D-Sector for Development Community

   Friday, May 18, 2012
Agriculture - Duties and Rights - Education - Environment - Food - Global - Governance - Health - Indian Economy - Indian Society - Physical Development - Social Welfare - Water and Sanitation
MoEF: For environment or economy?
By Sudhirendar Sharma
08 May 2012

Jairam Ramesh as environment minister constituted an expert panel to submit report on conservation of ecologically critical Western Ghats. But his successor Jayanthi Natarajan has decided against making the report public ..


A border that was never accepted
By Rina Mukherji
18 Apr 2012

Subha Das Mollick's documentary Crosswinds Over Icchamati, attempts to dwell deep into the psyche of Bengali people divided against their will...


The democracy 'Ramlila'
By Biju Negi
14 Feb 2012

Elections in India are no different than yearly enactment of Ramlila, with the fact that the drama is old and, like in the case of the Ramlila, people know its script ..


 

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Book Shelf

Water: Asia's New Battleground

Slow Violence and Environmentalism of the Poor

Growing stories from India

Big-box Swindle

Unnatural Selection

The Politics of Belonging in the Himalayas

 

Views
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Case for National Water Law
Will Jagpal be another Godavarman?
 
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MoEF: For environment or economy?
First check obscenity of corruption
 
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A border that was never ..
Leave the adivasi alone!
 
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Ganga cleanup: Some unanswered questions
Baiga tribals show the way ..
 
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Retail convention oppose FDI
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CMs want green clearances power
Action Aid India initiates KAP
 
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Deaths due to malnutrition
Facts on Tobacco use
 
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Ertharin Cousin to be new ..
Homi Khusrokhan is new BNHS ..
 

 

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Gender-based violence affects women’s mental ..
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Do you know about Monsanto?
Global life expectancy on the ..
 
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The Economist Film Project
 
 
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Unique endeavour to educate villagers
UNIFEM launches initiative to end ..
 
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Why this economics?
Enough! No more corruption!
 
Country Focus  

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Women pay the price of ..
Ethiopia moves ahead, despite problems
 

 

 

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Bluff Times

Like the 'cabaret dance' of yesteryear movies is now called 'item number', news stories that were once termed 'scoop' in mainstream media are now called 'breaking news'. Not only the terms but the 'intent' behind the terms has gone through dramatic transformation too. Given the fact that majority of important news is either 'planted' or 'paid', it is left to the discerning reader to separate 'breaking' from 'broken' news.

Recent revelation by The Hindu has taken the lid off from the business of news making. Not only was the success of BT cotton reported by The Times of India in 2008 indeed 'planted' by Mahyco-Monsanto, the company promoting the genetically-modified seeds, but the same news was republished verbatim in 2011 to create policy impact by misleading the readers. The transition from 'paid news' to 'bluff news' has been rapid!

 
Celebrity Overdose
It is tough to imagine which way democratic governance may be headed. Celebrities are being engaged by elected governments to not only promote social programs but are being cajoled to help transform communal habits too. While controversial Chief Minister Narendra Modi hired Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan to promote Gujarat as a tourist destination, media friendly Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has persuaded sultry siren Vidya Balan to help push toilets in rural areas. Taking cue, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has passed on the responsibility of checking female foeticide to none other than actor Aamir Khan.

On all accounts, the respective ministers reflect political desperation borne out of policy paralysis. While Modi and Gehlot need an image makeover, Ramesh needs Toilet to lift himself higher on the political pedestal. Knowing well that Indians love to dream, politicians are increasingly using celebrities to help them continue 'dreaming' even if none of the dreams could ever get fulfilled. Passing the baton to the 'celebrity', at a phenomenal cost to the exchequer, absolves the politician of any failure of the campaign thereof. Shockingly, more and more politicians are queuing up before celebrities to rid them of their electoral responsibilities.

 

 

Commentators | view all
Devinder Sharma
Devinder Sharma
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Pandurang Hegde
Pandurang Hegde
Sudhirendar Sharma
Sudhirendar Sharma


Cartoon


Election promises in Goa
Carmen Miranda

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