Above the fold: Top stories of the day
1. In poll-bound Bihar, the BJP has released its first list of candidates and its slim pickings for its allies.
2. Tehran has slammed the Raza Academy's fatwa against composer AR Rahman for writing music for a film, sponsored by the Iranian government, on the life of Prophet Muhammad.
3. Delhi reaches out to Pyongyang, sending Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju to attend an event marking North Korea's independence day.
The Big Story: The Netaji files
And now a new chapter in the mystery of Subhas Chandra Bose's death. Documents suggest that British and American intelligence agencies believed Netaji to be alive in 1949 and behind a number of communist uprisings in Southeast Asia. The fresh revelations were found in the 64 files released by the West Bengal government last week, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that she firmly supported disclosing the "truth about Netaji". Indications of Bose's communist afterlife have been rubbished by his grand-nephew, historian and Trinamool MP, Sugata Bose, who believes there is enough evidence to suggest that the famous leader died in the plane crash in Taipei. But how is the Communist Party of India (Marxist), down and out in Bengal since the assembly elections of 2011, taking this news?
Banerjee's sudden crusading for the truth about Netaji has led to some speculation. There are those who believe that the Bengal assembly polls, coming up in 2016, may have something to do with it. The files could hold revelations that would be embarrassing for the CPM or at least show it up having a similar zeal for transparency and releasing the documents during its 34 years of rule in Bengal. In the past, parties have shown remarkable warmth for the Netaji files before elections. In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls of 2014, it was the BJP's favourite way of making the Congress queasy. After all, successive Congress-led governments had refused to declassify the files over the years, and it was believed that the Nehru administration had been less than fond of the firebrand leader.
After the elections, though, the BJP did a volte face, pokering up and refusing to release the files, darkly suggesting that foreign relations with other countries could be "adversely affected". What do parties in government know that others don't? Will Banerjee still be as concerned about transparency if she wins a second term? Do the contents of the files make her regret her crusade even now?
The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day's biggest stories
Shoaib Daniyal interviewed Subhas Chandra Bose's grand nephew, historian Sugata Bose, who questioned the government's secrecy on the leader's death.
Mohan Guruswamy on how the government's spying on Bose's family was part of routine surveillance.
Politicking and Policying
1. The Bihar elections are being followed keenly by the world and could be significant for economic reforms and investment in India.
2. The United Arab Emirates has deported four Kerala youths for sympathising with the Islamic State.
3. In Gandaman, a "model village" in Bihar, a midwife stands in for the doctor at the local health centre.
4. First Ludhiana and now Patiala, meat-sellers in Punjab have been asked to shut shop for the Jain festival of Parayushan.
5. Skeletal remains found in a mining quarry in Tamil Nadu could bear signs of human sacrifice.
Punditry
1. in the Hindu, Shiv Viswanathan parses the "pseudo-religiosity" of the BJP.
2. In the Indian Express, KK Kailash points out that Asaduddin Owaisi's fortunes in Bihar depend less on his own rhetoric and more on the salience that other parties give to his agenda.
3. Also in the Hindu, Jean Dreze finds that the most rapid progress in child health has been made in areas identified for serious action 10 years ago.
Dont' Miss...
Dhirendra K. Jha on how the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is cobbling together a new Hindu scripture to legitimise Hindutva:
1. In poll-bound Bihar, the BJP has released its first list of candidates and its slim pickings for its allies.
2. Tehran has slammed the Raza Academy's fatwa against composer AR Rahman for writing music for a film, sponsored by the Iranian government, on the life of Prophet Muhammad.
3. Delhi reaches out to Pyongyang, sending Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju to attend an event marking North Korea's independence day.
The Big Story: The Netaji files
And now a new chapter in the mystery of Subhas Chandra Bose's death. Documents suggest that British and American intelligence agencies believed Netaji to be alive in 1949 and behind a number of communist uprisings in Southeast Asia. The fresh revelations were found in the 64 files released by the West Bengal government last week, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that she firmly supported disclosing the "truth about Netaji". Indications of Bose's communist afterlife have been rubbished by his grand-nephew, historian and Trinamool MP, Sugata Bose, who believes there is enough evidence to suggest that the famous leader died in the plane crash in Taipei. But how is the Communist Party of India (Marxist), down and out in Bengal since the assembly elections of 2011, taking this news?
Banerjee's sudden crusading for the truth about Netaji has led to some speculation. There are those who believe that the Bengal assembly polls, coming up in 2016, may have something to do with it. The files could hold revelations that would be embarrassing for the CPM or at least show it up having a similar zeal for transparency and releasing the documents during its 34 years of rule in Bengal. In the past, parties have shown remarkable warmth for the Netaji files before elections. In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls of 2014, it was the BJP's favourite way of making the Congress queasy. After all, successive Congress-led governments had refused to declassify the files over the years, and it was believed that the Nehru administration had been less than fond of the firebrand leader.
After the elections, though, the BJP did a volte face, pokering up and refusing to release the files, darkly suggesting that foreign relations with other countries could be "adversely affected". What do parties in government know that others don't? Will Banerjee still be as concerned about transparency if she wins a second term? Do the contents of the files make her regret her crusade even now?
The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day's biggest stories
Shoaib Daniyal interviewed Subhas Chandra Bose's grand nephew, historian Sugata Bose, who questioned the government's secrecy on the leader's death.
Mohan Guruswamy on how the government's spying on Bose's family was part of routine surveillance.
Politicking and Policying
1. The Bihar elections are being followed keenly by the world and could be significant for economic reforms and investment in India.
2. The United Arab Emirates has deported four Kerala youths for sympathising with the Islamic State.
3. In Gandaman, a "model village" in Bihar, a midwife stands in for the doctor at the local health centre.
4. First Ludhiana and now Patiala, meat-sellers in Punjab have been asked to shut shop for the Jain festival of Parayushan.
5. Skeletal remains found in a mining quarry in Tamil Nadu could bear signs of human sacrifice.
Punditry
1. in the Hindu, Shiv Viswanathan parses the "pseudo-religiosity" of the BJP.
2. In the Indian Express, KK Kailash points out that Asaduddin Owaisi's fortunes in Bihar depend less on his own rhetoric and more on the salience that other parties give to his agenda.
3. Also in the Hindu, Jean Dreze finds that the most rapid progress in child health has been made in areas identified for serious action 10 years ago.
Dont' Miss...
Dhirendra K. Jha on how the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is cobbling together a new Hindu scripture to legitimise Hindutva:
"According to a senior RSS official, the need to prepare a new Hindu scripture arose because most popular religious texts – foremost among them Manusmriti and Bhagavad Gita – are not able to further Hindu unity “so urgently required to counter the threat of Islam and Christianity”. “The new scripture will provide [the] religious foundation for Hindutva,” the RSS official explained.
For decades, the RSS has strived to create a monolithic Hindu identity by disavowing caste-based discrimination and the religious sanction behind it. So far it has sought to achieve this by trying to rewrite history. In September last year, Mohan Bhagwat released three books authored by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Sonkar Shastri titled Hindu Charmakar Jati, Hindu Khatik Jati and Hindu Valmiki Jati. These volumes attributed the genesis of Dalits to “Muslim invasion” in medieval times."
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