The Maverick Republic

An alarming paradox emerges from witnessing prevalent national currents over the past three decades. Th ominous paradox is that despite the demonstrable political wisdom of the humble voter and the valiant attempts of the common citizen to seek a semblance of material progress and social equity, those with money, power and influence have relentlessly pushed the country into a wildly individualistic quagmire of greed, self-indulgence and cruelty. A country where there are no standards, no rules or principles to carry out even the simplest transaction, where everything is permissible, where anything goes . . . The largest democracy of the world has become The Maverick Republic. About The Author: Jawid Laiq, a noted journalist, writes on current political and economic issues for a number of distinguished newspapers and journals, including The Times of India, The Indian Express, Outlook and The Economic and Political Weekly. He has reported and commented on major news events within the country since 1970. As a research officer from 1987 to 1994 with Amnesty International, London, he travelled to remote refugee camps and tribal villages in far conrners of the globe to investigate human rights abuses committed by lawless government agencies. He has also been a research fellow with the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. He is the author of a monograph on Globalisation and Resistance. He was educated at Catherdral School and Elphinstone College, Bombay, and at London University.