China has lost the 'Jade kingdom', India must not
As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh walks the red carpet at the Ela Airport in Myanmar on May 28, he would be seen by many there as arriving a little too late. Is New Delhi really prepared to take China's lost ground? Atishay Abbhi examines Tough task ahead for the new COAS
General V K Singh, who will be retiring as the chief of the army staff on May 31,2012, will go down in history as a highly competent General, who did not deserve to be the head of the proud Indian Army despite his excellent record in the battle-field against our adversaries, writes B Raman PM's visit to Myanmar opens great opportunities
The Chinese influence on Myanmar needs to be contested. They have invested heavily in Myanmar's economy. India needs to ensure greater integration of the Myanmarese economy to relieve it of the stresses that it would otherwise feel should the Chinese put pressure on them, says Brigadier (retd) S K Chatterji. India should supply energy to power-starved Myanmar
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Myanmar should offer to help its government on an emergency basis to increase the power supply in the country. A dismal third anniversary for UPA-2
At the end of UPA-2's three years in power, India has become a more unbalanced, strife-torn and unhappy society, with reduced human security and tattered social cohesion. Rather than correct policy course, the government deals with the resulting discontent with brute force, says Praful Bidwai Maharashtra's man-made water woes
Why are so many regions in the state facing water scarcity despite normal to excess rainfall? Mahesh Vijapurkar blames the government. How important is Dr Singh's visit to Myanmar?
Leaders of only a few Asian countries have visited Myanmar in the new era. Notably, China is not among them. Dr Manmohan Singh's visit, the first by a prime minister since 1987, is imbued with larger regional significance, says Rajiv Bhatia. Rescuing the rupee: What can be done
'Well, what can be done now, when the economy is tanking? 'Austerity', the officials cry. That would be fine, but austerity by whom? Normally, the answer is: Belt-tightening by the common man (Indians already pay some of the highest prices in the world for petroleum products, and a lot of that is punitive taxes), but ostentatious spending and extravagance by the political classes and their cronies,' says Rajeev Srinivasan. Why India is wary of Myanmar-NSCN-K agreement
The ceasefire agreement between the Naga faction and Myanmar was signed without India being informed. It is likely to have long-term implications not only for the ethnic politics of the Naga-inhabited regions, but also for India's northeast and Myanmar, says Rahul Mishra. Will US-Pak relations EVER go back to normal?
Pakistan missed a valuable opportunity to create goodwill with the United States and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation members when it failed to announce a reopening of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan at the summit held Sunday and Monday in Chicago, says Lisa Curtis. North Indian Muslims will keep Modi's ambitions at bay
The BJP's post-Vajpayee succession battle will resolve itself only when it is in a position to form a government. For that it will need to woo regional satraps, many of whom have prime ministerial ambitions of their own.' <P> 'Even if the numbers are on the BJP's side, many regional leaders can't afford to support a Modi-led government for fear of losing their Muslim vote blocs,' says Shivam Vij. Let us not pretend that our system is flawless
Years ago, as finance minister, Manmohan Singh popularised the term 'systemic failure.' Today he appears to believe it is a case of individuals being at fault rather than the system. I believe he was wrong then and is wrong now, says T V R Shenoy. Special: The glue that keeps this country together
No one can deny that but for Parliament our unity as a country could never have been what it is today, says Suresh Prabhu, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha four times. Cartoon row: Why our MPs don't get the joke
Since governance in this country is increasingly tyrannical, ruled by bans and censorships, and intolerant of any criticism, the parliamentary committee on textbooks is almost certain to pander to politicians, feels Sherna Gandhy. Is the future of education leaving India in the dust?
The digital revolution in education is coming at a most opportune time for India. Leadership in this is something India could seize, if only it had the vision, feels Rajeev Srinivasan. India can offer its services to RESOLVE US-Iran row
New Delhi, as the only agent that enjoys trust in all the key capitals, must offer itself as a back-channel interlocutor, says Ajai Shukla Are we surrendering our minds to?
Are we submerging our individual abilities, memories and consciousness to a larger anonymous cloud over which we have no control? Is this a surrender of our mind to an omniscient, omnipotent Viswa Chaitanya, a Universal Consciousness that the great scientists or rishis dreamed of? Why are some army officers becoming Dabangg?
Is the Nyoma incident, where a group of army officers allegedly thrashed a jawan for alleged misbehaviour and then defied their commanding officer, an aberration? Or is the matter more serious than what the army is making it out to be?Colonel Anil Athale (retd) explains the origins of this Dabangg-giri. We wish to see a change in Parliament
In simple terms all that the people of this country are asking for is honest individuals with sincerity of purpose to be their voices in Parliament. Is it wrong of us or is it too much to ask, wonders Vivek Gumaste. Parliament: Is it even worse than it looks?
'India's parliamentary democracy is ridden with flaws,' argues Rajeev Srinivasan. 'Parliament has become a monarchy, with seats captured by a strongman, and then inherited by his wife or children.' Nothing diminishes the fact that we are a Great Nation
The history of our nation may not always have charted a linear trajectory to greatness. But that must not distract us from recognising that we as a nation we continue to find new and innovative ways to reconcile contradictions, transcend fault-lines thus avoiding the pitfalls of so many of our neighbours, says Shashi Shekhar. Exclusive! Arvind Kejriwal: How Parliament can change
There is no mechanism for the people to intervene in the affairs of Parliament, to direct it to enact laws on particular subjects, to prevent it from passing certain other kind of laws. The People are supreme, not Parliament. But unfortunately, in India, the People do not have any control, whatsoever, on the functioning of Parliament, says Arvind Kejriwal. Exclusive to Rediff.com Why did we forget Alex Menon's dead bodyguards?
Life may have returned to normal for the Sukma collector, but will the lives of the families of his two bodyguards who died during his abduction be the same again, asks Shobha Warrier. Systemic change needs sustained effort, not just Aamir
The appeal of a courageous superstar with a conscience on a Sunday morning television show may help resolve some of the issues that affect us. But to for us to change as a people needs much more effort and awareness, feels Sherna Gandhy. Rajeev Srinivasan: Why Indian education sucks!
'Indian education has, after Independence, produced nothing whatsoever -- yes, absolutely nothing -- of global calibre. Not one earth-shaking discovery or invention, not one outstanding theoretical insight!' Rajeev Srinivasan on how Indian education is unable to anticipate what the future holds. Is India serious about investigating Tatragate?
Did an Indian agency place a 'mole' within the Tatra subsidiary in Britain? Did powerful forces in India snuff out a life before anything emerged?T V R Shenoy asks some uncomfortable questions about the Tatra case. Parliament's role in making India Great is over
Give this fact that the middle class is not responsible in India and cannot be trusted to lead, it is remarkable that our legislature, even given all of its vulgar traits, has performed as superbly as it has, notes Aakar Patel. The first column in a series as India celebrates the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of the Joint House of Parliament on May 13. Good monsoon, yet people can't wait for tankers
Mahesh Vijapurkar is not surprised that 41 villages in Sangli district want to be merged with Karnataka because of the perennial drinking water shortage in their villages. The looming Haqqani Network threat to India
The Haqqani terror Network, is likely to step in as a 'service provider' to groups re-launching terrorist activities in Kashmir, says Wilson John Why India needs a Sardar Patel today
From NCTC to GST and from economic reforms to targeted subsidies/entitlements the political need of the present times is leadership in Patel's mold that can engage, negotiate, build trust and confidence where possible, awe and overwhelm when necessary, says Shashi Shekhar. Iran's strategic relevance for India
Lingering tension and looming war clouds within the region pose grave threats to India's interests. It is therefore imperative for India to try and mediate between the US and Iran, says Alok Bansal. How to neutralise the Maoist challenge
The key to fighting Maoists lies in isolating them in urban areas and containing them in forested areas, says Sonali Ranade Bye Sarko: What France's new president means for India
A solid political relation with France could balance India's foreign relations, which have often tilted towards the United States or Russia, says Claude Arpi. In Abbottabad, Osama was reduced to an armchair amir
After Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden moved to Abbottabad he was neither the commander-in-chief nor an ideologue par excellence, but a senior jihadi who mattered little. Why the Congress and BJP are having sleepless nights
The squabbles we are seeing today over the election of the next President will be nothing compared to the all-out war ignited by a fragmented verdict after the 2014 General Election, says TVR Shenoy. Abduction: A failed Maoist tactic
Would the Maoists lose the support of the middle-class and urban intelligentsia by continuing to use kidnapping as a propaganda tool? Dr P V Ramana analyses Do we need Sachin and Rekha in the Rajya Sabha?
