To me he always symbolised the sincere, confident, face of a Bharat whose rise is unstoppable. Ratan Tata was a Rishi who was unquestioningly trusted by people who never saw him and never met him, asserts Tarun Vijay, the former BJP MP.
The Sikhs love a good fight, and that's what the Modi government has given them.
'You can see the essential contours of his new Pakistan strategy. Rather than keep engaging with or humouring them, he'd rather work on taking their four biggest supporters -- the US, China, the UAE and later Saudi Arabia -- away from them.' 'In his calculation,' says Shekhar Gupta, 'with the total support of all four of these, Pakistan will be forced to moderate its policies.'
Accusing the prime minister of pushing a particular narrative in the media through the PMO, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said "Modi will not be able to deflect from real issues".
Both have made factory jobs the centre of their economic agendas. Kanika Datta explains the practical limits to their ambitions.
'He fulfilled his farz to his country,' a grieving mother says of Major Mustafa Bohara who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, the nation's third-highest medal for gallantry in peacetime. 'He fulfilled his farz to his country,' said his proud mother of her soldier son.
The winds of nationalism laden with religion will now yield to those of concern over the stalled economy, unemployment, and a general malaise and unhappiness, predicts Shekhar Gupta.
The parties which gave chief ministers and sent scores of MPs to Parliament, drew a blank this time.
Today, with China centrally seated and located, the Global South has an intriguing road ahead. Odds of it becoming a Chinese bloc in the emerging new bipolar world are higher than we'd wish them to be, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said three months before the five state elections, where the 'BJP is staring at certain defeat', and six months before the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is literally clutching at straws.
The Supreme Court on Monday closed contempt proceedings against ex-IPL commissioner Lalit Modi after he tendered an unconditional apology for his remarks against the judiciary in social media posts.
'We know each other for quite some time.' 'He could provide stability to the country for five years.' 'But he could not provide confidence to the countrymen that he is our leader.'
'If Mr Modi continues growing as a Hindu Hriday Samrat, better that it is done by restoring ancient temples than demolishing medieval mosques,' says Shekhar Gupta.
'The BJP is racing against its opponents by putting a chain on their legs.'
'I think some of us, like Mukesh Ambani, myself and those of us who head industrial units, ought to really focus on what we can really do to make the world a safer place, maybe 50 or 100 years from now.' 'For instance, how can we deal with climate change and global warming, right now?' 'The effects of it may not be felt now; in fact, we may pay a price for it today, but it will help the generations to follow.'
'In macroeconomic policy, timing is all, and by leaving things too late, Mr Modi may have made around 50 seats in the Lok Sabha highly vulnerable,' says T C A Srinivasa Raghavan.
'If we want our economies to be strong, we need to invest in young people who are our future.'
Indian Members of Parliament have written to President Barack Obama, urging the US Administration to maintain the current policy of denying visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Only a leader with sufficient moral authority with voters can pull off such experiments, notes T N Ninan.
'Right now, politics is operating in a state of suspended animation. That works to Modi's advantage.'
The Congress now knows that it is the only force -- however weakened it might be -- that stands between the BJP and India's evolution into a single-party Republic. Because, once it is out of the way, the BJP could sort out the other regional powers: Co-opting some, demolishing others, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'For Modi, it's not just winning, but winning with style.'
Several of Modi's actions reflect political courage.
Special Judge D E Kothalikar, assigned to hear cases of the NIA, had, on February 14, rejected the bail plea of Hany Babu, and the detailed order was made available on Monday.
Change will have to begin with Mr Modi, who by all accounts has shown little active interest in macro-economic issues, preferring instead to focus on the effective implementation of projects and programmes, points out T N Ninan.
Many ethical, competent corporate leaders aspire to join public life today. However, the transition to politics is far from easy, observes Indrajit Gupta.
'The future of BRICS is under stress as Chinese attempts to expand the platform are being resisted by India and Brazil.' 'Beijing is focused on a quick expansion with the aim of giving the platform a distinctly anti-Western orientation, which New Delhi and Brasilia seem to have no interest in,' notes Harsh V Pant.
Dear Reader, what do you think of Narendra Modi and his government's performance?
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks on Pakistan sparked a political row on Friday, with his party quick to dissociate itself from the comments while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party latched on to them, accusing the Congress of being an apologist for Pakistan and the terrorism emanating from its soil.
The Congress and AAP had fought the Lok Sabha polls together in Delhi, while they contested separately in Punjab.
The Indian leader's new wax figure arrived at the Baker Street attraction fresh from Delhi, where Modi had a private viewing with his likeness last week.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com tried to buy a house on his recent visit to Srinagar.
"Troubled" and "dismayed" at Wharton University withdrawing its invitation to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the varsity's decision to change its mind "under pressure" was "very wrong". Addressing the Wharton India Economic Forum via video-conferencing, Kejriwal, who began his indefinite fast against "inflated" power and water bills today, said he was "dismayed" at the decision.
'Those who hope for a strong united Opposition are disillusioned at the way in which the INDIA alliance has already been caught in debilitating squabbles.'
'In the long run, I don't foresee major ramifications [about Trudeau's allegations].' 'There's just enough hypocrisy among Western nations for India to douse the outrage.'
'We have been threatened. We have felt violated.' 'Everything is in danger if you don't give safe spaces to women.'
'Rama is Lord God of maryada. Today's maryada is the Constitution.'
If Mr Modi is not in favour of privatisation, he should outline what alternative strategies he has in mind to revive PSUs whose deteriorating finances have become a drag on central resources.
'Never, not even once, has Kamala Harris said that she is Indian American. I know why.' 'From the Indian American community she can get maybe 1% percent votes. But if she says she's African American she gains about 20% votes.'
An exclusive excerpt from The Tatas: How A Family Built A Business And A Nation.
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