A Drop in the Ocean
THE Indian federal structure is unique. India is not a federation of independent federal units. Instead, it must be understood that the Constitution, drafted at a time when the nation bore the scars of Partition, accommodated the need for a strong national government.
At the same time, the vision of the framers of the Constitution was evident in the discussions of the Constituent Assembly. The essence of the Constitution lies in the fact that it is a blend of diverse considerations and statuses, incorporating the innumerable diversities of this vast nation. The special statuses given to several states and the recognition of various languages and faiths are all hallmarks of India's federal framework.
A recent Supreme Court observation in a GST-related case is highly relevant in this context. The court noted that uncooperative federalism is as significant as cooperative federalism.
Indian federalism is a dialogue between cooperative and uncooperative federalism where the federating units are at liberty to use different means of persuasion, from collaboration to contestation.
—Union of India & Anr Vs M/s Mohit Minerals Pvt Ltd, 2022
The Supreme Court upholds the right of states to dissent, take different stances and contest Union government policies. However, the Union government is adopting a strategy to bypass this right by employing various tactics. They do not accept the principle of a “bunch of divergences”. The idea of a country that preserves its divergences does not sit well with the ruling authorities of the Union government. Their agenda is to subjugate the nation to a single political authority by disregarding and suppressing not just cultural and linguistic diversities but also developmental disparities. To achieve this, the Union government is using financial centralisation, unilateral administrative decisions and strategies for political centralisation.
Multiple Strategies, One Goal
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 11, 2025 من Outlook.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 11, 2025 من Outlook.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
'Are you Going to Tear the Pages of History Books'?
Dressed in his characteristic black overcoat and red turban, Jyotirao Phule (Pratik Gandhi) rolls up the blinds on a window, with determination written across his face.
LUCKNOW
A House of One's Own
The Curious Case of Waqf
THE Waqf (Amendment) Act has once again raised questions about the BJP government's true intentions on issues concerning Muslims in the country. Is this Act aimed at initiating a reform process within the numerous unwieldy Waqf boards, or is it a move to weaken their power?
Landed Realities
The earth tolerates our claims like a river tolerates a dam
Fear Amid Loathing in Lucknow
An atmosphere of fear and the shadow of the bulldozer hang heavy over the heads of Lucknow's Muslims who are against the Waqf Act, but are too afraid and worried to protest
Cross Your Fingers
The Wakf Bill may not solve the problem for the residents of Munambam village in Kerala, but it could deepen the communal wedge
Hermès for All
The trade war between the US and China is affecting all countries. The world is closely watching even as Trump appears to have softened his stand on Chinese tariffs
Maid of Dishonour
Arun Ezhuthachan's Sacred Sins reveals the untold stories about the condition of Devadasis in contemporary India
A Fractured Timeline
The competitive communal politics and perpetual casualty of the Waqf assets
The PK Doctrine
Looking for a foothold in Bihar's caste-dominated landscape, Prashant Kishor, the former strategist for other political parties, is reaching out to Muslims and women on behalf of his own newbie outfit. But can he cut their old ties with Lalu and Nitish?
