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| December 01, 2010 | |
In season of scams, how will govt stem the rot?
'Nobody denies the culpability of many bureaucrats and businessmen in the shrinking of our moral universe but at the end of the day it is the politicians who set the standard.'
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| November 24, 2010 | |
India needs more of her PM than just integrity
At some point Andimuthu Raja is going to fire off a pertinent -- and embarrassing -- question at Dr Manmohan Singh: 'Precisely when, Mr Prime Minister, did you specifically forbid me to stop whatever system I was using to distribute 2G spectrum?'
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| November 02, 2010 | |
Why A K Antony must clear the Adarsh scam mess
The Adarsh scam is potentially the more dangerous than the Commonwealth Games mess since it points to corruption in the armed forces. As a man whose personal integrity is beyond reproach, the defence minister must step in and stem the rot.
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| October 19, 2010 | |
CWG worst assault on Delhi since 1857!
'A bill for thousands of crores that taxpayers shall be paying off for decades to come... But a successful circus and Facebook will see thousands of messages proclaiming their pride in being Indian.... To paraphrase Lalit Bhanot's immortal comment on hygiene, perhaps Indians have different standards of measuring concepts such as 'success' and 'responsibility'.
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| July 22, 2010 | |
India's disappointing young leaders
'Ashok Chavan and Omar Abdullah owe the office in large part to Rahul Gandhi and that places a large question mark over the judgment of that Gen Next leader.'
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| July 09, 2010 | |
This is the plight of the honest govt official
'It is an open secret that the mining lobby wields immense clout both in Karnataka and in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. It is no surprise that millions of tons vanished without a trace. (As did thousands of crores of rupees in lost revenue.) But it should be a cause for worry when the power of the mining lobby seemingly leads to the disappearance of honest officials.'
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| June 23, 2010 | |
Too late for Nitish to mount moral high horse
Nitish Kumar made his reputation by focusing on development. Why is it that even he has to follow the hollow rhetoric of 'communal' and 'secular' when the time comes to woo voters?'.
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| June 07, 2010 | |
What will Mamata Banerjee do next?
'What lesson will the other UPA allies draw? Mamata has been strident -- even defiant -- when it comes to protecting her turf, even risking outright rupture with the Congress. She has been repaid by the voters. Will other parties too draw the same lesson?'
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| May 18, 2010 | |
The UPA, a house divided
'The alliance doesn't seem cemented as much as held together with staples and tape.'
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| May 10, 2010 | |
The degeneration of India's universities
'How is this rush to decay to be halted before Indian universities become the laughing stock of the world, the (few) good ones unfairly tarred by the misdeeds of the worst of the lot?'
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| March 25, 2010 | |
Why the women's bill is fatally flawed
Giving women an increased share in legislatures may be a good idea but it would have been better had the Manmohan Singh ministry applied a little more thought before placing the bill in Parliament.
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| December 31, 2009 | |
Goodbye to a wretched year
'I can scarcely wait for this wretched twelve months to end. We began the year with an economy in the doldrums, continued with once in 10,000-year rains wreaking havoc across central India, and end as the pillars of the State seem bent on crumbling.'
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| November 11, 2009 | |
Will the route of Koda's loot be dealt with?
'If there were people willing to offer bribes worth crores of rupees there were definitely other people who were willing to stand behind Madhu Koda's shoulder, offering hints about investing all those rupees. Who were they?'
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| November 02, 2009 | |
Will the glitter of a Nobel outshine common sense?
'Every prime minister believes that peace with Pakistan is simply a matter of time -- after which an applauding world shall hang the Nobel Prize around his neck. Is it Dr Manmohan Singh's turn to add his name to the list?'
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| October 26, 2009 | |
Can the BJP-Sena get their act together?
'Take a walk down the potholed streets of India's financial capital, remember how the monsoons flooded the city, get a whiff of the garbage piling up everywhere, and you will know just how badly the local government is run.'
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| October 13, 2009 | |
After today's polls, watch out for Bengal next!
'Polling on the west coast will be over in a few hours. The manoeuvring for position on the east coast has already started -- all thanks to the Congress's lust for power in a single municipal corporation.'
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| August 10, 2009 | |
Why the hurry in Andhra Pradesh?