Shouldn't the government's nominees for the Rajya Sabha have shown some interest in public affairs, some evidence that they have an understanding of national issues, asks Sherna Gandhy. Hamid Mir: How Obama fulfilled Osama's dreams
A year after Osama bin Laden's death, Al Qaeda is determined to make stay alive, feels Hamid Mir, the last journalist to interview bin Laden. Machiavelli explains our politicians best
As politicians dismantle the levers of power, whether it is subsidies, allotment of land or spectrum, etc, they fear the prospect of losing the power of patronage much more than the power to extract rents therefrom, says Sonali Ranade India's skewed internet censorship debate
The current mechanisms of internet censorship in India are draconian and unconstitutional. They need to be replaced with a new set of rules that are fair, transparent and accessible for public scrutiny, says Shivam Vij CM Parrikar is Goa's Narendra Modi?
With Manohar Parrikar's methodical approach to governance Goa may see better days ahead, says Aditi Phadnis Citizen's dilemmas: Deficits of all kinds
I wonder if I can find anyone I could trust as a citizen, asks Mahesh Vijapurkar. Menon abduction: Giving into the Maoists not an option
Serious brainstorming at the national level is fast becoming a necessity to deal with this phenomenon of abductions by the Maoists. The home ministry's hands-off approach is certainly not what India needs at the moment, says Bibhu Prasad Routray. Sushma puts the focus on what Rajapaksa needs to do
There is no change in Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa's game plan in dealing with Indian leaders -- agree with what they say and carry on as before. Thus, we can expect the 'un-reconciled' reconciliation process in the island-nation to drag on further, says Col R Hariharan Agni-V is a Chinese-centric missile
In our euphoria over the successful Agni V test, we should not lose sight of the continuing gaps in tactical capabilities and the need to close them, writes B Raman Maoist guns fall silent, it's now up to Nepal's politicos
Top leaders of Nepal's major political parties have met over two days in an attempt to arrive at a consensus, but the discussions were inconclusive. Another round of meetings and discussions are due to be held over the weekend before the constituent assembly meets on April 23, says Shubha Singh 'You, Mr Bachchan, are really a champion'
Here's what makes Amitabh Bachchan the epitome of humility and a great human being. RTE ruling: Minority schools won't teach their poor
Let the poor and underprivileged among the minorities understand that when it comes to uplifting them, the so-called minority leaders show no sympathy or sense of responsibility, writes Ram Madhav explaining the import of the Supreme Court verdict on the Right To Education Act Is Rahul Gandhi's vision for India based on caste?
Rahul Gandhi's remark 'I am a Brahmin, and I am general secretary of the party' would have been dismissed as a stray thoughtless remark if it were not for the fact that it shows a trend in his thinking, feels T V R Shenoy. Agni 5 -- going ballistic over a missile
If India's nuclear and missile capability before Agni-5 was not enough to deter China, then it is unlikely that Agni-5 will, argues Sushant Sareen All is not yet lost in Afghanistan
The ability of President Hamid Karzai to maintain inter-ethnic unity will determine whether history will be repeated in Afghanistan, says B Raman Where is the prime minister?
India is being governed by a prime minister who has barely put forth his views on important problems in the public domain, says Varad Varanya For the CPI-M, politics is still in command
Despite the intense internal questioning, for Karat and CPI-M politics is still in command, writes Aditi Phadnis Is the worst over in the Army-government tug of war?
The tragedy -- and paradox -- of the present situation is that the spat has occurred between two figures known for their integrity -- AK Antony and Gen VK Singh -- who should have walked in step in the larger national interest, says Neerja Chowdhury Centre's attempt to browbeat states is unacceptable
I am afraid there is an emerging pattern wherein the powers vested with the States are sought to be abrogated without the attendant responsibility... Every time, I visit the capital, I come with great hope of receiving assistance for Tamil Nadu which till now has eluded us. Hope, however, springs eternal.... Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa tells the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security in New Delhi Internal security a struggle in which we cannot relax: PM
The text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech at the Conference of CMs on Internal Security in New Delhi on Monday. Fresh sanctions against N Korea: A serious mistake by US
The US is unwittingly proving to the North Korean leadership that its experimentation with transparency was unwise, says B Raman Why India cannot afford to give up Siachen
The strategic advantage accruing to India in Siachen should not be given up for apparent short-term political gains. Giving up Siachen as a gesture of friendship would also mean that its recapture would be extremely expensive to India in men and material, says Vikram Sood. Will the jihadi tiger devour Pakistan?
Pakistan has no alternative but to surgically eliminate its bonds with jihadi groups, cleanse its security establishments of jihadi patrons and focus on rebuilding the State on democratic lines, says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd). Prime Minister Modi? The idea is inevitable
'With the Special Investigation Team's closure report finding no case to be made against Modi on Zakia Jafri's complaint, the public debate has once again returned to The Narendra Modi Question.' The sad decline of Mumbai's BEST bus service
Once one of the best bus services in the country, the Bombay Electric Supply & Transport company has regressed into a loss-making, lumbering giant that clearly is not interested in serving the Mumbai long-suffering commuter, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Why the scaremongering over the army is worrisome
The real worry is the apparent panic the army movement generated in the government circles. This shows a total breakdown of communications and atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale. Has India become less violent?
India is less violent, privately and publicly, than ever before, says Devesh Kapur Mr Zardari, will you protect Hindus in Pakistan?
Tarun Vijay, the BJP MP, would like to ask President Asif Ali Zardari: 'Is the ease available to a Pakistani Muslim to visit his places of faith in India also available to an Indian Hindu to visit his places of worship in Pakistan?' Mr PM, don't expect spectacular results from Zardari meet
Look for or try for a little more goodwill, a little less venom, writes senior analyst B Raman in a open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the eve of Pakistan President Asif Zardari's visit to India Is Zardari's India visit badly-timed?
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's decision to visit Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's Dargah at Ajmer Sharif with his family members on April 8 indicates his willingness to walk the extra mile to normalise relations with India. But is his timing wrong? Alok Bansal wonders. Odisha's 'real' hostage crisis!
Abduction for the release of jailed Maoists is becoming a trend in Odisha. Considering the almost habitual surrender of various state governments to their demands, extremists will use this tactic regularly, says Bibhu Prasad Routray. Revealed: The real story behind CBI's Tatra probe
'A K Antony's office receives something like ten letters a week, all alleging corruption. That works out to better than an allegation a day on average, holidays included.' Why we shouldn't take US bounty for Hafiz Saeed seriously
Other than the satisfaction of seeing a US bounty on Saeed and Makki, India shouldn't expect anything much at this stage, certainly not any concrete action against either of these two terrorist chieftains, says Sushant Sareen The Arab League's April Fool joke
The Arab world believes that many of those leaders present in Baghdad for the Arab League summit last week do not represent them and that the wave of changes will hit their shores sooner than expected. We may thus have to wait for more summits to see true Arab leaders emerging, writes Dr Waiel Awwad Why civil-military conflict is GOOD for India
The ongoing dispute between General V K Singh and the government is an important -- albeit costly -- test of policy and institutional efficacy in an area of governance that is normally hidden from public view, feels Dr Sunil Dasgupta, co-author of the acclaimed Arming Without Aiming: India's Military Modernization. Why India's defence preparedness is hollow
The army chief has rightly pointed out the deficiencies in our defence preparedness that exist today. However, what is not pointed out are the real reasons for such hollowness and the corrective actions needed to plug the holes, writes Laxman Kumar Behera It's time to reform the Rajya Sabha
Chief ministers who have been championing federalism must take the lead in reforming the Rajya Sabha so that it truly represents the interests of their states rather than the permanent political interests of unelected party apparatchiks in Delhi, says Shashi Shekhar. Excuse me! Am I an Indian?
How do I cope with being on the fringes of being an Indian and an alien in a country that refuses to embrace me and my brethren, asks Chitra Ahanthem BJP's shrinking base, wilting leadership
The Congress's plight, self-inflicted and terrible as it, should give very little consolation to the Bharatiya Janata Party which is itself in bad shape, says Praful Bidwai No issues! Why you don't need to learn a foreign language
'As a vegetarian in this mainly carnivorous nation, how does he manage food; how does he commute in a complicated city; what does he do for news and entertainment since virtually everything is only in Portuguese in Brazil, etc. "No issues," he kept saying.' Who is responsible for embarrassments facing the govt?
