News for 'Rajiv Shankar'

Congress, not Modi, has lowered political discourse

Congress, not Modi, has lowered political discourse

Rediff.com15 Dec 2017

'A false narrative is being created, that Modi is a habitual offender when it comes to lowering the political discourse in the country.' 'Nothing can be farther from the truth,' argues Sudhir Bisht.

Congress's food bill dreams dashed in Lok Sabha

Congress's food bill dreams dashed in Lok Sabha

Rediff.com20 Aug 2013

The issue of missing files relating to coalgate paralysed proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding an immediate response from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, even as the government said it will leave no stone unturned in tracing the documents.

Modi to woo investors during Germany visit

Modi to woo investors during Germany visit

Rediff.com8 Apr 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hardshell India as an attractive investment destination during his Germany trip.

'Modi is following a policy of shoot and scoot'

'Modi is following a policy of shoot and scoot'

Rediff.com2 May 2016

'We will continue to ask why Modi and his government were benefactors to this AgustaWestland company, why within 40 days they overturned the ban?'

What are the RSS/BJP after? Global change made Nehru, Indira irrelevant

What are the RSS/BJP after? Global change made Nehru, Indira irrelevant

Rediff.com21 Sep 2015

'One big problem for the RSS is, while they spread their ideology of hard, Hindu-ised Indian nationalism, the absence of their own pantheon of modern nationalist giants. They missed out on the freedom movement quite comprehensively, in some ways comparable to the Muslim League and latter-day Communists. They have to find heroes elsewhere.' 'They borrow who they can from the Congress, like Madan Mohan Malviya and Sardar Patel, and then steal the entire lot of revolutionaries, from Bhagat Singh to Netaji, never mind that many of them were extreme leftists.'

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

Rediff.com31 Jul 2015

'The dragon is Narendra Modi. While it may be harsh -- a tad -- to say that it was sleeping, it is fair to say that the government's approach in tackling corruption cases was lackadaisical.' 'By choosing corruption as an issue the Opposition has goaded the Treasury benches to return fire -- and the BJP has more potent ammunition,' says T V R Shenoy.

Maximum Modi, minimum opportunity

Maximum Modi, minimum opportunity

Rediff.com12 Mar 2017

The question is no longer whether he will win 2019; it's what he will do with the new status, says Shekhar Gupta.

Karnataka: Guv invites BSY to form govt, gives 15 days to prove majority

Karnataka: Guv invites BSY to form govt, gives 15 days to prove majority

Rediff.com17 May 2018

Yeddyurappa would take the oath alone as the chief minister and once the majority is proved on the floor of the assembly, cabinet members would be inducted.

'Karnataka will have a re-election within a year'

'Karnataka will have a re-election within a year'

Rediff.com16 May 2018

'The Congress must honour the mandate. The mandate is clearly for the BJP.'

BJP, LJP form alliance, Paswan's party to get 7 seats in Bihar

BJP, LJP form alliance, Paswan's party to get 7 seats in Bihar

Rediff.com27 Feb 2014

Bharatiya Janata Party and Lok Janshakti Party on Thursday night stitched a pre-poll alliance with the Ram Vilas Paswan-led party returning to the NDA fold, 12 years after it quit over Gujarat riots, and it will fight seven out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar under a seat-sharing deal.

6 reasons why the BJP might win Bihar elections

6 reasons why the BJP might win Bihar elections

Rediff.com20 Oct 2015

The party is counting on women voters and caste calculus, among others, to swing the crucial polls in its favour

'Media reporting massive lay-offs is wrong'

'Media reporting massive lay-offs is wrong'

Rediff.com7 Jun 2017

'We are in touch independently with leading players, and they are denying it as well.' 'The Indian digital footprint is rising, creating new opportunities.'

Modi's election campaign team for 2014 announced

Modi's election campaign team for 2014 announced

Rediff.com19 Jul 2013

Narendra Modi's stamp was written all over as the Bharatiya Janata Party announced its election campaign committee for 2014 polls on Friday including top leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley who will work under him.