'The flowers on YSR's grave have not yet faded. Are his supporters so unwilling to wait that they will pluck those same blooms to weave them in a garland for his son?'
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| July 21, 2009 | |
The maladministration of Kerala
The CPI-M bosses chose to punish V S Achuthanandan for indiscipline. Who is going to call him to account for maladministration?
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| July 11, 2009 | |
Can the PM do what he wants?
'There are limits to the support offered by the Nehru-Gandhi family, and they have become only too evident in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.'
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| June 08, 2009 | |
5 days away from the news cycle
'Krishna is sure to be a success with his US education and zest for life even at 77. He may well turn out to be the best dressed external affairs minister we ever had.'
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| June 02, 2009 | |
The muddle of the govt's portfolios
The very structure of the council of ministers breeds inefficiency. Far too many people had to be accommodated and jobs found for each.
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| May 15, 2009 | |
How the Left could veer to the Congress
If the Congress-Trinamool Congress wins one-third of the seats from West Bengal, the Marxists will cynically exploit Banerjee's feelings, rushing to join hands with a power-hungry Congress in order to shatter the anti-Left coalition in West Bengal.
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| May 06, 2009 | |
Will we see a return to revolving-door ministries?
The Congress is ready with a plan to refuse power if it lacks the numbers. What happens if the BJP too 'refuses to compromise on principles;? We must then get ready for another election sooner rather than later.
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| April 30, 2009 | |
AP, Orissa, TN hold the key to Congress fortunes
'Ideally, the Congress wants to retain all that it won in Andhra Pradesh five years ago while picking up seats in Orissa. But what happens to its hopes of retaining power should it retreat in Andhra Pradesh without advancing in Orissa? Add a poorer performance in Tamil Nadu than in 2004, and suddenly the Congress's chances look distinctly shaky.'
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| April 14, 2009 | |
Why we should fear the Samajwadi Party
Mulayam Singh Yadav could well be in a position to carry out at least some of his promises in the next Lok Sabha if neither the BJP nor the Congress is in a position to lead the government.
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| April 09, 2009 | |
The drift and decline of the Left
The Communist movement in India is a group that prefers to cut deals behind closed doors rather than reach out to India to win the people's mandate.
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| April 01, 2009 | |
Why varun and why not Geelani?
Varun Gandhi has been gaoled for reportedly making provocative statements. Would any ministry ever dare apply the same draconian laws against the Hurriyat Conference chairman?
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| March 17, 2009 | |
The illusion that is the Third Front
The Third Front, as it exists today, is a mere illusion. Does it have a common programme to which every constituent subscribes? Who is the chairman or the convenor of the Third Front? If this mob succeeds in coming to power -- probably after conning the Congress -- who shall be the prime minister? Does it possess even those minimal measures of credibility, namely a common list of candidates and an accepted nominee for the prime ministerial chair?.
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| March 09, 2009 | |
Why regional leaders will decide Delhi's rulers
It is a bit of a sad commentary on our democracy but the general election is going to be only the first step in forming a government. The second step will come only when the party leaders -- specifically from regional forces -- judge their positions after the polls.
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| March 04, 2009 | |
Let the seat-sharing squabbles begin
The three major parties will use the next 15 days for housecleaning. But what price must they pay for keeping their allies happy? As things stand today the Congress and the BJP are hard put to summon even a simple majority in the Lok Sabha. When the new House reconvenes in summer could we see a situation where not two but even the three largest parties will be pressed to reach the magic number of 272?
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| February 10, 2009 | |
What exactly does Prakash Karat stand for?
'Karat's CPI-M is no longer the (reasonably) disciplined, cadre-based party he inherited from Surjeet, it is now just another group of egotistic individuals.'
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| February 04, 2009 | |
Lok Sabha is not the place for local politics
This election should not be about Ramalinga Raju, or SNC-Lavalin, or Prabhakaran, or 'pub culture'. It should be about the actual issues of the day, which can be summed up in a single word: 'Security'.
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| January 19, 2009 | |
Why wasn't anyone listening to Metroman Sreedharan?
'Given the Satyam scandal, is it too much to ask that Sreedharan's allegations should finally be taken seriously? And that while we are about it, how about taking another look at all the other BOT projects undertaken by Maytas Infra?'