'India faces a very peculiar situation where the two most honest men in the Union Cabinet are suddenly facing the charge that massive scams took place in their own departments. Is that just coincidence?' Not politicians, but vocal critics find resonance
What Arvind Kejriwal or his other colleagues say finds resonance. It cannot be dampened. Now it has come to pass that people do not have to prove that politicians and politics are dirty; the latter have to prove that they are not, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Have reforms weakened national political parties?
Given our long and disastrous history of regional satrapies, to allow central institutions to weaken further would be playing with fire, says Sonali Ranade What to expect from the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit
The '2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit', which starts in Seoul today, is the largest summit in the nuclear security sector to discuss international cooperative measures to protect nuclear materials and facilities from terrorist groups. Srikanth Kondapalli, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, explains what to expect from two-day long deliberations at Seoul Koodankulam: Dr Singh's grand and faulty obsession
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited foreign money and entities, including the Koodankulam plant, into India like no other PM and most of it is hurting the interests of local communities, says Sandeep Pandey Sri Lanka: Moving forward
If Sri Lanka continues to follow the path of evasion and tries to impose a dictated solution on the Tamils, India has to act tough, says B Raman S Korea an able partner in India's quest for nuke energy
Nuclear energy cooperation is just one of the promising features of the relationship between the two nations, says Jinwoog Kim Is 2012 witnessing the birth of the Fourth Front?
'Make no mistake, that nightmare is inching closer to reality. What should concern the BJP, CPI-M, and Congress is the manner in which they are losing -- often coming third -- and the states in which they are losing,' says T V R Shenoy. A win-win India-Pakistan project
This is an opportune moment in the geopolitics of the region for India to think along the medium and long-term direction of creating underpinnings of a cooperative relationship with Pakistan, says MK Bhadrakumar Dual membership could make third front viable
It is not inconceivable that elections in India can be fought by a party maintaining a distinct regional identity in state elections while merging to fight on a common symbol in the national elections, says Shashi Shekhar Budget funding for Aadhar is in contempt of Parliament
Civil society groups welcome the submission of a memorandum opposing Aadhaar and other anti-people policies to the prime minister along with a big truckload of signatures numbering 3.57 crore on March 14, says Gopal Krishna Abstain on Lanka vote now, vote in favour next time
It may not be desirable in the 21st century, in the context of the emergence of human rights as a powerful emotive factor and of India's rise as an important player on the regional and global scene, to place self-imposed restrictions on the way we deem fit to vote on human rights resolutions, says Satish Chandra Long live Marx, Netaji zindabad!
A memorandum opposing Aadhaar and other anti-people policies was submitted to the Indian National Congress-led government along with a big truck load of signatures numbering 3.57 crore to mark the 129th death anniversary of Karl Marx, one of most influential socialist thinkers post industrial revolution amidst a huge People's March to Parliament comprising about one lakh citizens on Mach 14 in the national capital. Congress, BJP don't understand big changes in politics
The Congress First Family seems more comfortable with somebody like Vijay Bahuguna -- a scion of a political dynasty -- than with a man like Harish Rawat who carved his own path, feels T V R Shenoy. That attitude, he recalls, drove out Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra. New civic bodies in Maharashtra, but cities will not gain
The city can wait, indefinitely. Of course, its citizens don't count. Those who thought they did and went to vote for a change have fooled themselves, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Congress must correct course or perish
Praful Bidwai deciphers the election verdict's real meaning. Congress has NO CLUE what Muslims WANT
India's grand old party is still not able to comprehend what the country's largest minority group wants. What their issues are. What their demands are. With whom they want to associate. And what their needs are, says Ehtasham Khan Why inter-linking of rivers is not possible
Can we laugh away the Supreme Court order on implementation of inter-linking of rivers as a comedy or tragedy, asks Himanshu Thakkar. Is Congress ready to look away from politics of dynasty?
If there is one lesson that should be heard by every political party it is that both candidates and campaigners need something more than a famous surname to push them over the winning line. T V R Shenoy lists the lessons of Election 2012. Is the BJP becoming a caricature of the Congress?
For far too long, the BJP has postponed an uncomfortable debate on the need for radical change. The outcome in Uttar Pradesh presents the perfect opportunity to force that debate, says Shashi Shekhar. 'Indian politics has a new star'
The fact that 200 million people have shown the willpower and 'national identity' to hand down -- on two successive occasions in the past five years -- such cohesive mandates to two regional parties to lead their government in Lucknow shows the powerful yearning for federalism in our country, notes M K Bhadrakumar. BJP wins some, loses some: BIG blow to Hindutva politics
Tuesday's results have given the Bharatiya Janata Party has every reason to smile, but to win the 2014 Lok Sabha battle, it has to improve its position in Uttar Pradesh, says Neena Vyas Why Mayawati's defeat is the BSP's victory
Mayawati must not be shattered right now. Had she not done what she did, she would have lost the Dalit votebank -- that would have been the end of her political career. As someone told me during the elections, the BSP was not fighting this election for power. It was fighting this election to save its core, says Shivam Vij. Poll debacle: Time for a change of guard at the Centre?
Though Congress leaders tried to put a fig leaf to their misery with arguments of increased vote share and seats, specially in UP, the way the electorate voted in different states has demoralised party cadres and put a question mark over its leaders to motivate voters and inspire its supporters, feels Saroj Nagi. Verdict: Why Cong should not protect its first family
Nothing offered by Rahul Gandhi and his family has worked and the Congress will have to take stock of the ability of its first family to not just deliver the votes, but to pull it out of the doldrums where it has been left after this assembly election, says Seema Mustafa. Why India needs control over its technical intelligence
Some developments of recent months have highlighted the need for a tight control over electronic snooping by intelligence and security agencies, writes security expert B Raman. To contain China, focus on its vulnerabilities
Unless we take into account the vulnerabilities of China in shaping our policy, we may end up being over-focussed on traditional military aspects and under-focussed on non-traditional aspects of internal frictions and fragilities in China, cautions B Raman Talks later, let Pakistanis sort out Pakistan first
In dealing with Pakistan, India's first step should be to stop treating it exclusively as a Muslim nation, writes Vikram Sood Gujarat Riots: Justice or Retribution?
The tenth anniversary of the Gujarat 2002 riots comes at politically importune moment unfortunately for the process of justice inside the courts and for the process of reconciliation outside the courts, feels Shashi Shekhar. Why are toilets low priority in India?
No amount of stink, or raising one to correct it, would work quick enough to change the order of things. Toilets, you see, are our least priority, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Gujarat genocide: The State, law and subversion
The Gujarat genocide in 2002, resulting in the killing of nearly 1500 innocent citizens, mostly from India's major minority community, and the subsequent pervasive subversion of governmental machinery to sabotage justice delivery to riot victims, has to be understood as a man-made disaster, writes R B Sreekumar Can the Congress afford a high-handed approach anymore?
The Congress has been reduced to dust in Tamil Nadu by its allies. The Trinamool Congress is set to do the same in West Bengal. And the NCP is gaining at the Congress's expense in Maharashtra, notes T V R Shenoy. Maldives crisis: India acted hastily and dumped Nasheed
In its hurried recognition of the new government in Male, has India lost sight of the ground realities in Maldives? What a monster Steve Jobs could be!
Are the great always good? Few of his associates would use the adjective 'good' for Steve Jobs. The circuitry and the code that runs an individual is more complex than that which runs a computer. The world, feels B S Prakash, would be a duller place if it were not so. Kerala fishermen's killings: A crisis beyond diplomacy
If only the Italians had accepted that it was a wrong judgement on the part of the crew of the ship, apologised and offered adequate compensation, the matter could have been resolved. But their whole approach has been defiant, says T P S Sreenivasan. Can't the government help an Indian mother in distress?
In Norway, an Indian mother and father are struggling for the custody of their children taken away by a Norwegian child care agency. Nine months passed and India has been able to do nothing, says Tarun Vijay. NCTC: A good idea handled badly
The proposed agency to counter terrorism will be preoccupied defending its arrests before the courts and against allegations of human rights violations, points out B Raman Rahul is too busy now to worry about India's future
Rahul Gandhi can force the Congress to get rid of its old socialist baggage and become a truly secular and forward looking political formation. Instead, he has confused minority communalism with secularism and entitlements with development. This 'youth icon' is too busy fighting 20th century wars to worry about India's future, says Rohit Pradhan. After the Dalai Lama
Future of millions of Tibetans around the world will depend on who takes his place as the spiritual leader, says Nitin Pai No reasons for India to raise tensions with Italy
'In the absence of hostile or malafide intents (politically speaking), it is best to agree to pursue the matter soberly in courts of law. Fattening lawyers is far more conducive to international peace than agitating politicians,' says Nitin Pai. Iran or Israel: India must make the choice
Tehran continues to be hyper-critical of the Indian government on Kashmir, even forcing New Delhi to issue a demarche last year as a protest against Iranian interference in Indian domestic issues. Iranian interference in Indian domestic politics has been going on for a long time with sections of the Indian government suggesting that Iran 'has been buying off journalists, clerics and editors in Shia-populated areas of UP and Kashmir,' says Harsh V Pant. Why aren't Chidambaram and Madhavan Nair treated equally?
