Owaisi's five seats in Bihar's Muslim-majority Seemanchal region ought to ring alarm bells, observes Virendra Kapoor.
Indian politics, held captive in one way or the other by Ayodhya, may now well seek its emancipation from this issue, and the pursuit of welfare, asserts Congress leader Salman Khurshid in this excerpt from his latest book, Sunrise over Ayodhya.
'Muslims in India have been suffering in many ways. Yet, they are proud Indians and love India as much as any other Indian community.'
If Dhyan Chand's wizardry was a source of joy in a colonised India, Balbir Singh Sr's artistry was an inspiration for an India trying to find its bearings post-independence.
'Much of the Socialism that we attribute to him actually came during Indira Gandhi's time,' says M J Akbar who believes that Nehru's convictions helped shape modern India.
She quit her career in financial services to pursue her passion for writing.
Modi took on Gandhi for mocking him for chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' at every meeting. The prime minister said he will continue to do so despite Gandhi's 'fatwa' on it.
"It was Veer Savarkar who first mooted the idea of a two-nation theory which was later adopted by Muhammad Ali Jinnah," Singh told reporters.
'Somehow the Flying Sikh has endured in people's memory.'
Interestingly, the choice of August 5 as the day of the bhoomi pujan coincides with the abolition of Kashmir's special status on the same day a year ago. Perhaps the RSS-BJP wants August 5 to be remembered as the date on which the foundation stone of their cherished Hindu rashtra was laid, notes Amulya Ganguli.
Veteran diplomat and author Phillips Talbot, a Padma Shri recipient who experienced first-hand the power of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent movement and was one of the few Americans present during India's partition, has died in New York at the age of 95.Talbot's death on October 1 was announced by the Asia Society, where he served as the president between 1970 and 1981.He was United State's assistant secretary of state for near eastern and south Asian affairs.
Counter-attacking the divisive and communal barb, BJP on Monday said Congress was the 'biggest communal party' because it was responsible for the partition of India and the Bhagalpur riots.
'Pakistan is full of 'religious entrepreneurs' like Hafeez Saeed who poison the minds of the young so that they can be motivated to become terrorists. They work in concert with the rulers of Pakistan. It is a private-public partnership.'
Shah accused the Congress and other opposition parties of running a misinformation campaign.
Sam Manekshaw led the Indian Army to its greatest military victory this month 46 years ago. Lieutenant Colonel A K Shinde (retd), the field marshal's doctor for 35 years, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih about the charming man behind the soldier's uniform.
'At a festival that has shown so many brilliant films, I cannot be more thrilled to receive this award,' said Slave's director Steve McQueen.
The president emeritus of Asia Society and former Kennedy administration official Phillips Talbot has said the nuclear agreement would benefit both countries as it would ensure strategic ties between Washington and New Delhi "for 20 or 30 years".
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India's fear of small states derives from memories of Partition and the paranoid view that it will break up under 'too many' states. It's time to shed such fears and bite the 'states' reorganisation' bullet. India won't crumble under a few more Telanganas, Vidarbhas or Gorkhalands, says Praful Bidwai.
The Gujarat Government today told the Supreme Court that it is considering filing an appeal against the verdict of the state High Court striking down the notification banning Jaswant Singh's controversial book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh on Monday came under fresh attack by the right-wing, when an article in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mouthpiece accused him of conniving with Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah's grandson Nusli Wadia, to help the latter get possession of a prime property in Mumbai.
Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh, who was last year expelled from his party for praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his book, said it was wrong to demonise Pakistan's founder.
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh on Friday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat government's ban on his book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh will not be visiting Pakistan for the launch of his controversial book Jinnah- India, Partition, Independence, his son Manvendra Singh revealed to a new agency.
Sudheendra Kulkarni, who has quit the Bharatiya Janata Party over ideological differences with its present leadership, has equated one time mentor L K Advani with expelled party leader Jaswant Singh as far as remarks on Jinnah are concerned. Kulkarni described the expulsion of Jaswant Singh as unfortunate, graceless and baseless action.He said that he has decided to end his active association with the BJP because of ideological differences.
The Gujarat government, which banned Jaswant Singh's controversial book on Jinnah alleging it was an attempt to tarnish the image of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, has in its notification described it as "highly objectionable and against national interest".
The Gujarat government slammed Jaswant's book titled Jinnah: India-Partition, Independence, accusing him of denigrating the image of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, who was a Gujarati and held in high esteem by people across Gujarat and rest of the India for his role during India's freedom struggle against the British rulers.
"Views expressed by Jaswant Singh in his book Jinnah -- India, Partition, Independence does not represent views of the party. In fact, the party completely dissociates itself from the contents of the book," party chief Rajnath Singh told media persons in New Delhi.
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh disapproved of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh's praise of Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah
As unrest continues in Kashmir, the central government on Sunday outlined its priorities, asserting that there will be no compromise with those indulging in violence even efforts will be made for development of the state which was "denied" for the last 60 years.
'Not only the poor in India want sons, but even in the Indian community in the US and Canada. The more educated they are, the more access they have to money and use of technology in gender choice.'
Gandhi noted that lakhs of migrants continue to walk hundreds of kilometres to reach back their homes without food, water, medicines and cash. She also accused the central government and the Railways of completely ignoring the demands made by the Congress for ensuring the safe and free travel of migrant workers and labourers to their homes.
The FIA has been tasked with probing various allegations of funding by Research and Analysis Wing to MQM.
The publishers of expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh''s controversial book "Jinnah: India, Partition -- Independence" have released about 5,000 copies in Gujarat, on Saturday.
'Godse is no more, but the mindset which gave birth to such distorted philosophy is unfortunately still with us.'
In a startling revelation, expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh said on Wednesday that he had sent an advance copy of his latest book "Jinnah -- India-Partition-Independence" to senior party leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K. Advani, and therefore, this made his removal from the party after 30 years of association even more painful and shocking.
Did you know Nargis was to have played the Madhubala role, but opted out because she has reservations about working with Dilip Kumar? Do you know how Naushad and Shakeel Badayuni came up with the words for the immortal Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya?
'Tension is being created in society because of this green flag, which is not even an Islamic flag.' 'There is no history of such a green flag being used in the Muslim world.'
An astute advertising professional, he took Ogilvy & Mather India to the number one position after coming on board as managing director in 1994
Jawaharlal Nehru had a "self-centred attitude" to become India's first PM, claims Dalai Lama.
'Without doubt, India's success story will come up for close scrutiny when Modi's prime ministerial legacy is summed up in history.' 'A failure is simply unthinkable.' 'And the success will largely depend on national unity,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
