Articles by Upendra Baxi

The review of the Constitution that has been instituted is a carefully planned political exercise. The oligarchic and patriarchal composition of the review commission is replete with authority figures and carefully excludes any imaginative voice from communities of social and human rights activism and independent scholars.

The logic of delinking politics from religion is directed to presenting the integrity of religious traditions from the contaminating impact of the sordid practices of power. No political party is likely to see it that way, so long as it sees legislation as a passport or as a threat to power. But conscientious citizens have no such alibi for not perceiving the deep structure of political development which has prompted the initiation of these constitutional and legislative changes.

imperialist government in India. Shinde argues that Phule's rejection of the early nationalists of the late 19th century because they were Brahmins cannot be justified. Phule offered no alternative programme. Secondly, imperialist exploitation could not be justified and supported on the ground that those who opposed the British rulers were conservative and socially undemocratic Phule also failed to recognise that the peasants and masses were the ultimate victims of colonial exploitation. The imperialist machinery was geared to the task of this exploitation. The very British legal system ejected the peasants from their land. In sum, British policies were against all that Phule stood for. Shinde concludes that "His [Phule's] thought reflected the pre-industrial situation and Phule failed to perceive the essential link between the existing property relations and exploitative socio-cultural set up and hence failed to give a viable philosophy to combat the formidable collaboration of the bourgeosie and the feudal classes on the one hand and British imperialism on the other:' Redeeming the University Upendra Baxi Redeeming Higher Education: Essays in Educational Policy by Amrik Singh; Ajanta Publications, Delhi, 1985; Rs 45, pp 229.