G Madhavan Nair is punished by being barred from all government jobs. P Chidambaram continues to hold one of the most powerful offices in the government. Is that equal treatment? asks T V R Shenoy. Threat of magnetic bomb: What security agencies need to do
From the Israel embassy car blast in New Delhi, which injured a diplomat's wife along with three others, counter-terror agencies have a few lessons to learn. Most importantly, security experts need to devise new procedures to protect terror targets that do not enjoy VIP protection, says B Raman. An avoidable controversy over the NCTC
By creating a multiplicity of organisations having powers to arrest and by giving these powers to the NCTC which will work under the director, IB, we will be taking an unwise step which could further politicise our handling of counter-terrorism, says B Raman. How India missed the opportunity in the Maldives
India's decision to fall back on an Islamic and authoritarian government to protect and promote its interests is a sad commentary on its neighbourhood policy, says T P Sreenivasan. If you don't vote, don't complain over bad services
Today is the day to mull and tomorrow the day to walk to your polling booth and decide what you want: a good city where there is a compliant corporator or a bad city with an arrogant politician ruling our civic destiny, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Israel attack: Is Home Min walking diplomatic tight rope?
While Home Minister P Chidambaram has declared the Israel embassy car bombing as a terror strike, he has opted not to name the perpetrators of the attack. Anil Chowdhry wonders why Why is Indian culture so anti-female?
'There is the hangover from colonial practices, which should disappear with greater educational freedom for women, and also, ironically, because of the looming woman shortage due to selective foeticide.' The Congress and its desperation for the Muslim vote
It is clear that the Congress party is now in a last ditch attempt to raise the Narendra Modi bogey with an eye on the Muslim vote in Uttar Pradesh, says Shashi Shekhar. Is corruption truly an issue in India?
Kanimozhi and Kalmadi were welcomed as if they were freedom fighters emerging from jail. Getting bail does not mean that the cases against them have come to an end, or that they have been found innocent by the trial courts, says T V R Shenoy. UP's Muslim parties don't talk of social justice
The urge of democratisation among the Muslim communities remains unaddressed by these emerging Muslim outfits. Do they wish to pursue the emotive identity politics of religious exclusivism which may degenerate into the politics of religious reaction, asks Mohammad Sajjad. The foreign service has lost its Bhishma pitamaha
Ambassador A K Damodaran was the last link between the freedom struggle and Indian diplomacy, the last of those, who walked from a British prison to take on national responsibilities. Syria vote: India falls for charms of 'green money'
India should have abstained from voting for the draft resolution backing an Arab League peace plan for Syria at the United Nations Security Council, opines former diplomat M K Bhadrakumar India's MMRCA decision continues to create ripples
Major defence purchases should be a means of helping a nation achieve its strategic objectives. It's not readily evident what strategic objectives of India are being served by choosing Rafale over Typhoon, says Harsh V Pant. Why Mumbai needs citizens contesting civic polls
Mumbai city, overcrowded, run down, filthy, gasping, is far too precious a city to continue to remain in the clutches of the professional politicians who owe nothing to themselves and have made local self-government a caricature of what was the ideal -- people governing themselves and their spaces, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Does General V K Singh know what he's up against?
'General Singh does not have the reputation of a greedy, grasping, man. Far from it, and his word along with the records should have carried weight with the government. Unfortunately, the pettiness of the ruling class has pushed the senior officer to a corner where not wanting to, he has had to approach the civilian courts as a last resort.' How Indian women can head the household
If the Food Security Bill is enacted as per the draft, then women shall be considered the 'head of the household' and the potential implications are staggering, says T V R Shenoy. Why Krishna's visit to Lanka can't be termed 'successful'
S M Krishna's praise for the Sri Lankan government-appointed Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission will diminish our credibility as an honest broker in the eyes of the Sri Lankan Tamils who are becoming increasingly bitter towards India, feels Satish Chandra. Rushdie issue: Only in India can one get away with such farces!
Ashok Gehlot may very well pat himself for winning over a few Muslim votes, but he has simply provided the template for the next offended group: The past is often the prologue to the future, says Rohit Pradhan. What the change of guard in the PMO means
The change of media advisor may be about the changing power equation in the PMO. The Congress party's view may once again get greater weightage in the government's decision-making processes than had been the case so far in UPA-II, says Neerja Chowdhury. 'Every case of helplessness is a result of a corrupt act'
'In our society... a corrupt man is not a social outcast. He is most of the time a hero, a leader,' says Supreme Court Judge Justice A K Ganguly. 23 years on, Kashmiri Pandits remain refugees in their own nation
The government of India has a moral responsibility for working towards a consensus for the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland, says B Raman What price the civic elections?
Once civic elections are done with, the system discards the voter from the realm of self-governance, the essence of the grassroots democracy. The voter's vote, it appears, has been subverted by a system, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. India-China: Protracted talks, contested sovereignties
In addition to the legal claims of territories, the political signals from Beijing also need to be deciphered and considered before a territorial dispute resolution can be made by India, says Srikanth Kondapalli. To You Who Speak of Rushdie
'The chief minister and other ministers who speak of possible law and order problems that Rushdie's visit raises, you know little about governance and democracy and therefore you should explain exactly why you occupy those ministerships,' says Dilip D'Souza. Rushdie brouhaha is another strike against Free Speech
When Truth dies along with it dies the 'Fabric of Trust' that holds nations and societies together. From raising dishonest questions over the Batla House encounter to raising false bogeys over the Rushdie visit, the Congress stands guilty of causing irreversible damage to that fabric of trust, says Shashi Shekhar. Independent-minded editors are an endangered species: Ansari
The slow erosion of the institution of the editor in Indian media organisations is a reality. When media space and media products are treated solely in terms of revenue maximisation strategies, editors end up giving way to marketing departments, says Vice President M Hamid Ansari Mayawati, Mulayam's caste-iron strategy
Uttar Pradesh, unlike almost any other Indian state, is ruled and run on caste. There are more than 60 castes in the state and all compete with each other for political patronage and benefits. In some ways, caste is a bigger player in the state than either religion or national issues, says Faisal Kidwai. Kayani and his troops won't fall into Gilani's trap
Seema Mustafa believes that Pakistan Army chief Ashfaq Kayani would not march his troops into Islamabad for it would only play to the advantage of an unpopular Yousaf Raza Gilani's government. India must offer the Maldives statehood within the Union
The Maldives will be the nucleus of future security order in the Indian Ocean. Patently the Maldivians will have to migrate before the portended watery grave. Given what could happen by 2100, it is imperative for India to act in good faith, and also with an eye on our national interest. India should offer Maldives statehood within our Union. Why India needs a leader like Narendra Modi
'Let us start the debate in 2012 in favour of a directly elected executive with a civil society-based Electoral College as a check for a directly elected strong leader in the mould of a Narendra Modi with civil society as a check which serves the national interest far more than an indirectly selected, weak but acceptable prime minister vulnerable to pressure from regional parties and outside groups that may have propped him or her up,' argues Shashi Shekhar. Army chief age row: Government must show sagacity, grace
'Befitting the government of a great nation, it must act suo moto to correct (NOT change) the chief's date of birth, thus setting right an anomaly, which an honourable soldier strongly feels impinges on his 'izzat.' Is this what my country has come to?
'We have,' says Anvar Alikhan, 'proved right Winston Churchill, when he warned in 1947 that 'Power will go to rascals, rogues, freebooters... leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw... They will fight amongst themselves for power and will be lost in political squabbles.' Mulayam better option than Mamata for the Congress?
'The bottomline is that Rahul Gandhi's dream of ruling Uttar Pradesh has been buried. The talk is no longer of 'strengthening' the party, but of 'extending' the life of the Congress ministry in Delhi -- at almost any cost,' says T V R Shenoy. Army chief's age issue: Government loses face either way
For the men and women in armed forces, for whom their chiefs have been the sole leader, the age controversy has only eroded their confidence in our State. It's time for the defence minister and the army chief to decide the issue based on legally tenable evidence, says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd). The politics over Mumbai's slums
The move to legitimise the occupants of pre-1995 slum homes till the year 2000 is welcome, but incomplete in managing the issue of Mumbai's slums. It is once again, a patchy effort, not fully thought through, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. India in 2012: Another 2011 coming up
'I would not be surprised if there is a spectacular act of Pakistani terrorism in India in 2012 intended to celebrate the triumph over the hyperpower. Of course, the home minister of India will once again mouth the terrifying formula: 'If there is another terrorist attack, we will...' Why is Gopal Das free and not Khaleel Chishty?
