Goanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 64

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Today's Topics:

   1. Read: 'Controversial Figure': Kerala's St. Thomas College
      Cancels Lecture by Former 'Caravan' Editor (Vivek Pinto)
   2. USA Trade Deal: Rhetoric vs Reality The Government is
      gloating over the recent trade deal with the USA, projecting it
      as beneficial for all. A natural question arises: how does this
      agreement compare with the so-called ?mother of all deals? with
      the European Union and with other trade arrangements concluded
      recently? The USA has lately been courting Pakistan for various
      strategic reasons?often at India?s expense. Yet India remains an
      indispensable partner for the US in counterbalancing Russia,
      China, and North Korea. Despite all rhetoric and filibustering,
      the USA cannot simply dispense with India. India, to its credit,
      has handled negotiations with the USA in a silent, cautious, and
      calculated manner. This restrained approach itself has sent a
      strong signal?even to a mercurial leader like Donald Trump. Trade
      tariffs must be genuinely reciprocal. Earlier tariff levels
      ranging between 2% and 5% were far more reasonable than steep
      hikes touching 18%, especiall (Nelson Lopes)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 13:30:30 +0900
From: Vivek Pinto <[email protected]>
To: Goanet <[email protected]>
Subject: [Goanet] Read: 'Controversial Figure': Kerala's St. Thomas
	College Cancels Lecture by Former 'Caravan' Editor
Message-ID:
	<CAH3OY9zpwp7N_+64oK+UV+EKOnd8J4H0sg1SCzHsnFEkfKe+uw-JsoAwUIsXosN+BqQ9rBEUg@public.gmane.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

By: The Wire Staff
Published in: The Wire
Date: November 5, 2026
Source:
https://thewire.in/education/keralas-st-thomas-college-cancels-lecture-caravan-editor-vinod-k-jose
'I know many people have gone through such experiences often in the times
we live in, but the first is always sweet, when you feel your presence
itself is de-settling for a certain audience,' Vinod K. Jose has said.

*New Delhi:* One of the oldest and premier educational institutions of
Kerala, St. Thomas College, has cancelled its annual memorial lecture in
which it had invited former editor of *The* *Caravan* magazine and the
founder and director of the Wayanad Literature Festival Vinod K. Jose, to
speak on ?The State of Indian Democracy.?

On Tuesday, February 3, Jose announced in a social media post
<https://www.facebook.com/vinod.k.jose/posts/i-received-my-first-disinvitation-today-i-know-many-people-have-gone-through-suc/10161787316796557/>
 that his invitation to deliver the keynote speech in the annual T.C.
Thomas Endowment Lecture ? named after a former faculty member ? was
cancelled by the authorities of the St. Thomas college in Pala. He received
a message from another speaker at the event saying that the college
authorities believed that he was a ?controversial figure?.

?I was invited to speak on ?The State of Indian Democracy.? Funnily enough,
with the disinvitation ? and the relief of not having to travel to Pala ?
the lecture has already been delivered, without me uttering a word. The
state of Indian democracy stands explained,? Jose wrote.

?I received my first disinvitation today. I know many people have gone
through such experiences often in the times we live in, but the first is
always sweet, when you feel your presence itself is de-settling for a
certain audience,? Jose said.

Speaking with *The Wire,* Jose said that he had received the invitation
around two months ago from the department of political science. The college
also gave him the liberty to pick a date according to his convenience.
Finally, the event was scheduled on February 5, 2026. Jose said that he was
informed about his disinvitation by a co-speaker at the event on February
3, 2026.

?The political science department had asked me to choose my own topic for
the keynote address. I suggested two topics ? one, the global decline of
democracy, and the other being the state of Indian democracy. The second
was selected by the department as apt for the address,? Jose told *The
Wire. *

?One of the co-speakers whom I knew informed me about the college?s
decision to disinvite me. He said that the management and the principal did
not want me in the college, as I am a ?controversial figure.?

?He was very apologetic about the college?s decision,? Jose said.

In his social media post, Jose attributed such silencing of independent and
intellectual voices in campuses as part of the ?RSS-BJP?s line? to block
important conversations with a larger goal to ?get a foothold in Kerala?.
Jose said that a section of Christian society in Kerala are ?tiptoeing? the
RSS?s line.

?St Thomas Pala is a Catholic diocese-managed college. These are
interesting times we live in. If not all, at least a section of the
Christian society in Kerala are tiptoeing the RSS-BJP line of blocking
relevant, transparent conversations at the least, and at its maximum,
working to help the Hindu right get a foothold in Kerala,? Jose said.

?A recurring complaint I hear from the management of Christian educational
institutions these days is that the quality of their students is declining.
But the question is also about the quality these colleges offer their
students. When a management decides to censor ideas and experiences that
students should be exposed to?an integral part of social science
education?why then complain about quality? We shall be rearing eggs in the
name of St Thomas, as opposed to the martyr that he was of ideas,? he went
on to add.