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| December 27, 2008 | |
Why the Congress won't make Antulay say sorry
But the minister must remember that conspiracy theories can run both ways -- and that, carried to the bitter end, his allegations could leave his party very sorry.
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| December 19, 2008 | |
Mullah Omar's designs on India
Pakistan represents 'strategic depth' in Mullah Omar's war with the US, then a staging camp for the conquest of India.
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| October 13, 2008 | |
Allies pressure Congress ahead of poll
The DMK, the NCP, the LJP and the RJD would like the Congress to give something in return if they "sacrifice" their demands. The Congress -- and the Indian electorate at large -- is expected to politely ignore the fact that the demands are a load of unrealistic bunk that never had a prayer of being realised
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| October 08, 2008 | |
Wisdom dawns on Congress for Vijayadashami
The next general election must be held by May of 2009, and we already appear to have a clear choice. The National Democratic Alliance announced that L K Advani will be the prime minister should it come to power. Now, there is a fair degree of clarity that Dr Manmohan Singh shall lead the United Progressive Alliance if it should be returned to office. But how about the Third Front? Transparency is no friend of the Third Front!
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| September 25, 2008 | |
It's time for the 'silent majority' to speak up
Most Hindus, most Muslims, and most Christians in India are essentially peaceable folks who would rub along perfectly well with each other given half a chance. But will they get that option if the headlines are hijacked by extremists with their own agenda?
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| September 15, 2008 | |
George Bush and the Indian election
A picture, they say, is worth a 1,000 words. Come the general election and we may find that a certain picture is worth 2,000 words.
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| September 08, 2008 | |
The Jewish Gandhi and Barack Obama
If the amount of disinformation that spreads so rapidly in the US is disturbing our own lack of appreciation of our rich heritage is almost as troubling.
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| August 27, 2008 | |
When the US fiddles with the rules
'The prime minister and his colleagues thought the Bush administration's promises were as good as gold. But, as the Americans would now have you believe, gold is no better than bronze.'
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| August 19, 2008 | |
Who really snubbed Jesse Owens?
In 1936, the press allowed itself to be seduced by Nazi propaganda; sift through the archives, and there is no shortage of admiring reports about the economic and social development of Germany under the Hitler regime. In 2008, there seems to be the same unquestioning admiration for Communist China as for Nazi Germany.
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| August 11, 2008 | |
Will nuclear deal fail in US Congress?
'It will take a minor miracle for the deal to beat the clock ticking away in the US Congress, but Abhinav Bindra just proved that the age of miracles isn't over yet.'
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| July 18, 2008 | |
The only important number is 5
'What do Congressmen want, five assured months in office before the general election is called or the possibility of being re-elected for another five-year term?'
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| July 07, 2008 | |
Will the final joke be on Mulayam Singh Yadav?
'After the next general election, the Left Front will emerge with its control intact over West Bengal, albeit much bruised and battered. It will perform dismally in Kerala. But the Left Front will still be a presence of sorts in Parliament. Can the Samajwadi Party retain all its 39 seats?'
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| June 25, 2008 | |
The Hawa Mahal of our politics
The nuclear pact is not an issue any longer, it can still serve as an excuse for calling a general election before it is due.
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| June 19, 2008 | |
The 1970s are coming back with a vengeance
‘Double-digit inflation, a return of Naxalism and the licence Raj. Is it too much to ask the Congress at least stop asking for more Indira Gandhi-style 'commitment?'
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| June 06, 2008 | |
Where is the money going?
‘There is no money for fuel subsidies because it is, supposedly, being used for development activities. But nobody can see any effect of these activities.’
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| May 09, 2008 | |
Dr Singh is nothing but a mukhauta!
'Does anyone believe for a moment that T R Baalu cares two hoots for a man without a mandate who happens to be living in Race Course Road by sheer accident?'
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| May 02, 2008 | |
Why did Priyanka Vadra meet Nalini?
It is a bit strange that Rajiv Gandhi's daughter received permission to do precisely what her great-grandfather had denied to the Mahatma's son.