If Dr Khaleel Chishty, a 79-year-old Pakistani accused of murder in 1992, dies in an Indian jail not only would it be a matter of shame, it would also be a setback in bringing home many Indian prisoners in Pakistan, says Shivam Vij. Bad Chinese taste in India's mouth
'The Government of India should insist on strong action against those responsible in the instant case while discouraging our media from blowing the incident out of proportion.' India in 2012: Strategic and security challenges beckon
The greatest challenge to India is that its political class seems oblivious to the contours and challenges of the big picture and national security does not receive the objective and constructive attention it warrants in Parliament, points out C Uday Bhaskar. Myanmar, the US, China: Shifting sands
'Amongst all the Southeast Asian countries, 2011 has witnessed one of the greatest changes in Myanmar. A military dictatorial regime in power for decades made way for an elected government; albeit not as per democracy's definition by the book, but, at least a transition towards a freer nation.' The great Indian betrayals
Anna Hazare, promise us, you are here to stay to take the nation forward beyond heroic acts, and find ways to utilise and sustain this support we are giving you, says Deepak Warrier. India wants Dr Singh to go!
'At the end of 2011, everyone had forgotten the so-called India Story and double-digit growth. Outside the members of the official economist clique, led by the prime minister's sidekick Montek Singh Ahluwalia, no economist predicts that GDP will grow at nine-plus percent. The last quarter saw growth slip alarmingly. At this rate, instead of Ahluwalia's 9% we will soon be back to the Hindu rate of growth of 3.5%,' notes Virendra Kapoor. Bigg Boss's Sunny Leone reveals dark truth about Indians
Imagine the response if a dark-skinned Indian woman who had acted in porn films had gone to the Bigg Boss house instead of an Indo-Canadian porn actress, says Faisal Kidwai. 2012: Year of the Street, Court and Polling Booth
'What happens if the judge should accept Dr Swamy's arguments? Can P Chidambaram continue as home minister if he is an 'accused' in a scam? Leave aside the morality of it, will he be able to function in his highly sensitive post if he is distracted by legal battles?' US-India ties: The year of the drift
'The current period of implementation and consolidation will put the relationship on an even sounder footing when the leaders in both capitals determine it is time to quicken the pace,' US experts tell Aziz Haniffa. J&K interlocutors: They came, they saw, they went
Now that the Jammu and Kashmir interlocutors have seen the problems of the people and submitted their report on a year-long exercise, it is time for the government of India to be serious over the intricate matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir, says Varad Varenya. California Diaspora: Some blows, some clout
Despite the Tri Valley University case and hate crimes, the Indian-American community gained ground in California, says Ritu Jha. 2011, the year of hedging in foreign policy
'Hedging has become inevitable in the emerging global scenario and we too should have our share of hedging. But it has to be combined with firm positions and sturdy alliances wherever necessary,' says T P Sreenivasan. Lokpal vote: The mystery of the missing Congress MPs
Neerja Chowdhury on the various theories doing the rounds on why several Congress MPs we missing during the vote on the constitutional amendment bill. It's going to be 2012, not 1912!
In the tug of war between modernity and tradition, we often don't know which side we are on. As a friend said the other day, "As parents we are contradicting ourselves every day. We ask our daughters to look for jobs and at the same time we say get married soon. We keep asking them, 'Why are you writing on so many private things on Facebook?' We want to micro-manage our children's lives, but we want to portray ourselves as liberals who give our children lots of freedom." Aftermath of 2011: Do Frequent Elections Beckon?
'In many ways, 2011 had come to resemble the mid-1990s when an unusual number of politicians found themselves in prison or out of office over various charges of corruption. It is not a happy parallel to draw on for the then Congress government was followed by two long years of political instability and frequent elections.' Did Chidambaram rescue a former client?
The fact that S P Gupta was a former client of P Chidambaram is not germane to the controversy. The withdrawal of the cases in itself was scandalous. Not one of the three cases against Gupta impinge on the wider public interest, says Virendra Kapoor. Season of Southern Discontent
'I am more pessimistic than ever that any amicable solution to the Mullaperiyar Dam problem is possible. Neither state is prepared to accept that its neighbour might have legitimate fears, of a dam collapse in Kerala and of water famine in Tamil Nadu.' Coping with GenNext journalists
Concepts keep evolving. When I was in service, one used to talk of media management by the police. It is now a hated concept. After I left service in August 1994, one started talking of perception management. This too has now fallen into a disfavour. One now talks of perception correction. It is a politically neutral concept acceptable both to the police and the media. India-Russia summit: An open house of friendship
Pious pre-summit homilies cannot hide the ugly truth that cooperation in energy security is going at snail's pace despite it being a strategic area for India. The high hopes raised 3 years ago during the visit by Vladimir Putin to Delhi remain unfulfilled, says M K Bhadrakumar. We have leaders who refuse to lead
Where is the much-vaunted Congress 'high command, asks T V R Shenoy. Exactly where it was when Anna Hazare was shaking Delhi in August? Exactly where it was when the FDI-retail concern brought Parliament to a halt in November? My Rediscovery of India
The aspirations of India's people have gotten far ahead of the political debate as one sees the malls in tier-2 cities and car showrooms in 'rurbanised' towns, notes Shashi Shekhar, who visited India after two years. Military ties: India and China try to 'break the ice'
Srikanth Kondapalli on the significance of Chinese military official Gen Ma Xiaotian's visit to India. Bonn conference on Afghanistan fails to achieve much
Beyond assurances of support, the 100-plus delegations that congregated in Bonn failed to articulate anything particularly meaningful, says Amir Mir Dr Singh, the prime ministership of India is a political job
If the prime minister doesn't plan to step down post the FDI fiasco, he should get down to real governance -- and can start by having the numerous clowns in his court shut up, says Saisuresh Sivaswamy. Sriramulu's Bellary win: More to it than we think possible
Sriramulu has proved that a politician is true to his own self, his own needs, his own mentors of the moment, and that the public does not matter after the vote is cast. The voter is to be remembered only at the next round of elections, whenever it is, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Every day, frictions increase between India and China
America's Asia-Pacific policy will come unhinged without Indian support and Indian desire to effectively balance China will remain just that, a desire, without American support, feels Harsh V Pant. The prime minister no longer enjoys any authority
The prime minister, I believe, still enjoys a majority in the Lok Sabha if push comes to shove, but 'majority' and 'authority' are two different things. When you look at Dr Manmohan Singh you must now automatically insert 'lame duck' before 'prime minister,' says T V R Shenoy. Let not Afghanistan slip back: SM Krishna
The text of the speech made by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna at the international Afghanistan conference in Bonn WANTED: A gutsy political leadership
The leadership vacuum in the Congress due to the lack of political stature in the party as well as the government has led to an undesirable abrasive style of politics poisoning the conduct and proceedings inside Parliament, writes B Raman VIEW:: How Parliament can function without disruptions
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha member of Parliament who has been extremely vocal about issues such as this and also the 2G spectrum scam, feels that there is a need to create special sessions of Parliament twice a year apart form the normal sessions in which only issues pertaining to legislation and also issues of national interest agenda must be discussed. The BJP's lame excuses on FDI are hardly credible
There is palpable disappointment within a section of Young and Aspirational India that has come to identify with Centre Right economic thinking and had looked up to the BJP to advance that agenda in the years to come, says Shashi Shekhar. Why the UN didn't respond to 26/11
Today, at the national and regional level, large loopholes still exist in the security system. On the international front, however, there have been a lot more initiatives, yet the apex body of the UN remained silent post-26/11. Were they justified in holding back? FDI logjam: Was it a Congress ploy to stall Parliament?
