 2020

Our language is tainted and crippled by being pressed into the service of inhumanity.

A call to honour

Sun, Dec 29, 2019

Reflections on the Republic at 70

House for History

Sat, Aug 03, 2019

Despite the centrality of the question of privilege, Anand Bhawan, the Gandhi residence in Allahabad, was also the place where the most influential vision of India’s modernity — and socialism — was born

A climate of impunity emboldens the perpetrators of public murder to post real-time videos online.

Tue, Jul 02, 2019

Hate has consequences. And those who propagate and promote that hate must bear responsibility for its entirely predictable consequences.

Let me count the ways

Mon, Jun 17, 2019

Girish Karnad’s phenomenal creativity was fuelled by the fact that he tapped into several different linguistic traditions, contexts and resonances.

In praise of khichdi or, as the general election draws closer, in defence of politics

Tue, Mar 26, 2019

Political parties will — and should — continue to compete, and jostle, and clamour, and do all the messy things that are internal to the practice of democracy. Provided that the one self-proclaimed “nationalist” party is not allowed to shut down politics altogether.

Forgetting partition, remembering partition

Sat, Mar 23, 2019

This memoir of a displaced person is not Krishna Sobti’s finest work, but it reminds us that ironically, the business of Partition is, indeed, unfinished and ongoing

A Study in Legacy

Sat, Feb 23, 2019

The colonial English idea of the canon, applied to Hindi at a time when Dalit and feminist literature challenge its unity.

Violence, theirs and ours

Fri, Nov 30, 2018

‘Terror’ is an artifact of the theory of terrorism, a way of interpreting things in the world. Our eager embrace of the theory of ‘terrorism’ is deeply suspect

Imaginary homelands

Mon, Nov 05, 2018

Allahabad was the name of an aspiration to independent, secular, cosmopolitan modernity — a hope, a sensibility. Prayagraj is a pernicious, hurtful fiction

The spy who wasn’t

Thu, Sep 20, 2018

Nambi Narayanan’s acquittal raises a crucial question: Who is responsible for the evils of the state?

The native colonial

Mon, Aug 20, 2018

V S Naipaul gave writers in once-colonised countries confidence. But he also exonerated colonialism.

The soundtrack of democracy

Thu, Aug 02, 2018

Supreme Court order on Jantar Mantar frames an often-ignored reality: Protest is a part of polity and the inconvenience it causes an affirmation of our common humanity.

Blame the hat

Wed, Jun 14, 2017

General Bipin Rawat has been far too eloquent on matters he ought to be quiet about. He did sound silly while elaborating on ways to deal with the Kashmir issue.

Eye 2017