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| April 07, 2008 | |
Why Karnataka holds the key
A poor performance here will spell alarm for every current or potential Congress ally, and, could have an effect on the Lok Sabha poll.
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| March 24, 2008 | |
Why is India doing China's dirty job?
I have absolutely no problem with India's conducting business with the generals in Myanmar because that is how India's interests were best served. But how does India benefit from cracking Tibetan skulls outside the Chinese embassy, and how does it benefit from pandering to extremists by exiling Taslima Nasreen?
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| March 04, 2008 | |
UPA and Election Commission on collision course
There may be three acts to this particular drama. First, there is a question on the timing of the assembly elections in Karnataka. The second is a difference of opinion about Sonia Gandhi accepting a Belgian honour. The third concerns the eligibility of a particular member of the Election Commission to continue in that post.
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| February 26, 2008 | |
Politics and the power of hope
What Pakistani voters and Barack Obama demonstrate is the power of hope, of hope that the democratic process offers the chance of enacting genuine change.
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| August 28, 2007 | |
The BJP could save the day
'Prime Minister, there will be no agreement with the Americans unless you get the BJP on your side in the name of the greater national interest.'
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| August 02, 2007 | |
Nobody is above the law, Mr Sanjay Dutt
'Did you hear anybody express any sympathy for Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who has been receiving threats for the better part of the past decade?'
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| July 05, 2007 | |
Endgame for Musharraf?
'Pakistan's rulers may blandly deny that their country is 'Al Qaeda Central' as some American reports put it. But it would be utterly futile to try to refute the fact that they have reared Muslim fundamentalism in their bosom.'
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| May 11, 2007 | |
The victory of caste arithmetic
'I pray Mayawati becomes a leader not just of the Brahmins and the Dalits but of all Uttar Pradesh. Our largest state deserves no less.'
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| May 04, 2007 | |
And India stretches out its bowl
Is the country's hard-earned food security in danger of vanishing as the Manmohan Singh government fiddles with quotas and nuclear deals rather than concentrate on daal-roti?
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| April 25, 2007 | |
The joke is always on the public
When the Congress, BJP, or the Left begins to talk of 'morality' you can be sure the ultimate joke will be the befuddled Indian public.
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| April 17, 2007 | |
UP election: Who cares?
'In over four decades in journalism I cannot recall a greater exercise in futility than the ongoing Vidhan Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh.'
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| February 26, 2007 | |
It's time judges declared their assets
'We in India are incredibly lucky in our judiciary. Taken as a body it is undoubtedly free of taints. But let us not pretend that every single member of this elite corps is free of controversy.'
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| December 26, 2006 | |
Why the US won't leave Iraq
'As long as oil continues to be a factor, as long as Iraqi Shias and Sunnis continue to butcher each other, as long as the expenses of war can be sustained by the American economy, there is no hope of an American withdrawal from Iraq.'
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| November 29, 2006 | |
The debate over Muslim separatism in the US
What is worrying the Americans, the Britons, and others across the globe, is that the Muslim immigrants of today are showing absolutely no signs of even wanting to integrate.
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| November 17, 2006 | |
Nuke treaty may still be dead
Let us understand that restrictions on civilian nuclear technology will not be automatically lifted even after the US Senate gives the green signal to the nuke deal.
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| October 25, 2006 | |
Bush vs Chavez & the lesson for India
There is no dearth of nations where anti-Americanism translate into solid political gains. But realistic governments know it is unwise to tweak the most powerful nation on this planet without sufficient cause.
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| October 05, 2006 | |
Will we drop this obsession with the UN?
Spare me the talk of the 'prestige' of having our man as secretary general! How much prestige has Ghana accrued since Kofi Annan assumed the office?
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| September 01, 2006 | |
Only the gods can save India
Tomorrow's leaders shall arise from the student unions of today. Can you, honestly, contemplate this future without shuddering?.
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| August 23, 2006 | |
How strong is this allergy to Bush?
80 years ago the Khilafat Agitation ended by driving a wedge between India's two largest communities. I fear events outside India are again casting a shadow on Indian politics.
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| August 18, 2006 | |
Will Dr Singh's govt see the light?
The Office of Profit Bill is one of three pieces of controversial legislation, each seemingly created to serve a small section rather than society at large.
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