Sadbhavna – the fast, and the furious
It was mesmerizing to see how Narendra Modi turned his 3-day fast into a national event, outwitted the Congress and left Modi-baiters furious at what they called his attempt at image transformation. But since when has anyone got a right to deny a man his moment? The three day Sadhbhavna fast by Gujarat Chief Minister … Read more
The Jungpura episode: Community Vs Communality.
The recent episode of the demolition of an illegal mosque in Jungpura in New Delhi has been an eye opener for all concerned. Apart from blinkered governance, it has to rate as a most bizarre case of the government arguing against its own property! What seemed like a protracted legal battle of a well-meaning, law abiding … Read more
Rein in Rahul
From being sold as India’s future to being lampooned for jeopardizing the future of his own party, it’s been a steady ride down hill for the Gandhi scion. However the real problem is not that he is incompetent or immature; the problem is that his party cannot tell him that and must actualize his hare … Read more
Not my Khap of Tea.
The Khap Panchayat issue that blew up after an MP reportedly agreed to represent their views to his party, has a basis not in any social perversion but in the politics that the Congress spawned and the Lohia-ites perverted. But at a time when this country is acquiescing to caste based census – hey, what’s … Read more
The state of our cities.
The execution [pun intended] of city planning at the altar of political expediency, with particular reference to the judicial intervention in Delhi on illegal constructions and encroachments. The spate of Court orders in Delhi in the last few years, first directing the tearing down of buildings constructed in contravention of existing building bye laws and … Read more
The Third Affront.
Why third fronts happen, and why they shouldn’t. Considering that juicy permutations of electoral admixtures has the media thrilled with possibilities as we prepare to face the 15th General Elections, it might be appropriate to remember that the revival of the third front theme is not without numerological mysticism – for if all … Read more
The communal and the criminal.
Gun runners, match fixers…what else do we need to shine up Indian politics. New Delhi, India: 20th February, 2009 Just when you thought civil society activism is leading to a purging of crooks and charlatans from politics, we are greeted by a new breed of would-be MPs whose largest impact on public service and … Read more
