When the political class abandons its responsibilities, civil society needs to step up.
Unlike his usual self, the Prime Minister's energy level today was way down.
The speech made an impact because the Prime Minister's claims were backed by impressive and undeniable figures.
It is not merely individual choice, but the availability of plural worlds and alternatives.
On Independence Day, a look at one of India's most powerful, and self-effacing, leaders. An edited excerpt from 'The Man Who Saved India' by Hindol Sengupta.
Instead of admiring those who created infrastructure and knowledge for us, we worship only those who represent power. This has dented our Independence, making us callow, even at 71.
Don't let the stream of live coverage fool you into wasting your time with someone else's 'fact-checks'. It's your Independence Day, reclaim it.
On our 71st Independence Day, we face a new narrative of us versus them, which is only leading to echo chambers. We need to listen to each other much more, and push away only words of hate.
India wriggles miserably between confusions over the West and hazy sentiment about its own past. In the process, it's losing its grip on both. Independence Day should liberate us from this sorry scene.
To restrict this to the celebration of a political event is a myopic understanding of what 'independence' is.