The question being tossed around is this: Is there a 'method in the madness' being seen in Parliament? Did the Congress choose to take the decision knowing its consequences? asks Neerja Chowdhury. Kavita Karkare's call should not fall on deaf ears
Her concern was the continuation of security breaches and terrorism and the apparent mood to move forward in normalising relations with Pakistan, without any guarantee that terrorism will not be its State policy anymore, says T P Sreenivasan. Our main political parties have become deaf and blind
The Mayawati government's resolution for partitioning Uttar Pradesh and Manmohan Singh's move of allowing FDI in the retail sector are classic diversionary tactics to draw eyeballs away from the real issues that concern people, says T V R Shenoy. 26/11: The questions we need to ask
Three years after the event the country is still waiting for the answer to these questions. But instead what it is served is harebrained theories, half truths and downright lies to rope in 'politically correct' suspects to throw dust into the eyes of the public, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd). India's great fear? The Outsider!
The Indian middle class has largely moved away from its old, irrational fears of the West. Why, then, is the New Delhi Establishment still extremely sceptical of 'outsiders,' asks Rohit Pradhan. Car-free day: An idea whose time has come
I for one would not use a car on Novermber 27, which is car-free day for Sounth Mumbai. For from tokenism and symbolism good ideas can come to grow and make a difference, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Why is the PM on a foreign policy overdrive?
Indian foreign policy is listlessly meandering. At times, it stands still lost in thoughts and then it dashes forward -- and the next thing you know, it begins dashing backward. The pantomime seems to be happening with no greater logic than that it creates the illusion of a flurry of activity -- and our PM feels good and dynamic, says M K Bhadrakumar. Why don't we demand a right to security act?
An active, vigilant citizenry is a vital partner in the fight against terrorism. However, Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, founder of the Lok Satta Party, argues that this can only be possible with a new legal framework that emphasises efficiency and inclusiveness. Fake outrage over fake encounters
The lessons from the Ishrat Jehan episode should be about providing a remedy in the process of law enforcement so fake encounters are prevented, and to remedy the process of justice so that officers of law are held accountable for their illegal actions. Why India needs to fine-tune its ties with Nepal
The increasingly loud and belligerent assertion of Beijing's claims in South China has become a matter of strategic concern for many nations for diverse reasons. It comes at a time when nations with diverse interest in the Southeast Asia from the India to Vietnam to Japan and the United States are already concerned about China's growing strategic strength. The marketing of Rahul Gandhi
If a creed has to work, it must carry the weight of conviction, not just the frippery of an electoral tactic. Is Rahul Gandhi indulging in ritual appeasement, or is he seeding the climate for economic policies that he will implement when he becomes prime minister? asks M J Akbar. Zardari should jettison Hussain Haqqani
There are enough indicators regarding the utter naivete of the ambassador which could ultimately burn the credibility of Zardari himself and drive a further wedge between him and the Army, says B Raman India's nuclear dilemma in West Asia
The strategic reality that confronts New Delhi in West Asia today is that India has far more significant interests to preserve in the Arab Gulf, and as tensions rise between the Sunni Arab regimes and Iran, India's larger stakes in the Arab world will continue to inhibit Indian-Iranian ties, says Harsh V Pant. Ruma Pal, former Supreme Court judge, slams higher judiciary
Justice Ruma Pal is to be saluted for her courageous dissent of conviction and reminding her peers that they need to put themselves on self-trial. The alternative is for India to sink further into the cesspool of even greater corruption, says C Uday Bhaskar. Suu Kyi, Myanmar govt trying to work with each other
Cooperation and national reconciliation, and not political confrontation, seems to be Aung San Suu Kyi's objective, believes B Raman Biting the hands that protect Omar and India
The proposal to remove the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in some parts Kashmir is a ploy by anti-India forces to show that they are still relevant, says Tarun Vijay. US and China: How India must play its cards
The US is in desperate need to conjure up an ideology-driven relationship with India, to enable it to boost its arms exports to the Indian market, says M K Bhadrakumar. Why I miss the postman
Mahesh Vijapurkar laments the decline of Indian Post. The importance of Narendra Modi's visit to China
The success of Gujarat has today put it in a place where it can negotiate and navigate international relations of direct economic consequence to it without being held back by the timidity in New Delhi, says Shashi Shekhar. Neither sport nor entertainment: The fraud called Formula One
A major antagonism is visible the world over between capitalism and democracy. But the Indian elite and the media continue to glorify capitalism, with all its sleaze. Their celebration of F1 is part of this, says Praful Bidwai. Is this government paralysed?
Many people think that the present government is paralaysed. On one hand, we have a prime minister who does not think his first duty is to the people of the country but to the Congress president. A grand chessboard: Afghanistan and the regional powers
Regional rivalries will only intensify if the perception gains ground that the security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating. India will have to ensure that it does not lose out as in the past as new realities emerge in the region, says Harsh V Pant. War of words with US over Haqqani making Pak uncomfortable
With the next elections to Pakistan's National Assembly due in the beginning of 2013, Pakistani politics has started picking up momentum and sliding into the contentious and venomous mode. Muttemwar too fails as Sonia's monitor of central schemes
The appointment of Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar, a former Union minister, in July as the party's general secretary to monitor central programmes appears to have failed in delivering any results so far. Bangkok braces for the flood
The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is in deep waters on account of the inept handling of the flood situation. Her political obituary is being written even as she is struggling to keep the Bangkok flood under control, says TP Sreenivasan A road accident and an Alice in Wonderland State
The case of Mahesh Patil, who was arrested for negligence after his mother fell off his bike and died after it hit a pothole, should serve as an eye-opener for the authorities and the legal fraternity, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Afghan endgame: US sows discord in South Asia
The Afghan endgame is moving into a crucial phase. Much will depend on regional politics involving Pakistan, Iran, India and China. How far the US's 'divide-and-rule' strategy succeeds remains to be seen, says M K Bhadrakumar. An unnecessary Mahabharata over the Ramayana
'Let us rescue history from the leftist high priests of history. In the process, let us also rescue history from the narrow mindset of the political right that has reduced reconstruction of history to an exercise in political victimhood.' Shashi Shekhar on the furore over the removal of an essay on the Ramayana from the syllabus of Delhi University. Lesson from by-polls: Unsure Cong on sticky wicket
While, the Congress is seemingly the biggest loser in the by-elections, they were other big losers, points out T V R Shenoy. Helicopter episode a great opportunity for India, Pakistan
The handling of the October 23 incident involving an Indian Army helicopter straying into Pakistan air space should be used as a starting point for setting up a more substantial military-military relationship between the armies of the two countries as a distrust-reducing measure, writes B Raman Koodankulam nuclear project: Separating fact from fiction
Uncritical acceptance of any major project is undesirable. So also is unbending opposition to it. Constructive criticism of the project could bring about greater safety in design, construction and operation or even lead to abandonment of the project. The scientific and engineering community in the country should play an active role in such criticism instead of remaining mute spectators, leaving the ground to the lay public, says L V Krishnan. The national implications of the Hisar bypoll
Hisar has turned out to be a double edged sword for Team Anna. While it can now take credit for the Congress' rout in Hisar, its stance in the bypoll has divided its own core team, says Neerja Chowdhury. How the IFS is finding its soul
A number of younger diplomats have begun to search for the soul of the foreign service, to give its members a sense of belonging and pride, observes former ambassador T P Sreenivasan. Call for protests by Tibetans on October 19
According to Tibetan sources in the Sichuan province of China, leaflets in the Tibetan language have been circulating in the Tibetan areas of the province calling for a day of protests and fasting on October 19 in solidarity with a similar observance by Tibetans all over the world to condemn their continued oppression by the Chinese and the military detention of a large number of Tibetan monks of the Kirti monastery in the province since March following the self-immolation. Should India talk with General Kayani?
We need to take the bull by its horns and confront the Pakistan Army directly. However blasphemous and anti-protocol it may seem we must insist that General Ashfaq Kayani be a part of the dialogue process, says Vivek Gumaste. Making amends: Myanmar govt takes first hesitant steps
In an attempt to rectify the anti-democratic policies and human rights violations of the past by the military junta that ruled the country for 23 years till a few months ago, the government of President Thein Sein has started releasing from October 12,2011, political prisoners who were languishing in jail under the military dictatorship for many years. A new phase in India-Afghan ties
India cannot be expected to ignore its genuine interests in Afghanistan just to keep Pakistan in good humour. While for Afghanistan, the pact is a way of trying to deal with an increasingly more menacing Pakistan, says Harsh V Pant. What Putin's return means for India
In diplomacy, like in politics, there are no permanent friends or foes. Only interests guide policy. The same principle must true for India-Russia relations in the coming Putin era, says Tarun Vijay. View: LK Advani could've won the race by sitting out
What has gone against Advani is the sense that he is desperate to become PM, says Neerja Chowdhury What Putin's second coming would mean for India
India will be well advised to welcome Putin's second coming as Russian president wholeheartedly, yet try to build up its independent capabilities, says Tarun Vijay Secular riots in Congress-ruled Rajasthan!
