Editorial: The Voice of Common Cause
Echoing Since 1982
40 years is an important landmark in the life of any publication. More so for a non-profit journal which comes free to its subscribers. For the members and friends of Common Cause, it is a matter of great pride that the journal has survived serious odds and is still thriving.
Our legendary Founder Director, Mr H D Shourie, called it as the voice of Common Cause. Over time, it became the organisation’s main link with its members and well-wishers. Our catchline – A Romance with Public Causes – was Mr Shourie’s coinage, as if to remind us that ours is more like a love affair with public causes rather than a vicious conflict with the powers that be!
But while romancing with our causes, we never flinched from fighting a good fight. It was in this spirit of constructive campaigns that we have been taking on the high and mighty for probity in public life and governance reforms. Our PILs testify that we chose our battles irrespective of political ideologies of those in power. And therefore, the mission of our democratic interventions has been to improve life of fellow Indians and to strive for an India where every citizen is respected and fairly treated.
The journal, like the organisation it represents, has also evolved over time. In the initial years, we tended to take up civic and consumer issues but gradually changed course. After Mr Shourie’s time, Common Cause veered towards defending fundamental rights and building institutional integrity under the leadership of Mr Kamal Kant Jaswal, a distinguished former civil servant. The old issues of your journal clearly reflect this journey.
You will be happy to know that nearly all the old issues of the journal are now just a click away on commoncause.in, our website. Some striking issues of the journal, from the eighties and nineties, are devoted to themes such as ‘scams, scandals, stigmas’ or ‘religious harmony and peace’ or on India’s achievements and ‘positive scores.’ This issue tries to walk you down the memory lane and retrace our steps since the foundation of the organisation and subsequently the journal.
You would have noticed that the look and feel of today’s journal is very different. This is important for keeping in step with the times but the new format carries on the original spirit of reaching out to you with a fresh theme every quarter. We try to get the best subject experts to write in the journal. Also featured regularly are our Status of Policing in India Reports (SPIRs) and important PILs in order to keep you informed about our activities and legal battles.
We at Common Cause are aware that the journal, first and foremost, is a platform for our interactions with our primary audience—our valued members and well-wishers. It is also a vehicle to fulfil our objective: to defend and fight for the rights and entitlements of all groups of citizens. The purpose of this dialogue is to stay on the same page with you and also receive your comments, criticisms, thoughts and suggestions.
In the times of Covid-19 pandemic, we had to bring out many digital-only issues. We are now back to printed copies but a digital future for the journal looks like something whose time has come. Of course, we will keep you informed if and when that happens.
As always, we would be very eager to hear from you. Please write in to us at commoncauseindia@gmail.com
Vipul Mudgal
Editor
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