Last October, St.Thomas College?s 75th anniversary celebrations had
garnered state-wide attention as its closing ceremony was inaugurated by
President of India Droupadi Murmu. Sources familiar with the management in
the college told *The Wire* that the presence of Jose, widely known for his
critical views, in the college was viewed by the college authorities as
something that could jeopardise the institution?s international donations,
given the fact that the Narendra Modi government has set a new high in
cancelling FCRA (Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010) licences over
the last 11 years.

*The Wire*?s reached out to Sibi James, principal of St. Thomas College,
but did not get response. The story will be updated with the College?s
response if and when it comes.


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 11:22:54 +0530
From: Nelson Lopes <[email protected]>
To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!"
	<[email protected]>
Subject: [Goanet] USA Trade Deal: Rhetoric vs Reality The Government
	is gloating over the recent trade deal with the USA, projecting it as
	beneficial for all. A natural question arises: how does this agreement
	compare with the so-called ?mother of all deals? with the European
	Union and with other trade arrangements concluded recently? The USA
	has lately been courting Pakistan for various strategic reasons?often
	at India?s expense. Yet India remains an indispensable partner for the
	US in counterbalancing Russia, China, and North Korea. Despite all
	rhetoric and filibustering, the USA cannot simply dispense with India.
	India, to its credit, has handled negotiations with the USA in a
	silent, cautious, and calculated manner. This restrained approach
	itself has sent a strong signal?even to a mercurial leader like Donald
	Trump. Trade tariffs must be genuinely reciprocal. Earlier tariff
	levels ranging between 2% and 5% were far more reasonable than steep
	hikes touching 18%, especiall
Message-ID:
	<CACCOymL7dy9zbKqAwt1D1jUfqgMRy6eR4bEqowMzjuK-19p2ww-JsoAwUIsXosN+BqQ9rBEUg@public.gmane.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

USA Trade Deal: Rhetoric vs Reality

The Government is gloating over the recent trade deal with the USA,
projecting it as beneficial for all. A natural question arises: how does
this agreement compare with the so-called ?mother of all deals? with the
European Union and with other trade arrangements concluded recently?

The USA has lately been courting Pakistan for various strategic
reasons?often at India?s expense. Yet India remains an indispensable
partner for the US in counterbalancing Russia, China, and North Korea.
Despite all rhetoric and filibustering, the USA cannot simply dispense with
India.

India, to its credit, has handled negotiations with the USA in a silent,
cautious, and calculated manner. This restrained approach itself has sent a
strong signal?even to a mercurial leader like Donald Trump.

Trade tariffs must be genuinely reciprocal. Earlier tariff levels ranging
between 2% and 5% were far more reasonable than steep hikes touching 18%,
especially when compared with concessions extended to other nations.
Current bilateral trade stands at around USD 140 billion, and promises to
scale this up to USD 500 billion within five years appear unrealistic and
overly ambitious.

India has steadily diversified its trade basket, including defence
acquisitions and strategic partnerships. The USA is no longer India?s
preferred or sole export destination. Moreover, the uncertainty surrounding
US policy?particularly under Trump?raises serious concerns about its
reliability, especially when India faces aggression or coercion from China,
often aided by Pakistan.

The USA has specifically targeted India on sensitive fronts: H-1B visas,
manufacturing under ?Make in India,? deportation threats, and persistent
scrutiny of Indian CEOs leading global corporations. Prolonged negotiations
and strained relations suggest that recent trade deals are primarily skewed
in favour of American interests. India?s silence on tangible gains only
reinforces this suspicion.

India, however, is the world?s fastest-growing major economy and possesses
inherent strengths to withstand economic or political coercion?from the USA
or any other power. China, the UK, and several other nations have
proactively opened doors through universities, work visas, employment
opportunities, favourable import-export duties, technology transfers, and
joint manufacturing ventures?all of which bode well for India?s long-term
growth.

One must also consider the risks of importing uneconomical oil, which could
severely strain India?s finances. If Russia?a long-standing and trusted
ally?were to curtail arms supplies in retaliation, where would India turn?
Meanwhile, new global alliances are steadily forming, gradually diluting
American dominance as the sole superpower. Ironically, Trump?s aggressive
tariff wars may have accelerated China?s rise rather than contained it.

Strategic patience, diversification, and self-reliance?not
triumphalism?should guide India?s trade diplomacy.
Isolating , ignoring humiliating India as also alienating its allies os
counter productive to strategic  partnerships The Venezuela  incident and
threats to Iran, Mexico ,   Columbia, Canada, Cuba   Greenland are
contentious outbursts that USA is fritteing away reliable cooperation
Nelson Lopes
Chinchinim
















Nelson Lopes
Chinchinim
https://lopesnelsonnat.wordpress.com


End of Goanet Digest, Vol 21, Issue 64
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