All stories by AAKAR PATEL
When will Modi cut high taxes on fuels?
Rediff.com24 Feb 2021The logic of deregulation was that the consumer was protected no matter what the price of crude. But now the reverse has happened. The government is protected no matter what the price of crude, observes Aakar Patel.
Is India becoming a flawed democracy?
Rediff.com9 Feb 2021For those who think India's democracy is just fine and there has been no change in the last few years, perhaps it would be instructive to see what has happened on a few issues, observes Aakar Patel.
India's growth story is over
Rediff.com2 Feb 2021You can make all the speeches you want, you cannot argue against 39 straight months of slowing, observes Aakar Patel.
Will this Budget be a 'Game Changer'?
Rediff.com31 Jan 2021That is what you will hear again after Nirmala Sitharaman presents a speech that will prove to be meaningless and numbers that will show themselves to be wildly off the mark, observes Aakar Patel.
Is Republic Day truly worth a celebration?
Rediff.com19 Jan 2021Our pledge on this Republic Day must be to use those parts of the Constitution that are still on our side and take back our rights and liberties lawfully from the State, which has usurped them, asserts Aakar Patel.
Is India becoming a failed State?
Rediff.com8 Jan 2021'It is difficult to see how we will be able to get out of the hole that we have dug ourselves into and are digging deeper into,' notes Aakar Patel.
Why Modi is not good at implementation
Rediff.com4 Jan 2021He is not good at thinking through laws and policies. His lockdown produced chaos and misery and didn't stop Covid. His GST finished off thousands of companies and reduced the amount of tax government collects to such an extent that he cannot pay state governments any more, observes Aakar Patel.
The ticking time bombs in the Constitution
Rediff.com31 Dec 2020The Constitution is a terrific document, but it is also one that has suppressed the Hindu majoritarian sentiment. We are living through times when this suppression is being popularly rejected, notes Aakar Patel.
Does Modi want small companies to fail?
Rediff.com18 Dec 2020India has too many small companies and this is inefficient. It should instead have only a handful of very large players running its economy and these giants can then compete with the world, observes Aakar Patel.
Govt has used all its tricks on the farmers
Rediff.com11 Dec 2020Their demands will be met of course, and this government will move on to the next great idea, without an apology or an explanation, predicts Aakar Patel.
Why a sense of dread and fear prevails in India
Rediff.com4 Dec 2020The standard line that is used for anyone -- academics, minorities, farmers, dissident industrialists -- who points out that what the government is doing is wrong is being anti-national and separatists, reveals Aakar Patel.
Is India taking COVID-19 seriously?
Rediff.com25 Nov 2020We have no standard processes in place to address the more serious public health hazard of our lifetime, observes Aakar Patel.
Why does Modi want more power?
Rediff.com20 Nov 2020Power is held to effect change. Modi has shown himself incapable of affecting it in the positive sense. On the economy, on the border, on employment, on the epidemic, observes Aakar Patel.
Will Kamala Harris spell trouble for India?
Rediff.com11 Nov 2020Events in America have strengthened the hand of those leaders there who wish India well, but think of India as being a collection of Indians.
If Indians are mistreated, they will object, asserts Aakar Patel.
Can we believe Modi on Covid or economy?
Rediff.com2 Nov 2020It is hard to tell whether the prime minister is unable to confront the reality or so supremely confident in his abilities that he can convince the rest of us that the reality is different from our perception of it, observes Aakar Patel.
What Election Commission can learn from US
Rediff.com31 Oct 2020India needs to examine some way in which, assuming that there is either no vaccine or a delay in administering it to everyone, voting can be made safer, notes Aakar Patel.
Modiji, whatever happened to competing with China?
Rediff.com23 Oct 2020Now we must first compete with Bangladesh. This is not what we had been promised, notes Aakar Patel.
Does Modi want to FIX the Economy?
Rediff.com17 Oct 2020The problem is major, and the problem affects hundreds of millions of people. Ignoring it must have a sound reason. Ignoring it must in some way be more important than addressing it, notes Aakar Patel.
When will India become a rule of law nation?
Rediff.com7 Oct 2020The expectation is that the government will not abuse its authority and that a political party not misuse the State. What we are seeing today is the clear evidence that this is not enough, argues Aakar Patel.
Why every Indian should be worried
Rediff.com24 Sep 2020Even with more power against the individual than any other modern democratic nation, the Indian government seeks more. Such laws do not exist elsewhere in the civilised world, observes Aakar Patel.