Analysis

PAGE 46

India needs to rethink housing for the poor | Opinion

analysis

Updated on Jul 12, 2020 01:41 PM IST

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed an ugly reality: Migrant labourers live in slums and informal/unauthorised colonies that are congested, lack basic sanitation and water services, ventilation and green spaces. As a result, they are at a far greater risk of contracting the virus, along with other illnesses.

The government estimates that there are 26-37 million families in urban India that live in informal housing, and they largely belong to the poorer sections.(Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

ByKumKum Dasgupta

How PM Modi called China’s bluff in Ladakh, writes Shishir Gupta

Xi Jinping is on an expansionist spree. But India has set the momentum for resistance. Others are joining in

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with the Indian troops during his visit to the forward post at Nimu in Ladakh(PTI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 11, 2020 11:45 AM IST

ByShishir Gupta

Vikas Dubey symbolises the failure of the State | Opinion

His rise is a classic tale of a broken administrative system, flawed policing, and corrupt electoral politics.

Dubey’s rise through the ranks of crime hierarchy began as a grassroots worker in the 1990s when he was patronised by local politicians(ANI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 10, 2020 06:05 AM IST

ByYashovardhan Azad

Chanakya can trump Confucius, writes Abhishek Manu Singhvi

India needs to have a comprehensive diplomatic, strategic and economic plan to take on China

Never has any Indian government after 1962 got greater anti-China bipartisan support than now(REUTERS)

analysis

Updated on Jul 09, 2020 07:45 PM IST

ByAbhishek Singhvi

The economic challenge in decoupling from China | Opinion

India’s dependence on China, especially for electronic products and active pharma ingredients, is tremendous

Only a carefully-calibrated industrial policy can reduce dependence on China(Samir Jana / Hindustan Times)

analysis

Updated on Jul 09, 2020 07:40 PM IST

ByBiswajit Dhar

India needs a universal social security system | Opinion

Replicate MGNREGS in urban areas, enhance skill development at work, and invest in public health systems

The intention to cover all workers is also indicated in the draft legislation on the Social Security Code that has been introduced in Parliament. The challenge for the State is how to provide social security to all with its limited financial and administrative capacities. A universal social security system will have to be built progressively.(AFP)

analysis

Updated on Jul 08, 2020 06:30 PM IST

ByArun Maira and Ajay Shankar

In India, the deepening of the mental health crisis | Opinion

With physical distancing and anxiety about the future, Covid-19 has exacerbated mental health issues

Unlike in the case of physical health, there is a denial of and resistance to less-than-perfect mental health in India(SHUTTERSTOCK)

analysis

Updated on Jul 08, 2020 06:33 PM IST

ByPreeti Sudan and Kavita Narayan

The big secret of tech innovation | Opinion

Imitation is good. If you can’t imitate, buy the company. And then improve. But don’t steal IP

The only line that should not be crossed is intellectual property theft(SHUTTERSTOCK)

analysis

Updated on Jul 08, 2020 07:36 AM IST

ByVivek Wadhwa

How India has responded to the global pandemic, writes Harsh Vardhan Shringla

Whether in diplomacy or economy, whether in society or policymaking, we have been learning new lessons

India has been proactive in assessing and dealing with the challenges caused by the pandemic. Saving lives has been our foremost priority(ANI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 08, 2020 07:50 AM IST

ByHarsh Vardhan Shringla

Busting myths and the double-speak on education | Opinion

If India wants to deliver quality education to its children, it needs an honest conversation on private schools

A vibrant private school sector will deliver better outcomes, at a lower cost(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

analysis

Updated on Jul 07, 2020 07:34 PM IST

ByGurcharan Das

Full-fledged college and university exams are unnecessary and avoidable

It is not set in stone that degrees may be awarded to students only when they clear a written exam. Some of the finest universities around the world award degrees to their students after conducting rigorous internal assessments

Classes got washed out, study materials have been inaccessible, and e-learning is still nascent. If students have not received a normal education this semester, what are they being tested on?(Hindustan Times)

analysis

Published on Jul 07, 2020 01:39 PM IST

ByAkshay Marathe

What the pandemic has taught us | Opinion

Protect nature; invest in health; ensure a safety net for the poor; and enhance global cooperation

Despite WHO coming in for criticism, India must continue cooperating with it and take advantage of its expertise(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

analysis

Updated on Jul 07, 2020 05:16 PM IST

ByKaran Singh

Time to revive democracy in Jammu and Kashmir | Opinion

Release leaders, get the NC and PDP on board, restore statehood, step up security, and announce elections

