Purists may balk at this level of public discourse, but no one can deny its ability to marshal opinion.
Continuing with our series on correct English usage, we list out six phrases that are so often misused.
'We are at $2.7 trillion and 2024 is not far away.' 'The country will need to grow by 9% every year for 5 years continuously and raise the aggregate investment rate to 38% of GDP to achieve the government's target of turning India into a $5 trillion economy.' 'Given the fact that we are only growing at about 5% and our investment rates are only about 30%, it may take a number of years before we can reach that targeted level.'
The level of political discourse in the country is generally low, but it touches a nadir during election time. You will hear downright lies, half truths, breathtaking exaggerations, and extravagant promises, but never the truth, says Sherna Gandhy.
'I wasn't interested in shackling my freedom to a Bollywood actor.' A fascinating excerpt from Lisa Ray's memoir Close To The Bone.
Rukh may be lit like a YouTube Short Film, and may have its share of other technical problems, but there's something disturbingly original about director Atanu Mukherjee's vision, Sreehari Nair feels.
'We used to enjoy looking at the serene Periyar river every day, flowing quietly and calmly.' 'How everything changed in a day!' 'The quiet Periyar became angry, aggressive, ferocious terrifying everyone in its way.' 'I have not seen this kind of rain fury in my entire life.'
'Did she, for a minute, think of what I've gone through or what my parents have gone through?' 'I've gone through hell. I wasn't given a chance to grieve for Pratyusha.' 'It was her financial mess that landed her in depression.'
A look at the top tweets from favourite Bollywood celebrities.
The trio also accused PM Modi of single-handedly changing the parameters of the deal.
'I felt a constant gag in my throat, and emerged from the movie somewhat mugged,' confesses Sreehari Nair.
'They are out there, singing about their socio-economic status, their family structures, their politics, the way the system treated them, what they would like to change... and the beauty is that they are positive.' 'They are not bitter or cynical.'
Soni is a soft treatment of a very complex subject, feels Sreehari Nair.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com looks at the enigma that is Virat Kohli
A city court has ordered registration of FIR against unknown persons in connection with the midnight raid against African women by a group after Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti accused the foreign nationals of being involved in drugs and prostitution.
The youth of the country feel they are not getting opportunity to work for the nation, Rahul said.
In our special series re-visiting great Hindi film classics, Sukanya Verma looks back at Madhubala and Kishore Kumar's Half Ticket (1962).
He said his party wants to eradicate corruption and if "Modiji takes any step against the menace, the Congress party will lend its hundred per cent support".
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday joined the ongoing controversy over Gen (retd) V K Singh's statement on Jammu and Kashmir politicians, saying if he discloses the former Army chief's advice to him years ago, it would be big embarrassment for everyone.
Amitabh Bachchan is excellent, no question. Only his mystery involved an elusive bottle of Isabgol, says Raja Sen.
Democracies avoid serious political turbulence only so long as they ensure that the relative level of inequality between the rich and the poor does not become excessively large, says Vice President M Hamid Ansari.
Sreehari Nair lists some movies, documentaries, recorded-performance films, and literature and music suggestions that might help.
Lessons from Hollywood star Matt Damon's mistakes.
Priya Kumar's latest book 'I Will Go With You' takes you on an unexpected journey full of surprises and life lessons.
'I am not saying that all women were always right and all men have always been wrong.'
Police staffing is so stretched in several Russian cities as officers are deployed to bolster security at soccer World Cup venues that one union leader says criminals could benefit.
'The Gita was propounded on a battlefield and regards the use of force to establish Dharma or righteousness, as not only legitimate but one's highest duty,' says Colonel Anil Athale (retd).
'People have a certain perception about my political leanings -- and rightly so.' 'But I am an actor first, and then an activist.' 'And I am not an accidental actor.' 'There was no way I was going to be dishonest with my acting,' Anupam Kher tells Veenu Sandhu.
'After having rejected and sometimes also being rejected by 32 men in my unsuccessful journey to matrimony, I prayed that it would be love at first sight with motherhood,' says Priya Ramanathan.
"As it is said a man-made disaster, in the same way demonetisation is Modi-made disaster," the Congress vice-president said as he targeted the prime minister squarely blaming him for the hardships post-demonetisation.
We celebrate Bhattsaab and his greatest gems.
'The Post's coverage is not an authentic public discourse guided by unbiased Western intellectuals, but a slanted doomsday propaganda orchestrated by Indians and expatriate Indians,' argues Vivek Gumaste.
'The rivers that caused the maximum problem were the ones that had dams built on them.'
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh's daughter Daman Singh, who has penned her parent's biography, said it was "upsetting" that the public opinion had turned against him towards the end of his 10-year rule.
Former Army Chief Gen V K Singh, who has courted controversy over secret military intelligence unit Technical Support Division, on Monday slammed its winding up, saying people "inimical" to India's security would be happy.
A divided party -- not the quashing of the Adarsh report -- will spell doom for the Congress in Maharashtra, argues Neeta Kolhatkar.
The opposition invested in people to speak badly about the Aam Aadmi Party, says Prithvi Reddy, national executive member of AAP. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Tuesday was the last that Courtroom 51 saw of Shyamvar Rai, accused No 3 and approver in the Sheena Bora murder trial. True to form, Rai's final hours in the witness box were rather acrimonious. His cross-examination at several points turned downright ugly.
A generation has passed and the demolition appears to be a story of an era gone by, says Sharat Pradhan, who shares his experience as a witness in court in the Babri Masjid demolition case. On the 25th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, we republish this 2011 special.
'I am telling you that it's overestimated that everybody falls in true love.' 'It happens very rarely when two people really fall in love. 'And if that happens, the last thing that should be on anybody's mind is religion, gender, caste, colour and creed.' 'None of that should be relevant. It should be all about just two human beings.'
