Articles by K A Shaji
Why is the quality of higher education eroding in literate Kerala?
The vice chairman of the Kerala Higher Education Council, said many self-financed and unaided institutions are close to shutting down due to a lack of students
Why does a 12-year-old political murder still haunt Kerala's ruling CPI(M)?
The Kerala government recently attempted to grant remission to some convicts in the Chandrasekharan case, sparking controversy and criticism.
Justice Chandru Report and the fight against caste-based discrimination
Jurist K Chandru, the one-person commission appointed to look into the Nanguneri incident of caste violence, inspired the 2021 Tamil movie, Jai Bhim.
Why is 'atheist' DMK government organising a global conference on Lord Murugan?
The unusual event has triggered different interpretations with different interest groups looking at it differently
Kallakurichi hooch tragedy reignites debate over prohibition in Tamil Nadu
Historian AK Perumal recalled that prohibition was a key campaign issue in the first general election held to the Madras legislative assembly in 1937
In TN, where people who cannot afford expensive IMFL turn to bootleg alcohol
In February this year, the M K Stalin-led DMK government increased the price of IMFL available through the state-owned distribution network TASMAC.
Divisions emerge in the Syro-Malabar Church over holy mass format
Dissenters argue that the priest should be permitted to face the congregation. However, Vatican has taken a firm stand on implementing the uniform mass format
Published on Jun 21, 2024 08:00 AM IST
The challenges before Priyanka Gandhi in Kerala's hilly Wayanad constituency
The new Congress candidate in Wayanad will have to focus on local issues including the increasing incidence of human-animal conflict and farmers’ issues.
Knives out in Tamil Nadu BJP over poll debacle
Though the BJP emerged as the runner-up in certain constituencies, even party insiders now feel that it failed to achieve the desired results of the campaign
On India's circus capital, and Sreedharan Chambad, performer-turned-chronicler
Sreedharan Chambad, 86, died on June 15 in Patyam near Thalassery
Published on Jun 16, 2024 09:29 PM IST
Kerala's fading red and the blooming lotus
In the Lok Sabha election, the BJP opened its account for the first time through actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, who contested from Thrissur
Published on Jun 15, 2024 11:38 AM IST
Kerala's failure to learn from extreme weather events since 2018
Climate experts pointed out possible cloudbursts as the reason for several landslides and flash floods in the hilly regions of the state
Published on Jun 05, 2024 07:30 AM IST
How the BJP finally breached the Kerala bastion with Gopi’s Thrissur victory
The credit for Gopi's victory can be attributed to the robust support from the BJP's central leadership
Row in Kerala over liquor policy mirrors 2015 bar bribery scandal
The recent controversy over alleged bribes for a favourable liquor policy has parallels to the 2015 bribery case that led to the fall of the UDF government
Published on Jun 03, 2024 08:00 AM IST
TN, Kerala continue to feud over dam built by an Englishman 128 years ago
Tamil Nadu has requested an increase in the storage capacity of the dam's reservoir to 152 feet (46 metres) in front of the Central Water Commission and the SC
Published on May 29, 2024 11:45 PM IST
Savukku Shankar's arrest sparks debate on custodial treatment and free speech
Shankar, who gained fame on YouTube for his criticism of the MK Stalin government, was arrested for derogatory remarks against female police officers.
Published on May 27, 2024 08:30 AM IST
Recurring dowry harassment cases are denting Kerala's progressive image
“The number of dowry harassment cases in the state is rising alarmingly even though the government has opened a 24-hour call centre service for victims”.
Published on May 23, 2024 02:47 AM IST
How the move to revive elephant corridors has become a political problem in TN
The state has witnessed wildlife conflict involving elephants, tigers and wild boars, especially on the periphery of forests in Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Hosur
Published on May 19, 2024 12:19 AM IST
K A Shaji | Edited by Anish Yande
Kerala temples have enforced a blanket ban on using oleander in rituals. Why?
Experts said different oleander species contain highly poisonous chemical substances that can directly affect the heart.
Published on May 15, 2024 09:17 PM IST
Southern coastal areas face the seasonal phenomenon of ‘Kallakkadal'
The word Kallakkadal means ‘a sea that comes suddenly like a thief’. The word is derived by combining two Malayalam words: ‘Kallan’ (thief) and ‘Kadal’ (sea).
Published on May 12, 2024 01:18 AM IST
The doctor-activist who fought elections against Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi
Dr Paramananda found it his duty to contest in Rae Bareli against the then PM, who, according to him, had curtailed civil liberties in the name of the Emergency
Published on May 07, 2024 12:08 AM IST
How a Kerala doctor spearheaded the campaign against misleading Patanjali claims
KV Babu’s initiatives have had a lasting impact on the fight against misleading medical claims, especially claims about curing serious diseases.
Published on May 03, 2024 11:15 PM IST
Why Kerala’s Alappuzha experiences yearly outbreaks of avian influenza
Facilities to test and confirm the virus locally are needed in Alapuzha because the pandemic has become an annual occurrence.
Published on Apr 26, 2024 11:07 PM IST
Kerala’s Congress-Left political paradox: Nationally aligned, locally sparring
As CM Vijayan faces a strong anti-incumbency factor in the state, he has few options but to go strong against Congress, setting aside electoral compulsions.
Published on Apr 24, 2024 08:46 PM IST
Sulthan Battery, Ganapathivattom, or Hennared Veedhi: What's in a name?
The BJP wants to rename a town in Wayanad that it says was renamed by Tipu Sultan. We speak to historians to find out the town's ancient past
The enduring appeal of Tamil Nadu's moral compass, Thiruvalluvar
BJP manifesto's promise to build Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres reopens the debate over the Tamil poet-saint, his political beliefs and his stance on Hinduism
Published on Apr 16, 2024 09:05 PM IST
In Kanniyakumari, Wadge Bank is the election issue residents want to talk about
Residents of this district are more concerned with the Centre’s decision to allow exploration of oil and gas blocks in the biodiversity-rich ocean region
Crude country bombs of Kerala's Kannur and their unintended targets
In volatile Kannur, political cadres target each other with weapons and bystanders and non-actors get hurt in the process. This has been happening since the 70s
Modi govt’s attempt to explore gas in Wadge Bank roils Kanniyakumari LS poll
Local activists say oil and gas exploration in Wadge Bank could destroy fish workers’ livelihoods and have a detrimental effect on the region’s ecosystem.
Published on Apr 11, 2024 09:06 PM IST
After Congress shut its door in Kerala, SDPI gets AIADMK backing in TN
A close partner of the BJP at the national level up until this point, the AIADMK was extremely critical of the SDPI
Updated on Apr 11, 2024 10:26 AM IST
K A Shaji, Dindigul