Whether NC and PDP agree to participate in elections in a Union Territory (UT), or whether they insist on restoration of statehood as a precondition, will have to be carefully examined(Waseem Andrabi/ Hindustan Times)

analysis

Updated on Jul 06, 2020 09:06 PM IST

ByArun Chaudhary

Why custodial deaths often go unpunished | Opinion

There are strong legal frameworks that protect the rights of the accused in police custody. But there are roadblocks to holding erring policemen accountable at every step

A protest in solidarity with the victims of alleged custodial torture in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi, June 28(PTI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 05, 2020 10:18 PM IST

ByRaja Bagga

Shift focus to the maritime domain | Opinion

To create negotiating space along the land border, India should turn to the seas

India should sherpa a cluster of Indo-Pacific nations into a “sagar panchayat” to uphold the rule of law at sea(AFP)

analysis

Updated on Jul 05, 2020 10:17 PM IST

ByC Uday Bhaskar

Guarding the guards is essential for rule of law, writes Madan Lokur

A culture of impunity rages across India, with excessive use of force. The security apparatus must be sensitised

The National Crime Records Bureau informs that there were more than 100 custodial deaths in 2017, with very few convictions(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

analysis

Updated on Jul 05, 2020 10:12 PM IST

ByMadan Lokur

Faced with today’s crises, what would Gandhi do? | Opinion

This thought experiment yields a nine-point action programme

Gandhi’s final piece of advice to us would be to pray. At the end of each day, sit quietly, reflect, and submit yourself to god, to life, to nature, to truth, to history. You have done all you could have.(Getty Images)

analysis

Updated on Jul 04, 2020 08:11 PM IST

ByAbhay Bang

A blueprint to protect labour rights without constraining capital | Opinion

Take into account State capacity, new economic realities, and the informality of the labour markets

Disempowering labour through poorly conceptualised reforms will only exacerbate other economic and governance challenges. The growth-versus-labour rights binary is false(PTI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 03, 2020 08:07 PM IST

ByYamini Aiyar and Maitreesh Ghatak

Arriving at a new normal in India-China relations | Opinion

While restoring status quo at LAC must be the immediate goal, structural fautlines will continue to make ties volatile.

Both sides will incur extremely heavy costs in case of a conflict(ANI)

analysis

Updated on Jul 03, 2020 07:50 PM IST

ByManoj Kewalramani

Covid-19: How tech can ensure equity in education

Blended online learning can remove barriers, and take education to girls, marginalised groups and remote areas

Between the two extremes of the elite private and government schools lie many low-cost private and public schools which suffer from varying level of deficiencies in education technology and pedagogy(AFP)

analysis

Published on Jul 02, 2020 08:40 PM IST

ByAlok Mishra

The mistaken Chinese calculation | Analysis

Its economy is shrinking; PLA isn’t fully prepared; anti-China sentiment is high; India will be resolute

A mountain strike corps to create a deterrent capability is imperative(AP)

analysis

Updated on Jul 02, 2020 08:14 PM IST

ByBikram Singh

Respect women’s autonomy

A court ruling that not wearing accoutrements of matrimony invalidates marriage is a step in the wrong direction

The law does not discriminate against a woman making choices in a marriage, nor does it lay down any code of conduct for women through which they can protect themselves from sexual violence. The interpretations are unnecessary when the law itself is clear(AP)

analysis

Updated on Jul 02, 2020 01:46 PM IST

ByLalita Panicker

Resisting Chinese encroachment | Opinion

India must not contribute to the digital and economic rise of the same power that harms it

India has to recognise that Chinese tech is a weapon that will be used against Indian interests. Bar Chinese telecom infra from India’s 5G network. Political trust will shape digital flows(Bloomberg)

analysis

Updated on Jul 01, 2020 08:05 PM IST

BySamir Saran and Akhil Deo

The double-speak of parties on foreign funding | Opinion

Both the BJP and the Congress united to circumvent the law. Their barbs on China carry little meaning

In 2014, the Delhi High Court found both the BJP and the Congress guilty of accepting donations from several foreign corporations(REUTERS)

analysis

Updated on Jul 01, 2020 08:04 PM IST

ByMilan Vaishnav

On tech, India was naive. It has finally woken up | Opinion

Entrepreneurs now have a chance to build technologies which can serve as alternatives to Chinese dominance