Modi Cabinet: Prabhu gets Railways, Parrikar gets Defence

Modi Cabinet: Prabhu gets Railways, Parrikar gets Defence

Rediff.com10 Nov 2014

Hours after 21 ministers took the oath of office and became a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ministry, speculation began on which minister would be handed which portfolio. However, all speculation ended after the list was announced.

BJP leaders observe day-long fast to protest Parliament washout

BJP leaders observe day-long fast to protest Parliament washout

Rediff.com12 Apr 2018

Shah said the Opposition's 'irresponsible' conduct caused a loss of over Rs 333 crore of public money and the ruling National Democratic Alliance MPs' decision to forgo their salaries was a 'call of conscience'.

'Modi is against the women of India'

'Modi is against the women of India'

Rediff.com26 Jul 2016

'Similarly, he is against Dalits forgetting that the only way to get rid of poverty is to empower poor people.'

Economists in India: Endangered species?

Economists in India: Endangered species?

Rediff.com21 Jul 2016

The pipeline for well-qualified and experienced policy economists at senior levels of government has broken, leading to a growing dearth of suitable candidates for top economist positions.

Vibrant Gujarat man is India Inc's PMO pointsman

Vibrant Gujarat man is India Inc's PMO pointsman

Rediff.com17 Jul 2014

Arvind Kumar Sharma, a 1988-batch IAS officer and one of the many joint secretaries in PMO, definitely wields some power.

Three game-changing ideas that India ever had in past 50 years

Three game-changing ideas that India ever had in past 50 years

Rediff.com17 Aug 2015

The greatest progress on civil rights in the United States since Abraham Lincoln was under the Southern Democrat Lyndon Johnson, the past master of wheeling and dealing in Congress.

'The Gandhis are very much in Modi's crosshairs'

'The Gandhis are very much in Modi's crosshairs'

Rediff.com6 May 2019

'He totally gets the Gandhis...' 'If anything, he pays too much attention to the Gandhis.' 'I feel that in places like UP, where the Congress doesn't matter, he often spends time blasting the Gandhis.'

Najeeb Jung: The man who may run Delhi

Najeeb Jung: The man who may run Delhi

Rediff.com13 Dec 2013

If an elected government had been sworn in, Jung's tenure and the government would have been more or less co-terminus and Jung would have been just the ceremonial head of Delhi. Now, he will run Delhi, pending another round of assembly elections, says Aditi Phadnis

Modi's 2014 after-glow is over

Modi's 2014 after-glow is over

Rediff.com9 Nov 2015

Why the Bihar defeat can be the best thing for him as PM, but only if he has the humility to read the writing on the wall, says Shekhar Gupta.

All you need to know about Modi's new ministers

All you need to know about Modi's new ministers

Rediff.com9 Nov 2014

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his Cabinet and inducted 21 new ministers. Of these, 4 - Manohar Parrikar, JP Nadda, Suresh Prabhu and Birender Singh were appointed as Cabinet ministers. Other than this, Modi has inducted 17 other ministers of state. Here's a quick look at them:

'Over time, Rahul seems to have changed'

'Over time, Rahul seems to have changed'

Rediff.com6 May 2019

'It is the regional parties and their leaders who are the ones we have to watch.'

'Babri Masjid is not an ego issue for Muslims'

'Babri Masjid is not an ego issue for Muslims'

Rediff.com22 Mar 2017

'If you prove that a mandir was demolished and a mosque was constructed there, we will leave the place.'

Who will fix India's fractured take on foreign policy?

Who will fix India's fractured take on foreign policy?

Rediff.com14 Jan 2014

Ambitious diplomats continue to be attracted to politics but do they make good politicians, asks Jyoti Malhotra

Nirmala Sitharaman gets defence, Piyush Goyal gets railways

Nirmala Sitharaman gets defence, Piyush Goyal gets railways

Rediff.com3 Sep 2017

In the third reshuffle since coming to power, Prime Minister Modi raised the strength of his Council of Ministers from 73 to 76.

Bollywood doesn't know what to do with a national treasure like Tabu!

Bollywood doesn't know what to do with a national treasure like Tabu!

Rediff.com5 Feb 2014

'I miss Tabu's beauty, her graceful presence, her delicate smile and the texture of her voice, with which she can convey so many things -- the lonely mother, the lover, the seductress, the wronged woman, or a young woman charmed by an older man,' says Aseem Chhabra.

