Sheela Bhatt And George Joseph

'Rushdie stopped by Congress to appease fringe elements'

The entire event suggests that in India democracy is decreasing and psephocracy is increasing, says Ashis Nandy, who spoke to rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.

Exclusive: 'Rahul's charm is fading in UP'

'Priyanka Gandhi is not Indira Gandhi, declares Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. According to Yadav's confidant Azam Khan, if Priyanka formally joins politics and campaigns everywhere in UP, then political parties will treat her as a politician. Chief Minister Mayawati is also preparing a dossier on Priyanka and her businessman husband Robert Vadra to counter her charm offensive in the electoral battle.

Mumbai woman dies in US after hunger strike in jail

Mumbai native Lyvita Gomes, 52, died after hunger strike of 15 days at the Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, US, reports George Joseph.

Judge slams US govt, but dismisses Mumbai native De Sousa's case

Sabrina De Sousa, a United States consular officer in Milan, was abandoned by her own government and left to fend for herself in an alleged CIA kidnapping case in Italy. Rediff.com's George Joseph narrates her story.

Sonia to present first S K Singh award for excellence in IFS

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will present the first Shailendra Kumar Singh award, named after the late distinguished Indian Foreign Service officer, on Friday at an event organised by Manju S K Singh, his widow, and the Ministry of External Affairs, in New Delhi.

New York temple attack: People are scared, says priest

'I don't feel any animosity towards the attacker. I only feel sorry for him. He did it out of ignorance, and needs help,' Ramesh Maharaj, the priest at the Hindu temple in New York, which was attacked by a firebomb on Sunday, tells Rediff.com

New York temple attack: People are scared, says priest

'I don't feel any animosity towards the attacker. I only feel sorry for him. He did it out of ignorance, and needs help,' Ramesh Maharaj, the priest at the Hindu temple in New York, which was attacked by a firebomb on Sunday, tells Rediff.com

Govt likely to delay Union Budget to March 19

Union Budget likely on March 19

The sources also said that the Budget session of Parliament is likely to start from March 12.

Govt likely to delay Union Budget to March 19

According to the sources in the government, Union Budget 2012-2013 is likely to be presented in Parliament on March 19, 2012.

Congress looks to ways to avoid Lokpal vote

The Congress party, which seems to be short of the numbers to shepherd the Lokpal bill though the Rajya Sabha, is trying desperately to avoid voting on the bill in the upper house as the debate over the bill winds down in Parliament on Wednesday evening.

Lokpal bill likely to go back to Lok Sabha

According to a Congress minister, who is handling the party's floor management in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress party, as on 5.30 pm on Thursday, does not have enough votes to pass the Lokpal bill in the Upper House of Parliament.

Opposition may force Congress to vote against Lokpal bill

The opposition strategy seems to be to get these amendments incorporated into the final bill that will then be put to vote. This will mean that the Congress may be forced to vote against the final bill, since it may not be in agreement with some of the amendments forced by the opposition.

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."

Intensity of defeat exposes UPA government's vulnerability

Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.

Intensity of defeat exposes UPA government's vulnerability

Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.

Mood in the Lok Sabha over Lokpal: Hatao yeh bill yeha se

The differences between the Congress and the BJP are too obvious and it seems, as expected, this Parliament is a divided house on the issue of fighting corruption.

Government should go for a mid-term poll: Kuldip Nayar

Kuldip Nayar, veteran journalist and author of many books, thinks that the current Parliament does not represent the sentiments of the people.

Why the Lokpal bill faces a challenge

The Constitutional (116 amendment) bill, which will have to be passed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament, is the enabling bill that would enable the law-makers to grant the Lokpal constitutional status. If that is not passed, it will also mean the end of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill. Sheela Bhatt reports.

Why the Lokpal bill faces a challenge

The Constitutional (116 amendment) bill, which will have to be passed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament, is the enabling bill that would enable the law-makers to grant the Lokpal constitutional status. If that is not passed, it will also mean the end of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas bill. Sheela Bhatt reports.