Chinese technology protectionism created a fertile ground for local start-ups by eliminating the threat of foreign predators. The government selected what companies it could best control and gave them the advantage.(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

analysis

Updated on Jul 02, 2020 05:54 AM IST

ByVivek Wadhwa

It can no longer be business-as-usual | Analysis

India needs to reset its entire relationship with China. There will be pain, but it’s time to stand up

China wants India to roll over and play dead. India’s military action has shown that we won’t accept its hegemony(Getty Images)

analysis

Updated on Jun 30, 2020 07:15 PM IST

ByGautam Bambawale

After the ban, what next for India’s digital ecosystem | Analysis

To overcome weaknesses, foster innovation in the private sector; increase State capacity to govern new markets

It is worth asking whether India is prepared for a Balkanised digital world(AFP)

analysis

Updated on Jun 30, 2020 07:03 PM IST

ByVivan Sharan

Covid-19: Changing what it means to travel safely | Analysis

The road ahead requires India to invest in contactless travel, while ensuring social distancing. There is a way

One of the first things we need to grapple with is figuring out how transportation should deal with future pandemics, in addition to running efficiently in normal circumstances(REUTERS)

analysis

Updated on Jun 30, 2020 08:08 PM IST

ByJay Walder

Black Lives Matter: Protest movements of marginalised groups highlight the gap in the principles and actual practice of democracy

Through protests, the black community holds its representatives, the democratic process, and society accountable. Slowly, then, these protest movements also nudge society towards social change.

A demonstrator holds a mobile phone as he faces police officers near Black Lives Matter Plaza as racial inequality protests continue, Washington, June 23, 2020(REUTERS)

analysis

Published on Jun 30, 2020 10:47 AM IST

ByAmit Ahuja

UAPA: When laws turn oppressive | Opinion

There is an imbalance between the fundamental freedoms of citizens and interests of the State

The State is using UAPA against critics of CAA and the government(REUTERS)

analysis

Updated on Jun 30, 2020 06:08 AM IST

ByKapil Sibal

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News / Analysis

Analysis

Xi Jinping is on an expansionist spree. But India has set the momentum for resistance. Others are joining in

His rise is a classic tale of a broken administrative system, flawed policing, and corrupt electoral politics.

India needs to have a comprehensive diplomatic, strategic and economic plan to take on China

India’s dependence on China, especially for electronic products and active pharma ingredients, is tremendous

Replicate MGNREGS in urban areas, enhance skill development at work, and invest in public health systems

With physical distancing and anxiety about the future, Covid-19 has exacerbated mental health issues

Imitation is good. If you can’t imitate, buy the company. And then improve. But don’t steal IP

Whether in diplomacy or economy, whether in society or policymaking, we have been learning new lessons

If India wants to deliver quality education to its children, it needs an honest conversation on private schools

It is not set in stone that degrees may be awarded to students only when they clear a written exam. Some of the finest universities around the world award degrees to their students after conducting rigorous internal assessments

Protect nature; invest in health; ensure a safety net for the poor; and enhance global cooperation

Release leaders, get the NC and PDP on board, restore statehood, step up security, and announce elections

There are strong legal frameworks that protect the rights of the accused in police custody. But there are roadblocks to holding erring policemen accountable at every step

To create negotiating space along the land border, India should turn to the seas

A culture of impunity rages across India, with excessive use of force. The security apparatus must be sensitised

This thought experiment yields a nine-point action programme

Take into account State capacity, new economic realities, and the informality of the labour markets

While restoring status quo at LAC must be the immediate goal, structural fautlines will continue to make ties volatile.

Blended online learning can remove barriers, and take education to girls, marginalised groups and remote areas

Its economy is shrinking; PLA isn’t fully prepared; anti-China sentiment is high; India will be resolute

A court ruling that not wearing accoutrements of matrimony invalidates marriage is a step in the wrong direction

India must not contribute to the digital and economic rise of the same power that harms it

Both the BJP and the Congress united to circumvent the law. Their barbs on China carry little meaning

Entrepreneurs now have a chance to build technologies which can serve as alternatives to Chinese dominance

India needs to reset its entire relationship with China. There will be pain, but it’s time to stand up

To overcome weaknesses, foster innovation in the private sector; increase State capacity to govern new markets

The road ahead requires India to invest in contactless travel, while ensuring social distancing. There is a way

Through protests, the black community holds its representatives, the democratic process, and society accountable. Slowly, then, these protest movements also nudge society towards social change.

There is an imbalance between the fundamental freedoms of citizens and interests of the State

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