India has formally given up its stated position of not resuming talks with Pakistan until perpetrators of 26/11 massacre in Mumbai are brought to justice. India, the United States and pretty much the rest of the world agrees on the basis of evidence that the 26/11 massacre was planned and executed by the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Yet, Pakistan has spent 14 months osc
The Shiv Sena is threatening Shah Rukh Khan. It says unless the star apologises (to whom?) they will not allow his movie My Name Is Khan to be screened. The constitution guarantees every individual the right to livelihood and freedom of expression among various others. Every political party earns its recognition from the Election Commission of India with the express undertaking to abide by the
Inspite of the fact that NREGS is UPA`s flag-ship programme which paid it rich political dividend, the Rural Development Minister C P Joshi can`t help tinkering it. He has allowed construction of the Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendra in the list of works that can be taken up under the scheme. This, Jean Dreze and Aruna Roy--both of whom played a key role in devising the scheme and are memb
If you are heading the body that is arguably leading the battle to save the world and if you face charges of wrongdoing, what do you do? (a) Respond to allegations, explain facts, take responsibility in case there is something really wrong. (b) Make counter allegations, allege a conspiracy and blame global business lobbies for that. R.K. Pachauri, chairperson of the Nobel winner Intergovenmenta
The BJP must be on the tenterhooks with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat`s verbal volley of the rights of the non-Marathis in Mumbai. Though the statement generates hope (primarily for north Indians) at first glance, it also underlines the RSS` greater desire to dabble into politics. He being a chitpawan brahmin from Nagpur, Bhagwat`s statement has wider ramifications. In fact, Bhagwat knows it too well
After the symbolic empowerment of dalits in Uttar Pradesh, by way of raising monuments to dalit icons including herself, Chief minister Mayawati seems hell-bent on giving legislative legitimacy to her eccentricity. Her decision to raise an exclusive force to protect statues housed in those monuments located in Lucknow and Noida only reflects the megalomania that has gripped her. That she has be
It’s been a while since the highest civilian awards of the country, the Padmas, have lost their sheen. From being “bestowed” on the most deserving citizens who bring laurels to the country, these awards have become the most “besotted”. For many years now all kinds of undeserving persons have been making it to the list, thus belittling not just the awards, but the g
Indian hockey is in a mess, once again. This time it is the Hockey India, an ad-hoc body set up in April 2008 to take the game out of a new low it had slumped into when India failed even to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, which is to be blamed. Less than two months to go for the hockey World Cup to be held in New Delhi, the players have gone on strike, refusing to participate
