What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Generational rage 

Context

Violent chaos after the government crackdown endangers Nepal’s democracy

Introduction

Nepal now stands at a critical crossroads. The violent protests of September 9, 2025—marked by attacks on institutions and the release of prisoners—reflect deeper frustrations rooted in decades of political instability and failed governance. What began as youthful outrage risks spiraling into destructive nihilism unless addressed with urgent reforms, democratic renewal, and inclusive national dialogue.

The Upheaval in Nepal (September 9, 2025)

• Protesters torched Parliament, Supreme Court, political residences, and media offices.
• Prisoners were released amid the chaos.
• Trigger: The crackdown a day earlier killed 19 young demonstrators.
• Context: Follows Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s resignation.
• Concern: The protests display violent nihilismthat endangers Nepal’s fragile democratic gains.

Roots of the “Gen Z Protests”

• Born out of frustration with chronic political dysfunction.
• Jan Andolan II (2005): Overthrew monarchy, promised a “Naya Nepal”.
• Reality since then:
  • 13 heads of government across 30 tenuressince the 1990s.
  • Mainstream parties (Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist Centre) prioritised alliances over electoral mandates.
  • Leaders like P. Oliand Sher Bahadur Deuba showed reluctance to support reforms.
  • Pushpa Kamal Dahalfocused mainly on retaining power.
• Consequences:
  • Economy overly dependent on remittances.
  • Youth migrationand soaring unemployment.
  • Failure to diversify; Nepal remains a UN-designated least developed country.

Rise of New Political Forces

• Disillusioned youth generation is driving alternative politics.
• Emerging actors:
  • Rashtriya Swatantra Party.
  • Independents like Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah.
• Significance: Reflects public hunger for alternatives.
• Concerns:
  • Shah’s call to dissolve Parliament outright, instead of pushing for elections, raises doubts about democratic maturity.
  • Danger of repeating Bangladesh’s democratic backsliding.

The Way Forward

• Warning: Destroying state and civil institutions is not democratic renewal.
• Immediate needs:
  • Stabilisation and peace.
  • Nepali Army to provide security space for civilian democratic actors.
• Long-term needs:
  • Constitutional reformsto fulfil promises made before the Constituent Assembly.
  • Consider a presidential system with direct elections, accountable to an elected Parliament.
• Risk: Without reforms and peace, violent nihilism could erode the very foundations of democracyin Nepal.

Conclusion

Nepal’s democracy cannot survive on empty rhetoric or unstable alliances. The path forward lies in restoring peace, safeguarding institutions, and pursuing meaningful constitutional reforms that empower citizens. A presidential system with accountability, coupled with immediate stability, may prevent further backsliding. Without decisive action, Nepal risks losing its fragile democratic foundations and the long-promised vision of a true “Naya Nepal.”

 

Editorial 2: To build roads is to build peace

Context

Roads reclaim the space of governance from non-state groups sustained by remoteness.

Introduction

In India’s tribal heartlands, particularly in Maoist-affected regions, roads signify far more than mere transport. They serve as symbols of the state, cutting through forests and hills while also piercing layers of neglect and marginalisation. In areas where formal institutions remain distant, the construction of a road often heralds the first tangible presence of governance.

Roads as Catalysts of Stability

• Research evidenceshows that road development in conflict-affected areas has a stabilising effect.
• In Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha— core States of the Red Corridor — rural roads are linked to better electricity access, jobs, and security.
• Roads help the state reclaim governancefrom non-state actors who exploit isolation.
• In the absence of the state, insurgent groups step in with slogans, parallel institutions, and systems.
• Classic examples, like Diego Gambetta’s study of the Sicilian Mafia, show how extralegal actors assume functions such as taxation and conflict resolutionwhen governance retreats.
• In India, Maoist insurgentsfill gaps through informal courts and by levying their own “taxes.”

Extralegal Governance: Filling Gaps, Seeking Legitimacy

• Governance gapstrigger opportunistic entrepreneurship, where insurgents provide selective services.
• Reports note that extralegal groups have even dispensed basic medical aidwhere clinics were absent — blurring the line between care and coercion.
• Alpa Shah (2018)and Human Rights Watch (2009) found that Maoists often run welfare and health services, backed by the threat of violence.
• As Zachariah Mampilly (2011)argued, such services are strategic, not charitable — aimed at legitimacy and control.
• However, legitimacy cannot rest on coercion. Extralegal justice is opaque, arbitrary, and punitive.
• Maoist jan adalats (kangaroo courts)have issued summary punishments, including executions without due process — more terror than tribunal.

Infrastructure as the Foundation of Lawful Authority

• Infrastructure enables governance: it is the physical preconditionfor lawful authority.
• Jain & Biswas (2023)show that road connectivity reduces crime and increases service access.
• Prieto-Curiel & Menezes (2020)demonstrate that poor connectivity correlates with higher violence
• Roads are not just functional; they are political.
• Through roads, the state brings schools, clinics, police stations, and courts, introducing services within democratic frameworks.
• Formal institutionsfunction under laws, accountability, and electoral oversight, unlike informal justice systems, which often mirror power hierarchies and patriarchal norms.
• Without formal courts, communities risk mob reprisalsand collective punishments.
• The Indian state recognises this: in Chhattisgarh, B.V.R. Subrahmanyam’s strategy placed infrastructure first, followed by education, healthcare, and law enforcement.
• Each new road sends a clear message: the state has arrived, and it is here to stay.

Safeguards are needed too

• Without institutional safeguards— such as justice systems, health-care access, and community consultation — roads risk becoming symbols of control instead of inclusion.
• A road must not just cut through a villagebut be built with the village, as this is crucial for legitimacy.
• Informal social norms, even outside insurgent influence, can also be exclusionary.
• In parts of rural India, khap panchayatsand caste councils function alongside or instead of formal institutions.
• These bodies often enforce rigid codesthrough shame or violence, offering quick resolution but lacking equityand legality.
• Development must aimnot only to replace insurgent authority but to foster pluralistic, rights-based governance erooted in India’s constitutional values.

Conclusion

As India deepens its investments in tribal heartlands, particularly in southern Chhattisgarh, road development must be seen as part of a larger commitment to ensuring justice, dignity, and opportunity. The purpose of such infrastructure is not only to enable physical movement but also to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion. In this sense, building roads is ultimately about building peace.