We are a country of societal recluses. We overly emphasise the idea of falling in line. You cannot fall in love with an older person; you cannot be a homosexual; you cannot indulge in independent decision-making without facing the wrath of families if not the entire clan. In short, you cannot follow your heart.
Freedom Gazette
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mohamed Zeeshan spoke with Kishore Mahbubani, former Singaporean ambassador to the United Nations. Mahbubani spoke about the role of the Quad, the new AUKUS deal, the ASEAN's fears and suspicions, India's strengths and opportunities, and much more.
History has a tendency to repeat itself, so most people either think that the past has no relevance today, or they view even the distant past as being one and the same as the present. That is why politicians are able to use the demolition of temples by Aurangzeb to perpetuate hate against innocent Muslims today.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mohamed Zeeshan spoke to Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center in Washington DC. Kugelman talked about what led to the ongoing tragedy in Afghanistan, the possible future of that country under the Taliban, and more.
The current wave of authoritarianism across the world contains a strong message: One cannot rely on good faith politics alone. Codification of conventions and strengthening the voice of the Opposition is of utmost importance for democracies. India desperately needs to reform its Parliament to make it better.
COVID-19 has significantly upended the traditional learning process and has impacted students and teachers at all levels. In order to recover lost gains in education, India will have to pursue greater flexibility in its education system and be more open to newer and less traditional solutions.
In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mohamed Zeeshan spoke to Syed Akbaruddin, former Indian ambassador to the UN, about Afghanistan, the role of the United Nations in solving global crises, India's aspirations for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, and much more.
Currently, for-profit corporations are disallowed from running schools and universities in India. This was done in order to ensure that education isn’t for maximising profit but for advancing societal good. Yet, many believe that for-profit schools can improve quality. But have they worked in other countries?
Centralisation might seem at first glance to improve efficiency. But that isn’t always the case. Centralisation of power by the Union government has undermined the fiscal and policy autonomy of states, and altogether weakened governance in India. The Opposition must fight to reverse the trend.
Where once the white of peace waltzed with the green of prosperity, the ballroom of democracy seems to have been replaced with authoritarianism. The power of the citizen has been undermined by politics that cajoles Hindus to think of others as enemies and cudgels minorities to keep a watchful eye on Hindus.