Aditi Phadnis &Amp; Saubhadro Chatterji

Stories by Aditi Phadnis &Amp; Saubhadro Chatterji

Manipur's development blockade

Manipur's development blockade

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2010

The Nagas, who inhabit the hills, feel the Manipur (Hill Area) District Council Act (Third Amendment) 2008, under which the election was to have been held, takes away the powers of the tribal people.

Mamata flashes red signal to divestment

Mamata flashes red signal to divestment

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2010

Top sources in the government told Business Standard that Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's opposition to divestment plans of profit-making public sector entities prompted the cabinet not to take it up for discussion today.

Mining reforms on hold as ministries differ

Mining reforms on hold as ministries differ

Rediff.com   19 May 2010

A sweeping set of reforms proposed for the country's mining sector have led to a faceoff between the Union law and mines ministries.

More transfusion being planned for long-ailing ITI

More transfusion being planned for long-ailing ITI

Rediff.com   17 May 2010

The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises will take up the case of ITI in its next meeting, on May 31.

Karat slams Buddha for CPI-M's poll debacle

Karat slams Buddha for CPI-M's poll debacle

Rediff.com   17 May 2010

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, once the poster boy of development for the Communist Party of India-Marxist, has come under fire in the party's latest 'rectification' campaign.

Karunanidhi's Tale: A divided Hindu family

Karunanidhi's Tale: A divided Hindu family

Rediff.com   15 May 2010

All parents worry when their children quarrel, more so in the sunset of their lives. Karunanidhi's children are special.

Muivah issue dominates Congress meeting

Muivah issue dominates Congress meeting

Rediff.com   15 May 2010

Following the week-long standoff between the Nagas and the Manipur government over Thuingaleng Muivah's visit to his native village, the Congress core committee decided not to allow the separatist leader to enter the state. After prolonged deliberations, the party top-brass on Wednesday felt that the visit of the country's top rebel leader from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM might worsen the law and order situation in Manipur.

From genteel poverty to crusading CJI

From genteel poverty to crusading CJI

Rediff.com   14 May 2010

The young Sarosh may not have been rich but what he did possess was ambition and determination to become a judge. He became counsel for the income tax department in 1974, aged 27. He also appeared for the then Bombay Municipal Corporation in matters concerning rateable value and octroi. He represented the Maharashtra government and several public sector undertakings until he was appointed a high court judge.

Govt revives talks on workers in boards

Govt revives talks on workers in boards

Rediff.com   13 May 2010

The United Progressive Alliance government has initiated a move to revive a 20-year-old controversial bill which seeks to give representation to workers on company boards. As a first step, Union Labour Secretary Prabhat Chaturvedi met human resource directors and other senior officials of 12 'Navratna' PSUs in Delhi.

Greed is the only motive for politics in Jharkhand

Greed is the only motive for politics in Jharkhand

Rediff.com   3 May 2010

Unnoticed by the rest of the world, a bizarre drama was played out in Jharkhand recently -- that is, even more bizarre than the claims made by Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's aides that Soren voted for the United Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha because he is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, so he forgot that it was the National Democratic Alliance which was supporting his government in Jharkhand.

Parties pad up to ward off IPL bouncers

Parties pad up to ward off IPL bouncers

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2010

Caught in the vortex of a political cyclone that the affairs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have turned into, the Congress is clear: It wants heads to roll, but they must be of CEOs and not any more ministers.

Politics aside, Singur still awaits a factory

Politics aside, Singur still awaits a factory

Rediff.com   16 Apr 2010

Both the warring sides claim they are keen to see industry come up in Singur -- the abandoned site of the Nano factory near Kolkata. But nine months after the decision to relocate the Nano factory, there has been no forward movement on setting up an industry in Singur.

Hassled Kochi IPL franchisees knock Sonia's doors

Hassled Kochi IPL franchisees knock Sonia's doors

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2010

Told to take money and withdraw, the successful but frightened Kochi franchise winners seek Sonia's protection.

Third Front unity tottering once again?

Third Front unity tottering once again?

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2010

Will the so-called Third Front partners be able to retain their ambitious unity till the end of this month, when the Finance Bill comes for voting in the Lok Sabha? Doubts are hovering around the Yadav duo Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav -- as the two have taken different stands in the past one week on the issue.

'Census will not have details on caste'

'Census will not have details on caste'

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2010

The current census process leaves no scope for duplication, C Chandramouli, registrar general and Census commissioner, tells Saubhadro Chatterji

What worries the Delhi chief minister

What worries the Delhi chief minister

Rediff.com   5 Apr 2010

Sheila Dikshit answers the question everyone is asking: 'What after the Commonwealth Games'?

For SIT chief Raghavan, law comes above religion

For SIT chief Raghavan, law comes above religion

Rediff.com   2 Apr 2010

He's a devout Hindu but places fairness above religion.

The one thing Chidambaram is terrified of

The one thing Chidambaram is terrified of

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2010

He's looked after commerce, finance, home ... and holds forth on his predecessors, their bosses, his bosses, and more.

BJP reshuffle: What is Nitin Gadkari thinking?

BJP reshuffle: What is Nitin Gadkari thinking?

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2010

Sheikh Chilli is a well-known character in South Asian mythology. He abounds in vision, dreams, and knows how to inspire people with his talk. He is brimming with futuristic ideas, but has no idea how to realise them: The most famous Sheikh Chilli story is how he decided to cut a branch off a tree when he needed firewood, except that he was sitting on the branch while cutting it.Several in the Bharatiya Janata Party are reminded of Sheikh Chilli while evaluating the team.

FM may expand Railways' exempted goods list

FM may expand Railways' exempted goods list

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2010

If the finance ministry finally allows the railways to expand its list of goods exempted from the service tax ambit, instead of a complete rollback to the 10 per cent service tax imposed on frieght movement, it could come as a reprieve for Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.