Sushovan Dhar is a political activist and trade unionist based in Kolkata, India.
When Nepal became a republic in 2008, it aroused hopes for a fundamental transformation of Nepali society. The inability of Nepal’s left parties to deliver on those hopes created a mood of discontent among young people that exploded over the last month.
The governments of India and Pakistan pulled back from the brink over Kashmir because neither can afford a full-scale war. Bellicose rhetoric and a climate of strident nationalism have helped both governments as they face problems on the domestic front.
Mass protests in Bangladesh ousted Sheikh Hasina after state repression left hundreds dead. But an interim government headed by microcredit guru Muhammad Yunus can’t be relied on to tackle the dire social problems facing the country’s popular classes.
Repression of student protests in Bangladesh has killed almost 200 people. The protests began over the allocation of government jobs but developed into a wider challenge to a ruling party that’s out of touch and increasingly authoritarian.
The political formulas that worked so well before for Narendra Modi proved less effective this year and he lost his single-party majority. Modi will remain in office, but his opponents will be more confident that they can challenge his Hindutva agenda.
The main challenge to Narendra Modi in India’s election comes from the Indian National Congress and the alliance it leads. But the party is struggling to keep afloat as a national force as it pays the price for embracing neoliberal economic policies.