'Obama must not finish his term without meeting Modi again'

'Obama must not finish his term without meeting Modi again'

Rediff.com17 Jul 2015

Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com listens to four Indian and American national security advisers recalling the hard work that went into negotiating the nuclear deal.

'Discussion about death penalty is happening worldwide'

'Discussion about death penalty is happening worldwide'

Rediff.com26 May 2015

National award-winning director S P Jananathan talks about his new film Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai.

How HPCL's dream of a refinery in Rajasthan turned sour

How HPCL's dream of a refinery in Rajasthan turned sour

Rediff.com30 Jul 2014

HPCL is now ready to increase the stake of the state government up to 49 per cent.

Khushwant Singh remembers Indira Gandhi

Khushwant Singh remembers Indira Gandhi

Rediff.com18 Nov 2017

'In her insecurity, she destroyed the institutions of democracy.' 'She packed Parliament with her supporters with loyalty being more important than ability; she superseded judges; she corrupted the civil service.' 'She knew how to use people against each other and was quite a master of that.' 'She would do this with calculated skill and in the bargain cause enmity between brothers, split up families.'

No big brotherly approach on Nepal, want early solution, says Sushma

No big brotherly approach on Nepal, want early solution, says Sushma

Rediff.com7 Dec 2015

Rejecting the allegation of adopting "big brotherly" approach towards Nepal, India on said it respects its sovereignty and wants to see the crisis resolved through consensus.

Modi and the BJP's challenges lies ahead

Modi and the BJP's challenges lies ahead

Rediff.com9 Dec 2013

The present elections were held in states where the BJP has a strong presence and organisation and where it was pitted directly against the Congress. But the party's real challenge lies in states outside the northern belt where it has a negligible presence and has to contend with strong regional players, reports Anita Katyal.

The Vaidik-Saeed affair is a wake-up call for Modi's government

The Vaidik-Saeed affair is a wake-up call for Modi's government

Rediff.com15 Jul 2014

'There are all sorts of characters moving around acting as unofficial representatives of the government and engaging in their own personal foreign policy initiatives. Clearly, the government needs to shut these characters down if it wants to continue enjoying any credibility, both domestically and internationally,' says Sushant Sareen.

Dalit protests turn violent during Bharat bandh, 9 dead

Dalit protests turn violent during Bharat bandh, 9 dead

Rediff.com3 Apr 2018

Incidents of arson, firing and vandalism were reported from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab as protesters agitated against the dilution of the SC/ST Act.

Ranji Trophy: Lad, Patil rally Mumbai against champions Karnataka

Ranji Trophy: Lad, Patil rally Mumbai against champions Karnataka

Rediff.com6 Feb 2015

A summary of the first day's play in the Ranji Trophy matches at various venues across the country.

B K S Iyengar: Profile of a yogi as a teacher

B K S Iyengar: Profile of a yogi as a teacher

Rediff.com22 Aug 2014

Most yoga teachers are not driven towards popular acclaim or fame. But Bellur Krishnamachar Sunderaraja Iyengar was goaded by the challenge to prove himself to all those who had dismissed him as a madcap yogi in the early days, and by a burning need to make yoga available to all.

Exclusive! Rahul to be told: Improve or get lost!

Exclusive! Rahul to be told: Improve or get lost!

Rediff.com23 May 2014

'According to a powerful section of the Congress the vote was anti-Congress, anti-dynasty and pro-Modi, in that order. They say Modi won because he represented and completely played upon "Bhartiyata".' 'Sonia is being accused, privately, of protecting her son at the cost of the party's interest.' 'For the first time ever, 24 Akbar Road, the Congress headquarters, is assessing the "neeyat (intent)" of the Gandhi Parivar, which has never happened before.' A Rediff Correspondent lifts the veil off the churning within the Congress party in the wake of the party's rout in the election.

From our archives: The Khushwant Singh interview

From our archives: The Khushwant Singh interview

Rediff.com28 Oct 2004

'In her insecurity, she destroyed the institutions of democracy,' says Khushwant Singh.