Only four years ago, there was talk of Republicans forming a permanent majority. Now there is talk of them being the minority for the next generation. Apparently, a generation is about 4 years long.
Excerpts from what promises to be a brilliant book by Ramachandran Guha. The great 19th-century poet Ghalib thought that God was indeed on the side of India. All around him there was conflict and privation, but doomsday had not yet come. "Why does not the Last Trumpet sound?", asked Ghalib of a sage in the holy city of Benares. "Who holds the reins of the Final Catastrophe?" he continued. This was the answer he got: The hoary old man of lucent ken Pointed towards Kashi and gently smiled. 'The Architect,' he said, 'is fond of this edifice Because of which there is colour in life; He Would not like it to perish and fall.'
Advani's comments about Jinnah have raised a firestorm, with both the extremist right (VHP) and the center left (Congress) condemning it. However, this presents a historic opportunity for the liberal elements of Indian intelligencia. On alternative (unfortunately the likely alternative), is that the liberals will gloat about the hawk becomming a dove, call it a false facade that Advani has put up to 'soften' his image, and generally discredit and skirt the entire issue that Advani has brought up. This of course will hand the BJP on the platter to the VHP types and in the long run, cause incalculable damage to Indian polity. Another alternative is for the left to stand by him and use the debate as a weapon for peace and reconciliation with Pakistan. We shall watch closely to see which way the left leans. Indian Express has already made the right sounds in its editorial .
A piece about the recent controversy surronding attempts by quasi-religious groups to introduce Intelligent Design as a scientific alternative to Evolution. The article is long, but it does take more than a few words to explore all aspects of the issue.
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