To fight communalism, you cannot have two standards, one for the so-called secularists and the other, and far more stringent and unreasonable one, for the alleged communalists, says Virendra Kapoor. Why the Congress needs to fear its allies
'A defeat in the Hisar by-election would not make any difference to the numbers in the Lok Sabha for the simple reason that the Congress had not won that seat in 2009 anyhow. But alienating the Trinamool Congress (19 Lok Sabha MPs), the DMK (18 Lok Sabha MPs), and the Nationalist Congress Party (nine Lok Sabha MPs in addition to all the MLAs in Maharashtra) is another story. Those 46 MPs are crucial to the survival of the Manmohan Singh ministry.' Why does the Congress have such a poor culture of accountability?
It is Andhra Pradesh and not Uttar Pradesh which is the real litmus test for Rahul Gandhi's political leadership, says Shashi Shekhar. Narendra Modi can't be India's prime minister. He should move on!
Let the Jaitleys and Swarajs struggle for political supremacy while Modi can be the power behind the throne. In short, he could play the Sonia Gandhi card. In a country so enamoured with symbolism, that may yet prove to be a political masterstroke, says Rohit Pradhan. Why is the Congress aggressively defending Chidambaram?
It is no longer about A Raja alone. It is not even truly about P Chidambaram. It is about rescuing Dr Manmohan Singh, says T V R Shenoy. Anti-corruption movement: Disappointments ahead
The common man thinks that the stringent Lokpal law promised would take care of all corruption and rid the country of the malaise. It will not, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. China takes a cautious stance on US-Pak tension
China would avoid giving the impression of taking sides with Pakistan in its dispute with the US on the question of action against the Haqqani network, says B Raman. India must pause before venturing into choppy waters
Realpolitik demands that India now crafts its own approach to counter China's Indian Ocean 'string of pearls' strategy and its new stance on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, says Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd). Why the PM's UN visit won't help India's cause
Prime Minister opportunistically engaged flawed leaders and regressed into NAM rhetoric during his UN visit, says K C Singh. At the UN, Dr Singh spoke not just for India, but for the world
By speaking for all nations without going into details, India expressed its confidence that it cannot be excluded if the Council is expanded. This was more effective than the usual assertion of the Indian claim on every occasion, says T P Sreenivasan. India needs to stake its own claims in East Asia
India is right to forcefully reject Chinese claims of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. It should now build credible strategic partnerships with other regional states so as to prevent a Chinese regional dominance, says Harsh V Pant. Why Rabbani's assassination is a wake-up call for India
Co-operation with the US is India's only strategic option. The US is now as concerned as we are over Pakistani machinations in Afghanistan. It could be more amenable to feelers from India for joint moves by India and the US to prevent a return to power of the Taliban with the ISI's backing, says B Raman. This is also corruption
In India democracy is only notional. One can see the discriminatory nature of policies for different classes of citizens. The policies adopted have increased the gap between the rich and the poor. This is not just corruption, it is a big scam! says Sandeep Pandey. L K Advani's yatra to nowhere
As even a cursory perusal of modern Indian history suggests, one party hegemony is a recipe for disaster. In that respect at least, the BJP's troubles are India's tragedy, says Rohit Pradhan. PM steps on to the shifting sands at the UN
T P Srinivasan outlines the importance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly session Why Narendra Modi is the best bet for brand BJP
If the BJP has to pose any sort of challenge to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance in the next Lok Sabha elections, it needs to go back to what it has always stood for in the mind of the voter, says Shonalee Biswas Women chief ministers show path to nuclear sanity
Two women chief ministers in India have taken a statesman like courageous stand against nuclear projects Bengal. This sets the precedent for other states and visionary leader to take decisive steps to save present and future generation of Indian from unpredictable and inevitable nuclear emergencies, says Gopal Krishna. The debate over Narendra Modi
Whether one likes Narendra Modi or not, one cannot deny him the credit of putting the national debate back firmly in the political realm and on the merits of relative political choice, says Shashi Shekhar Why Mani 'dichotomous' Aiyar is WRONG
It is quite possible that Aiyar was really trying to be humourous when he made a few funny remarks about Maken's English. But in a country where calling the economy class passengers as 'cattle class', can cost a certain minister his job, Aiyar should be more restrained in his humour, says Sudhir Bisht. Why I fear for the future of Anna Hazare's movement
The campaign should have started as a demand for total revolution to usher in good governance of which probity in public life as a quintessential element, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Koodankulam: People's movement against nuclear energy
Villagers protest against the Koodankulam nuclear power project. Should India be condemned to suffer vote bank politics forever?
We must make politics that uses demographic identity as a wedge, less and less relevant, says Shashi Shekhar. Did Chidambaram convince us?
Till the time there is an efficient leadership in place, it would be difficult to elicit popular support for the government's moves in fighting terror. However, I am still convinced that P Chidambaram is our best bet as home minister, says Bibhu Prasad Routray. When bribery became official in India
It is now on record that the Congress has a history of paying money -- call it 'donations' for 'cooperation' if you like -- to MPs from the Opposition benches, says T V R Shenoy. Vote bank politics over 'clemency'
Whether it is clemency for Rajiv Gandhi killers or Afzal guru or Bhullar; the motive behind this 'clemency' is same -- vote bank politics. The punishment whether life term, death sentence etc needs to be carried out, says Varad Varenya. 9/11: Memories of another day
Saisuresh Sivaswamy, who was in New York on 9/11, relives the day that changed America and the world. Should Modi's burden be India's too?
I do not know if Modi is personally responsible for the killings and rapes of hundreds of Muslims -- that is for the courts to decide -- but I do know that being the chief minister he is at the very least morally responsible, says Faisal Kidwai The HuJI-B links in India must be re-examined
It has been reported that three claims of responsibility have been received by the investigating authorities in the wake of the explosion outside the Delhi high court on Wednesday. India cannot afford another lost decade
There cannot be any fence sitters in this political churning. The 'apolitical' campaigns will have to take a political stance sooner than later. How the CBI has helped the BJP
By any rational reckoning the CBI has done the BJP an enormous favour by arresting Janardhana Reddy. It gives the party one more chance at redemption, says T V R Shenoy. The government must act!
The government must seriously consider enlarging the scope of its counter-terrorism policy to covertly target organisations across India's borders that are sponsoring terrorism in India, says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd). Why New Delhi's groundwater is highly saline?
Dr Nitish Priyadarshi list the factors that make New Delhi's ground water saline and methods to prevent it. No end to preparedness in the fight against terror
India has certain special features -- a strange disconnect between thought and action, lack of strategic focus in fighting terrorism and a national inability to focus on core issues for immediate response, says Colonel R Hariharan (retd) PM's Dhaka visit: By no means a write-off
Indian commentators are inclined to view the country's relations with its neighbours almost exclusively through the prism of the ascendancy of China's diplomacy in South Asia, says M K Bhadrakumar. Burying the ghosts of Kashmiri graves
The Kashmir conflict has many sides. There are victims and perpetrators on all sides. If the demand for retributive justice is pursued by all sides, it will end up finishing whatever little is left to salvage in Kashmir, says Sushant K Singh WikiLeaks: Narayanan is more credible than Roemer
M K Narayanan had nothing to gain by misrepresenting the Indian position to Timothy Roemer, while the latter had to impress upon his government that his demarche on the phone was very effective. Army chief's age: A needless controversy
A chief lodging a 'statutory complaint' sends a very wrong signal to the rank and file of the service. Does India need a spectacle like this? Even more dangerously, this also signals the breakdown of communication at the highest levels of the defence ministry, says Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd) Anna's problematic agenda: End of a grave crisis
Team Anna must show some humility instead of imposing its will on society. It doesn't hold a monopoly on understanding how to make governance more inclusive, clean and people-responsive. It must recognise that finally, it is Parliament that prevailed on the Lokpal legislative process, and that's how things should be, says Praful Bidwai. Saving the Sundarbans
The Sundarbans is at the epicentre of both India-Bangaldesh bilateral diplomatic challenges and of the most intense global battles against climate change. When are we happy?
There are many unknowns about happiness, but one thing is known: Thinking about happiness does not make you happy, says B S Prakash. How to get to know Parliament better
According to C V Madhukar, a senior member of PRS Legislative Research, an independent Delhi-based think-tank, 'the debate on the Lokpal Bill reflected how Parliament functions about 80 percent of the time.' Rajni Bakshi on how we can engage better with Parliament. Capacity building for future conflicts is crucial
There is a requirement to establish a permanent National Security Commission mandated by an act of Parliament to oversee the development of military and non-military capacities for national security, says Gurmeet Kanwal. Will Lokpal become just another law?
