Naresh Chandra, former cabinet secretary, diplomat and well-known strategic thinker, tries to explain what the Modi government is up to and assesses what will work and what may not work and why. He spoke to Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com, also, on diplomatic issues.
'I was brought up in a Brahmin Hindu family. I was brought up in places where the majority was Muslim, in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. There was a mosque next to my house, but I never saw communal tension.' 'I am not worried. This country's religious roots are very strong. They know how to take care of themselves.'
When the BJP forms government in Bengal, the chief minister will be a son of the soil, he said at the rally amid loud cheers from his supporters.
The election campaign finally ended on Friday, May 17. Arindam Majumder reveals what he discovered on the election front on a long rail journey.
The last batch of India's triumphant Paralympic athletes, including shooting sensation Avani Lekhara and shuttler-cum-bureaucrat Suhas Yathiraj, returned home to a rousing reception on Monday, their supporters and families thronging the New Delhi airport for a glimpse of the heroes.
'We aren't so unreasonable as to demand that he should have fully reversed Indira Gandhi's worst economic legacy, bank nationalisation.' 'But he could have made a beginning by selling off the two most stressed small public sector banks, and then announced that each year for the next 10, one government bank with the most messed-up balance sheet will be sold.' 'It would have electrified the markets, shocked his other banks into better behaviour, and marked his name among the great reformers,' argues Shekhar Gupta.
'Minorities should not fear a Modi sarkar... Who has given the right to kill in the name of religion? No one! You are not James Bond 007, that you will just take a shotgun and kill anybody at your whims and fancies. We are not living in a banana republic...' The inimitable Shatrughan Sinha on Narendra Modi as a dabbang action hero, what a Modi Sarkar would be like.
"Will anybody want a servant that who is on vacation when needed at home? And nobody knows where he is," he continued.
A simple guide to the strange defensiveness of the government and its supporters, and how and why the arguments they're making are wrong.
Narendra Modi seems to prefer that Hindu strongman image remain tucked in reserve, to only come when called; life's been more complicated.
The Bombay high court on Monday rejected the bail plea filed by Delhi University's associate professor Hany Babu, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
The new candidates fielded from these constituencies by the BJP are: SP Singh Baghel (Agra), Parameshwar Lal Saini (Sambhal), Raj Kumar Chaher (Fatehpur Sikri), Jai Prakash Rawat (Hardoi-SC), Ashok Rawat (Misrikh-SC) and Arun Sagar (Shahjahanpur-SC).
'It appears that Prime Minister Modi has to undo 50 years of State monopoly in the defence sector during which public undertakings like HAL or DRDO monopolised defence production and development with disastrous consequences.'
Budget 2014 is a strong first step to slowly re-architecting and reviving our economy and transform India, says Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
'At the moment, we are supporting the Nitish Kumar-led government.' 'When the time comes for this government to fall, it will.'
He hinted the decision was partly due to losing the ministerial berth and also differences with the state BJP leadership.
A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders on Wednesday met Election Commission officials here and alleged that the use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo on advertisements of various central schemes and the COVID vaccination certificates, distributed by the Union health ministry, violated the model code of conduct.
HDFC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, spurting over 2 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finserv, M&M, NTPC, Bharti Airtel, UltraTech Cement and ONGC. NSE Nifty rose 98.35 points to 14,823.15.
'He has attacked our enemies in their own backyard.'
At a time when rallies and large gatherings are banned by the Election Commission in view of a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, political parties in Punjab are battling it out on social media platforms as they promote their agendas for people and also counter any negative propaganda by their opponents.
Titan was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, soaring nearly 7 per cent, followed by ONGC, L&T, Kotak Bank, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank. NSE Nifty soared 114.15 points to end at its lifetime peak of 15,690.35.
The euphoria of Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar will fade quickly if the Modi government does not raise its game, and focus significant monetary resources and managerial skills on making India's infrastructure truly world-class, says Ram Kelkar.
Kotak Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising around 3 per cent, followed by HDFC twins, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints and TCS. NSE Nifty surged 142.20 points to 15,098.40.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed to pull off what was unimaginable a year back -- adopting a much-needed centre-left approach, says Devanik Saha.
Over 20 political parties, except the Biju Janata Dal and the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Front, took part in the massive rally.
These flights belong to the fleet of Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Spice Jet, Vistara, Go Air, and also planes from Air Force.
Reiterating his 'suit-boot ki sarkar' jibe, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a feku (a brag).
The PM signs the development mantra in his last rally ahead of Delhi polls.
'What has taken the wind out of its sails is the government's own expectation management and its inability to strategise on delivery,' says Vikram Johri.
There is no power, no water supply and shops are refusing to accept cards, even though ATMs have run out of cash, said the Sumy State University student.
Each 'adarsh village' should have piped drinking water, connectivity to the main road, electricity supply to all households, library, telecom and broadband connectivity including CCTVs in public areas. Emphasis will also be on e-governance, says Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com.
It is in no way a government of the economic Right. The Right is limited to religion and nationalism. The rest is as Left as the Congress or any other party, observes Shekhar Gupta.
The government and unions representing farmers, who have been camping at Delhi's border for about three months in protest against the three laws that they see will end state procurement of crops at MSP, have held 11 rounds of talks, the last being on January 22.
A belated comeback to Rahul Gandhi's 'suit boot' jibe over Modi's infamous monogrammed suit.
Producer Anand Pandit, who has made such films like Chehre, PM Narendra Modi, Total Dhamaal and Sarkar 3, hosted a Musical Fiesta on his birthday at his residence. Many film folk, who have worked with him, made sure to attend.
The West Bengal government is issuing certificates of COVID-19 vaccination to the people in the age group of 18-44 sponsored by the state with the photograph of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
A number of Congress leaders across the country have gone against the party's stand in Parliament on abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir by supporting the Centre's move and a bill to bifurcate the state. The Congress has strongly opposed the move and the bill to bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.
Rediff.com lists a few instances when BJP leaders and ministers shot their mouth off.
Economist S Janakarajan, in an interview to Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com warns that without proper infrastructure, India will never be able to build a market economy.
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress vice president, made his first speech in Parliament on Monday since his return from sabbatical. He attacked the Modi government on the land bill and said that the government had failed the farmers.
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