Manik Gupta

Stories by Manik Gupta

'Almost All The People We Call 'Antinationals' Are The Ones Who Care'

'Almost All The People We Call 'Antinationals' Are The Ones Who Care'

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2025

'And then the people who call themselves great nationalists, I can bet you that 99 per cent of them are dodging taxes, have sent their kids to America, or are doing everything to make sure that what goes on in this country doesn't affect their personal wealth or their whatever bull*&$%.'

Nikki Bhati Case And The Dowry Trap

Nikki Bhati Case And The Dowry Trap

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2025

35,493 brides were killed in India between 2017 and 2022 -- averaging nearly 20 deaths a day -- over dowry demands, sometimes occurring even years after the wedding.

When wives kill: Women, crime, and breaking of stereotypes

When wives kill: Women, crime, and breaking of stereotypes

Rediff.com   18 Jun 2025

Until they were arrested on charges of murdering their husbands. That they were women from small towns who broke out of stereotype in the most brutal way possible led to sensational headlines, frantic curiosity and also gave fodder to a series of misogynistic memes and jokes.

Delhi Metro cancels ad referring to breasts as oranges

Delhi Metro cancels ad referring to breasts as oranges

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2024

Delhi Metro on Thursday said it has withdrawn a poster on breast cancer awareness that asked women 'to check your oranges' but the questions remained -- does the metaphor obscure the message, does it help women in a cloistered society get comfortable or more awkward by sexualising a body part.

'I Am Not So Bad In My Real Life'

'I Am Not So Bad In My Real Life'

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2024

'My mother puts up with me beating everybody up through the film but before the film comes to an end, she stops it. She is like, "I know what's happening next, I don't want to watch".'

'India Has Changed So Much'

'India Has Changed So Much'

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2024

'I don't feel like going back to India, to the old Delhi that I grew up in. Because the place doesn't exist anymore.'

How fog in north India created chaos at Indian airports

How fog in north India created chaos at Indian airports

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2024

As photographs and video clips were distributed on social media, aviation security watchdog BCAS issued show cause notices to IndiGo and Mumbai airport operator MIAL over the incident, official sources said on Tuesday.

BJP's 3rd term at Centre can be prevented if ..: Tharoor

BJP's 3rd term at Centre can be prevented if ..: Tharoor

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2024

The 67-year-old gave the example of two neighbouring states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, to buttress his point on why seat-sharing pattern of the INDIA bloc will vary from state to state.

Bhagat Singh never lived at Khatkar Kalan

Bhagat Singh never lived at Khatkar Kalan

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2022

Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907 in Banga village in Lyallpur district, now Faisalabad in Pakistan Punjab.

'Tremendous vigour': Tharoor credits Modi for UP polls win

'Tremendous vigour': Tharoor credits Modi for UP polls win

Rediff.com   14 Mar 2022

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did remarkable and energetic campaigning for the party, and "from my point of view, I don't think that the Congress per se can be faulted because on the grounds of one person's campaigning", Tharoor said.

Taliban govt unlikely to survive: William Dalrymple

Taliban govt unlikely to survive: William Dalrymple

Rediff.com   12 Sep 2021

"The most successful governments in Afghanistan tend to be those who have the biggest tents, which would include all communities and therefore leave all communities satisfied after a point and do not create massive resentments. Now, this is not a government which I would imagine would successfully govern Afghanistan," Dalrymple, the historian said.

Docs join duty soon after getting jabbed

Docs join duty soon after getting jabbed

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2021

Messages of congratulations, doctors posing with a victory sign for the media with their infectious smiles -- visible even under the cover of mask -- and the many 'just got jabbed' selfie by the health workers, it was a rare and happy day at the BLK hospital, which has witnessed many dreary days in the past due to the ongoing pandemic.

Books emerge as farmers' best friends at Singhu border

Books emerge as farmers' best friends at Singhu border

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2020

Protesting farmers, who have been holding their fort at the Singhu border for over 20 days, are keeping monotony and boredom at bay by adding new books to their reading list -- day after day.

Interfaith couples uneasy as 'love jihad' storm rages

Interfaith couples uneasy as 'love jihad' storm rages

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2020

'How can one bring jihad into a relationship? How can one be restricted on the grounds of religion in marital things?'

Anxiety and angst as Indians mark month of lockdown

Anxiety and angst as Indians mark month of lockdown

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2020

The journey of getting used to a new way of life -- without domestic help, without the necessity of dressing up to step out and just staying cooped up indoors -- has been out of the ordinary, equal parts good, bad and ugly.

COVID-19: The frantic questions doctors face

COVID-19: The frantic questions doctors face

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2020

The most commonly asked questions relate to symptoms and prevention -- 'Will summer kill the coronavirus?', 'Should outside food and non-veg food be avoided?', 'Does smoking affect chances of recovery?', 'Are face masks useful?', 'Are hand sanitisers better than soap?', 'Are elders in my family more susceptible?'

How COVID-19 survivor beats isolation blues

How COVID-19 survivor beats isolation blues

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2020

Bingeing on action movies, hours-long video calls to his wife and watching "less TV news" helped a coronavirus survivor in successfully getting through the tense isolation period in hospital.

No state can deny implementation of CAA: Kapil Sibal

No state can deny implementation of CAA: Kapil Sibal

Rediff.com   18 Jan 2020

"People in India are showing their angst, their concerns, their worries about the future of India. Everybody wants development, what has Modi done? He has done his own development rather than development of the country," he added.

From Mont Blanc to Patek Phillipe - Jaitley's love for high-end brands

From Mont Blanc to Patek Phillipe - Jaitley's love for high-end brands

Rediff.com   25 Aug 2019

Watches, pens, shawls, shirts or even shoes, the former finance minister had a penchant for all of them and his collection consisted of the choicest of brands ranging from "Patek Phillipe (in watches) to Mont Blanc (in pens)".

Lost and Found at the Kumbh Mela

Lost and Found at the Kumbh Mela

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2019

The festival is billed as the largest gathering of humanity on earth, with 110 million people expected to attend over 49 days. But for the thousands who get lost among the crowds, help is at hand and has been since 1946.