Anna Hazare fever gripped India and Lokpal became the buzzword. But after the 12-day rollercoaster, will the government keep its promises? Once implemented, will the Lokpal become just another anti-corruption law, asks Ganesh Nadar Anna effect: Robbing Parliament of its primacy
The Indian establishment has finally got what it fully deserved; it is never known to react to reasoned debates and gentle persuasions. It understands only the language of coercion, terror and of course influence. Either it will coerce you or will get coerced by you, says M R Venkatesh. Why Anna Hazare's movement is first of its kind
I am amazed that Anna had been able to achieve what no political party or movement has ever before been able to do -- create a national focus, says Col R Hariharan Team Anna: What about medical corruption?
The Hazare movement and media have focussed on corruption of the 'spectacular' variety. But what has escaped the discussion is the institutionalised corruption in-built in the conduct and practice of professions ike the medical profession in India, says Dr Sanjay Nagral. A retreat has been sounded in Anna vs govt battle
'The public perception at this stage of the battle is that the victory thus far belongs to Anna and his followers, but in reality it may turn out to be a victory of mixed proportions,' says B Raman. What Anna Hazare's new plans mean for democracy
That the political philosophy of Anna Hazare closely resonates with the overall anti-democratic Hindutva ethos owes, in part, to the Brahminical worldview that they share, says Yogi Sikand How the PM turned down Anna Hazare's solution
The prime minister has to blame himself because he refused to make up with Anna Hazare when the social activist from Maharashtra was willing to meet him more than half way, says Kuldip Nayar. Anna Hazare is no common dude
'What does the poor common man do?' asks Brigadier Krishan Mehra (retd). 'He does not have the wherewithal to fight the system. Anna has provided this Aam Aadmi a ray of hope.' Want to live in the India Anna wants to build?
'All societies possess conservatives and India can't be an exception. The difference is that when upper castes display their conservatism, they turn into a Taliban. Anna has come to harvest that social constituency,' says Chandrabhan Prasad. I am Anna Hazare?
'Democracy must be nurtured, or else it gets corrupted. Voting is just one part of your duty as a citizen of this democracy. But another duty that most of us overlook is participation,' says G V Dasarathi. Let's not end up needing a Lokpal for the Lokpal
'A system that is judge, jury, and executioner, with draconian and apparently ill-defined powers and a haphazard system of oversight is not necessarily a better denouement, even if the current situation is untenable,' says Ram Kelkar. Why hasn't PM faced Anna between April and August?
'The answer to that must lie between Dr Singh and his conscience,' says T V R Shenoy. View: The Ayatollah in waiting
'Like the Iranian religious supremo, Anna Hazare demands supreme power and he dreams that with the present dysfunctional government, he could wield power from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and everybody would just obey his fiats,' says Govind Talwalkar Caste and the anti-corruption campaign
'Reservations are anathema to many of the core supporters of Anna Hazare.' Has Congress lost the ability to fight a crisis?
You cannot fight a defiant person by being defiant in politics. This is a lesson the prime minister and his team have to learn if they want to remain in power, says Aslam Hunani. No quick-fix solutions to corruption
'Much of what we call corruption is but a side effect of a deeper malaise. The chalta-hai attitude and its innovative twin jugaad. Shortcuts have become endemic. Every shortcut we take compromises a principle, corrodes an institution and sets a wrong precedent,' says Shashi Shekhar. Lieutenant, did you die in vain?
'You will not get the adulation from the government that a martyred soldier gets in the US. Your name will not be read out in any obituary reference in Parliament, as is done in the UK for all soldiers who fall in combat in the line of duty. Your name will not be etched on any national memorial because we do not have one!' Sarvar Bali salutes a fallen hero. The selective winds from the Arab Spring
The most surprising part in the whole so-called Arab Spring is that the countries which were relatively more liberal and secular were the ones to see mass uprisings, while the countries that are more inward-looking and theology-driven, such as Saudi Arabia, have yet to see the kind of protests witnessed on Cairo or Tunis streets, says Faisal Kidwai What is the way out of the Lokpal deadlock?
Probably for the first time in the history of independent India, a struggle has been given respect due to a peaceful protest by the people, says Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey Oh, this poor, befuddled Indian middle class!
The desperation of the middle class in heralding Anna Hazare as the Second Gandhi is symptomatic of a typical Indian mindset, says Navneet Anand Why Dalits are not enthusiastic about Anna Hazare
Babasaheb Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, and so Dalits have an emotional attachment to the Constitution. If a movement sets itself above the Constitution and challenges democracy, a key pillar of the Constitution, Dalits will refuse to support it, says Bhanwar Megwanshi Why 'civil war' in Karachi could destabilise Pak
The civil war-like situation in Karachi continues without respite. Seventy-three persons belonging to different communities and religious sects were reported to have been killed -- many of them in targeted shootings and some kidnapped and tortured to death --during four days of fresh violence between August 16 and 19. The level of violence considerably came down on August 20. Ironies of the Hazare versus government tussle
In this mindless game of the back-and-forth, the government and its several eloquent but stubborn actors seemed to have lost the plot. Too much of spewing to spin a fact deluded them into thinking that the game was already won; that Hazare would quietly leave Delhi, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Hazare is not the issue; govt mustn't make him one
'Hazare is not the issue, and the government should not make him into one. Rather, it should focus on the issue he has voiced: Corruption that is depriving people of the mind-boggling welfare funds but for which India would already be a member of the Comity of Nations the prime minister often speaks about.' We've thrown India to the lions
'India is independent, but we've thrown her to the lions -- bribe-loving, paan-chewing lions who sing Hakuna Matata,' says Sanaya Dalal. India, you've come a long way
From coal engines and phone calls that took two days to come through, to the cellphone revolution, and scams that have become mindlessly bigger, A Ganesh Nadar on a country that has seen remarkable changes in its 64 years as a nation. Violence has dented Britain's global reputation
'The breakdown in the family structure in large sections of British society and the lack of discipline in young Britons is being looked at once again as the underlying reasons for growing criminality and lack of respect for authority among the youth.' Sino-Pak: An 'all-weather' friendship under cloud
The deteriorating regional security environment and the rising tide of Islamist radicalism in Pakistan might just force Beijing to change its course towards India, says Harsh V Pant. A humiliating retreat from Kabul in store for US?
The recent catastrophic attack on US troopers underlines the undamaged capability of the Afghan Taliban to take the NATO forces by surprise and inflict heavy casualties on them and its determination to make the US withdrawal from Afghanistan a humiliating retreat and not a successful withdrawal, says senior analyst B Raman. US seeks consulate in Tibet, China fumes
India should emulate the US and not allow Beijing to open any more consulates until it permits us to open a consulate in Tibet, opines B Raman When the government defends the indefensible
'Can governments which consistently let their lawyers down, be trusted to uphold the rights of their people? How much longer will the State fight against its own citizens, inside and outside court?' asks activist Nandini Sundar. The Gandhi dynasty: Politics as usual
The transition for India if Sonia Gandhi cannot continue her duties as head of the Congress party, could be dangerous. India's democratic institutions are already corroded by political corruption and dynastic politics and its economy in rigor mortis from lack of any serious economic reform for the last seven years of Congress rule, say Neelam Deo and Manjeet Kripalani. Mumbai's poor roads, poorer management
It needed the high court to ensure proper roads in 2006 and the civic body has assumed that having met the court's demands was time-barred and confined to only that year. Accepted specifications had to be adhered to, work standards had to be followed and roads had to last monsoons, the court order implied. If these were successfully met for one year, why is it so difficult to do so in the subsequent years? asks Mahesh Vijapurkar. The method behind Digvijay's campaigns
'Praise me, condemn me, but do not ignore me. Given that the Congress party has a whole army of office-bearers, a vast majority of Indians would find it hard to name even a couple of them. But you can bet that they will readily recall the name of one general secretary: Digvijay Singh. Fame and notoriety being two sides of the same coin for present-day politicians, Singh would not mind being abused by the 'aam aadmi' so long as he enjoys a fair recall value.' Pakistan's charm offensive works, and how!
'India seems to have been charmed into conceding ground to the new Pakistan foreign minister on many of its established positions. HRK has established her credentials and the US will be particularly impressed.' July 2011 | June 2011 | May 2011 | April 2011 | March 2011 | February 2011 | January 2011 | December 2010 | November 2010 | October 2010 | September 2010 | August 2010 | July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010