'He has divine power... For our future, safety is in the hands of Modi.'
The Maldives still considers India a friend, the tourism-dependent country's economic minister has said while defending President Mohamed Muizzu's stand against the presence of "foreign soldiers" in the archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean.
Dominic Xavier offers his take on the issue and wonders why the government wants everyone to tow their line.
Glimpses of what some of our leaders were up to on Monday, September 26, 2022.
'What you need is a credible Opposition, a credible platform to persuade people to believe that it can replace this government.'
Data for the first nine days of January shows that tourist arrivals from India to the Maldives has been at similar levels as last year during the same period.
'My understanding is that by the time President Xi Jinping came for the Chennai summit [2019], he had already instructed his army to undertake the action in Galwan in the summer of 2020.'
The sengol must revert to where it belongs -- behind a glass case and not figure in ceremonies concerning India's democracy, argues Shyam G Menon.
Will Modi and his government begin the battle against the second surge in the pandemic, which is now seeing cases mounting in BJP-ruled states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, only after May 2, when the election results are declared asks Dominic Xavier.
On Friday, an attempt by the banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed to carry out a suicide attack ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's visit was foiled after two suspected Pakistani terrorists were killed in Jammu in an encounter in which a Central Industrial Security Force officer also died.
Rajinikanth was welcomed home by his family after he returned from hospital, where he had been admitted for about four days.
'It is creditable that the BJP builds the organisation set-up and then looks for leaders.' 'The Congress on the other hand has to care for the leaders more than the organisation.'
There is buzz that the PM, confident of an election victory, will introduce 25 new ministers.
'Has any prime minister spent so much time in one state holding election rally after rally?'
'While other parties generally need support directly from their central leadership to get influencers or celebrities to endorse their party, the work of identifying and contacting such influencers has been decentralised to state and district level IT cells to get more engagement in the BJP.'
On Monday night, when President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma awards at a civil investiture ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the loudest applause was reserved for Swami Sivananda, the 125-year-old yoga guru who walked barefoot to receive the Padma Shri -- after prostrating before Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and President Kovind.
'The consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya has demoralised them.' 'And, now it is reflecting in their individual reactions as they are losing hope to take on the BJP in 2024.'
'This government is feeling uneasy because IT cell narratives are being demolished by cartoons.' 'If narratives are so weak to be demolished by cartoons, then they must be fake ones.'
Modi's critics will say that he has put up cement and steel structures, but weakened the institutions of governance whereas Nehru strengthened them, observes T N Ninan.
What is foreign policy worth if it stands disconnected from domestic realities? Make no mistake, the horrifying visuals of the human suffering in metropolitan India is only the tip of the iceberg. The vast swathes of the hinterland are heaving with untold sorrows, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India celebrates December 16 as Vijay Diwas to commemorate the military victory over Pakistan in 1971.
'We don't trust the prime minister's words on repealing the laws because he had promised us that he will implement the Swaminathan Commission report, but he never did.'
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan felicitates Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi.
'When Priyankaji's candidature wasn't announced, where is the question of her backing out?'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf lists 10 ways in his life has improved under the first Modi Sarkar.
From handling the party organisation, finalising candidates, shooting the breeze with the media to pow-wows with diplomats and liaising with the PMO -- Arun Jaitley is the BJP's chief backroom manager in this election, reports R Rajagopalan.
'A unified Hindu votebank -- the creation of the largest and most reliable votebank in Indian politics, ever,' says Mihir S Sharma.
After an official meeting with their respective officials in attendance, Kamala and Narendra then moved to the balcony of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where the leaders had an animated chat.
Kishida Fumio, who served as Japan's foreign minister from 2012 to 2017, visited India multiple times in that role and interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi both in New Delhi and in Tokyo, and with Dr Manmohan Singh, when the then prime minister, visited Japan in 2013.
Prime Minister Modi has entrusted Amit Shah with the task of coordinating all the agencies with their power to monitor movement and phone calls, says R Rajagopalan.
Dominic Xavier wonders why politicians always seem to have a problem with the way our women dress
'Many of Akshay's well-wishers feel this controversy has come up because of his interview with Modi to undermine his credibility.'
Elections are due in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal that year. Early indications show Bengal holds promise for the BJP, but the party may have to recast itself to win Tamil Nadu.
'Victims of terrorism do not sit together with its perpetrators to discuss terrorism.'
Modi's attack on the late prime minister comes on the heels of his allegation that Rajiv Gandhi died as a 'brashtachari no 1'.
Many changes are likely in the BJP and government in coming weeks.
'In India, the establishment not only endorses, but many a times instigates anti-Muslim hatred.'
'Whatever we are today, if playback singers are here even today, and that includes me, it is because of Didi.'
'They are happy for the Hindu community as Ram Lalla is consecrated in Ayodhya.'
'The last three phases, the Trinamool gained more than expected due to Covid mismanagement by the Centre.'
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