Sheela Bhatt

Stories by Sheela Bhatt

Obama won't rake up Kashmir issue, says US

Obama won't rake up Kashmir issue, says US

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2010

US President Barack Obama is unlikely to rake up the issue of Kashmir during his visit to India, a senior American official in New Delhi indicated. The US has reiterated that Kashmir is a bilateral issue to be resolved between New Delhi and Islamabad.

The message from Obama's no show in Amritsar

The message from Obama's no show in Amritsar

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2010

According to a reliable source in the administration in Washington, United States President Barack Obama will be visiting Mumbai and New Delhi only during his trip to India in November. His proposed visit to Amrtisar is unlikely to happen, said the high level source.

Why Khurshid, Chidambaram clashed at cabinet meet

Why Khurshid, Chidambaram clashed at cabinet meet

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2010

The Enemy Property Act has turned two senior cabinet ministers into adversaries. Salman Khurshid, minister for corporate affairs and minority issues, directly targeted Home Minister P Chidambaram during the Union Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

'The Congress is no longer defensive on Ayodhya'

'The Congress is no longer defensive on Ayodhya'

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2010

A senior Congressman from Uttar Pradesh explained that there was a clear attempt by the BJP to underplay the Hindutva sentiment so that they could appeal to the Indian youth, who doesn't want riots and seek to move on.

Sibal: Indian education must follow US example

Sibal: Indian education must follow US example

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2010

Kapil Sibal, union minister of Human Resource Development, believes that higher education offered by US-based universities is much better than that offered by universities in the United Kingdom.

Invisible hand behind CWG success: Not Dikshit's

Invisible hand behind CWG success: Not Dikshit's

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2010

Many senior Congressmen in New Delhi are irritated to see Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit taking exclusive credit for cleaning up the Commonwealth Games village in four days.

Kashmiris have legitimate aspirations: JUH

Kashmiris have legitimate aspirations: JUH

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2010

The Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) will be holding a first of it's kind conference on the Kashmir issue in Deoband on Sunday. While talking to rediff.com, Mehboob Madani, JUH chief confirmed the news and said that Indian Muslims would deliberate the issue in such a manner for the first time.

'BJP not interested in exploiting Ayodhya issue'

'BJP not interested in exploiting Ayodhya issue'

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2010

Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was restrained in his reaction to the Ayodhya verdict delivered by the Allahabad high court's Lucknow bench; but his joy was hardly hidden.

'Ayodhya judgment can have security implications'

'Ayodhya judgment can have security implications'

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2010

The Ayodhya judgment can add to the list of perceived or real injustices in section of Muslim youth, noted security expert and rediff.com columnist B Raman has said.

'What Allah does is always good for the community'

'What Allah does is always good for the community'

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2010

"Most Muslims were thinking that there was 99 per cent chance that the Ayodhya judgment will favour the waqf board. That's why we are feeling disappointed. This verdict is the most unexpected. We have no choice but to keep calm. What Allah does is, always, good for the community. As I said, there was more danger in store for us if we would have won the Ayodhya case."

Praful Patel held in US airport; released later

Praful Patel held in US airport; released later

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2010

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel on Tuesday got the experience very few Patels have been able to escape in the United States of America.

For govt worried over Ayodhya, hope lies in Sec 89

For govt worried over Ayodhya, hope lies in Sec 89

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2010

All eyes are on Attorney General Goolam Essaji Vahanvati who has been asked by the Supreme Court to give his opinion on whether the plea for deferment by one of the litigants in the Ayodhya case should be accepted or not

PM slams Dikshit, Gill over CWG mess, results show

PM slams Dikshit, Gill over CWG mess, results show

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2010

With all the reports of "filth" in the Games Village really hitting the country's image hard, the prime minister took Sports Minister M S Gill and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to task at a meeting on Thursday night. According to sources, Lt Governor of New Delhi Tejinder Khanna was "shivering" while responding to him

Analysis: Why the CWG has gone horribly wrong

Analysis: Why the CWG has gone horribly wrong

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2010

In the current sordid saga, it is not the Indian people who have failed. It is India's political leaders who have failed the people, unforgivably, says Sheela Bhatt.

Srinagar is a ghost town, laments Owaisi

Srinagar is a ghost town, laments Owaisi

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2010

Owaisi said, 'Srinagar is a ghost town. Yeh kya kar diya hai (What have they done)? The people are very angry. It moved us to see that people were searching for milk. We were told that since last three months children were not going to school, medicines or proper food have been in short supply. They said they were being tormented.They can't bear the torture of their youth."

Exclusive: Arun Jaitley on the Kashmir issue

Exclusive: Arun Jaitley on the Kashmir issue

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2010

BJP leader Arun Jaitley elaborates his party's traditional belief on the Kashmir tangle and spells out its future position.

'Muslims, Hindus seem to be tired about Ayodhya'

'Muslims, Hindus seem to be tired about Ayodhya'

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2010

The urgency to understand and decode the possible impact of the Ayodhya verdict is so high that the Bharatiya Janata Party and many Muslim organisations are not even participating in public debates, reports Sheela Bhatt. They want to play it safe by not inciting the public before the verdict and they want to ensure that all options are kept open after the highly anticipated judgment.

Modi strengthened by victory in Congress bastion

Modi strengthened by victory in Congress bastion

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2010

On his 60 birthday, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has got a sweet gift in form of electoral victory of Kanubhai Dabhi in the Kathlal constituency in Kheda district. The victory is historic because the Bharatiya Janata Party has never won this seat before.

'The UPA is all at sea in dealing with J&K'

'The UPA is all at sea in dealing with J&K'

Rediff.com   15 Sep 2010

BJP leader Arun Jaitley on why it is important for the government not to bow to those propagating violence and offers possible solutions to the problems plaguing the valley.

No violence, but Ram temple will be built: RSS

No violence, but Ram temple will be built: RSS

Rediff.com   15 Sep 2010

Sheela Bhatt meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at a media interaction in New Delhi. She says that while he was rigid on his stand on the Ayodhya issue, he impressed with his simplicity and clarity of thought.