News for 'Secular Progressive Front'

The best approach for J&K is neither Israel's nor China's

The best approach for J&K is neither Israel's nor China's

Rediff.com31 Aug 2019

'The one thing India has over these two States, whose toughness awes us, is our ability to embrace diversity with ease. 'The way ahead lies in learning from Vajpayee's method, not in Xi Jinping's,' says Shekhar Gupta.

An Extraordinary Indian passes into the ages

An Extraordinary Indian passes into the ages

Rediff.com10 Jun 2019

Jyoti Punwani pays tribute to Syed Feroze Ashraf, the eternal do-gooder who changed the lives of many children.

What Rahul now needs to do

What Rahul now needs to do

Rediff.com16 Dec 2017

'His prowess in Aikido -- a Japanese martial art that focuses on harmony with the opponent to peacefully resolve conflicts -- gives Rahul Gandhi an advantage that fanatical adversaries lack,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.

CAA/NPR/NRC: What govt must do

CAA/NPR/NRC: What govt must do

Rediff.com6 Jan 2020

'The CAA should be kept in abeyance, without making it a prestige issue.'
'Laying down a clear policy on the future of illegal migrants will dispel anxieties and help in implementing the CAA, NPR and also the NCR,' suggests former Union home secretary Dr Madhav Godbole.

Scientist Bhargava to return Padma Bhushan to protest 'attack on rationalism'

Scientist Bhargava to return Padma Bhushan to protest 'attack on rationalism'

Rediff.com29 Oct 2015

Veteran scientist P M Bhargava will return the awards he received from the government of India to protest against "the government's attack on rationalism, reasoning and science."

BJP misleading people in its hunger for power: Sonia

BJP misleading people in its hunger for power: Sonia

Rediff.com22 Sep 2013

On a day Narendra Modi attacked the United Progressive Alliance government for its "mis-governance", Congress chief Sonia Gandhi hit back accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of hatching conspiracies before elections and misleading people in its hunger for power.

The nutty Right and the illiberal Left

The nutty Right and the illiberal Left

Rediff.com8 Nov 2015

'The new generation voter is hyper-nationalistic, but it isn't essentially illiberal.' 'They will find the rants of Adityanath as laughable as Irfan Habib's. They will also find the BJP's polarising approach to vote-gathering unacceptable if it fails to deliver jobs and growth,' says Shekhar Gupta.

AMU could lose its minority tag as Centre to withdraw plea

AMU could lose its minority tag as Centre to withdraw plea

Rediff.com7 Jul 2016

Besides the Centre, the varsity administration had also filed a separate plea against the high court verdict on the issue.

Pravasi Special: A look back in anxiety

Pravasi Special: A look back in anxiety

Rediff.com7 Jan 2015

'Non Resident Indians know that India's problems are the combination of many factors over the centuries, including foreign rule, lack of resources and the ever-growing population, among other things. Yet, India has achieved many things and even looks at Mars as a neighbour.'

'2019 is a game wide open'

'2019 is a game wide open'

Rediff.com15 May 2018

'What happened in the Vajpayee era will repeat in the Modi era in 2019.'

RS polls in Karnataka to go ahead as scheduled

RS polls in Karnataka to go ahead as scheduled

Rediff.com9 Jun 2016

The Commission said it cannot, under the existing law, disqualify a contesting candidate or prevent him from contesting the election, nor can it prevent an elector from casting his vote in an election, if otherwise qualified and eligible, as is being demanded by some of the parties.

The new BJP is like the old Congress

The new BJP is like the old Congress

Rediff.com11 Dec 2019

While it took the Congress nearly a half century to earn the hatred of other political outfits, the BJP appears set to reach there in around six years, says Arun Bhatnagar, former secretary to the GoI.

Akhilesh Yadav re-elected as SP chief

Akhilesh Yadav re-elected as SP chief

Rediff.com5 Oct 2017

The party's constitution was amended to extend the tenure of the party chief to five years from the existing three years.

BJP or Congress? JD-S weighs alliance options in case of hung house

BJP or Congress? JD-S weighs alliance options in case of hung house

Rediff.com18 Apr 2018

A convincing win for either of JD-S's two chief rivals, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, in the Karnataka assembly polls, could inevitably lead to a life-threatening split in the JD-S, with several of its leaders joining either of the two national parties.

NDA to get credit for fall in inflation? Nah, says Chidambaram

NDA to get credit for fall in inflation? Nah, says Chidambaram

Rediff.com15 Oct 2014

Dismissing the contention that the decline in inflation was on account of the steps taken by the NDA government, Chidambaram said he wanted to know, 'what measures were taken by the government that contributed to decline in inflation rates.'

Market verdict dampener for Modi govt at halfway mark

Market verdict dampener for Modi govt at halfway mark

Rediff.com26 Nov 2016

Sensex up just 6.5% while the best returns were during Manmohan Singh, with the Sensex soaring nearly 167.5%.

What Modi may do in 2020

What Modi may do in 2020

Rediff.com1 Jan 2020

'The brutal violence of the UP government's first response to the anti-CAA protests suggests that the BJP will test drive the NPR/NRC in UP, where it has both a massive majority in the assembly and a chief minister whose instinct for Hindutva extremism and whose appetite for punitive policing allows a prime minister as darkly majoritarian as Modi to appear statesman-like,' notes Mukul Kesavan.

'Ghar wapsi' issue to figure at Muslim Personal Law Board meet

'Ghar wapsi' issue to figure at Muslim Personal Law Board meet

Rediff.com17 Mar 2015

The issue of 'ghar wapsi' programme by some Hindu organisations is likely to figure prominently in the 3-day meet

'We would love an Amit Shah, Modi-mukt Bharat'

'We would love an Amit Shah, Modi-mukt Bharat'

Rediff.com20 May 2018

'The BJP is no longer the BJP. It has become the Bharatiya Janata Poaching Party.' 'They talk of black money and here they are ready to pay Rs 100 crore to MLAs.'

Opp to strategise on Parliament session at Sonia's Iftar

Opp to strategise on Parliament session at Sonia's Iftar

Rediff.com12 Jul 2015

With the Modi government battling propriety issues over the Lalit Modi row and the furore on Vyapam scam, leaders of "like-minded" parties will meet for Congress president Sonia Gandhi's Iftar dinner on Monday where they are likely to deliberate on the strategy for Parliament session beginning July 21.

Rest in peace, Mushir sahib!

Rest in peace, Mushir sahib!

Rediff.com12 Dec 2018

Mohammad Sajjad salutes the memory of Mushirul Hasan -- historian, thinker, academic, institution builder, -- who passed into the ages this week.

For the first time, Muslims will fly tricolour, chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in Mumbai dargah

For the first time, Muslims will fly tricolour, chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' in Mumbai dargah

Rediff.com17 Mar 2016

Amidst the Owaisi row, thousands of Muslims will hoist the Indian flag, sing the national anthem and chant the slogan at the famous Mahim Dargah.

Opposition marches on in do or die battle against land bill

Opposition marches on in "do or die" battle against land bill

Rediff.com17 Mar 2015

Over 100 Opposition members of Parliament led by Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday marched from Parliament to the Rashtrapati Bhawan

'BJP's nationalism a mirror image of Pakistani nationalism'

'BJP's nationalism a mirror image of Pakistani nationalism'

Rediff.com22 Sep 2016

"A true nationalist must have a "sense of shame" for the crimes his government commits and accept that his country is not perfect," said the eminent historian.

'Are we living in a democracy?'

'Are we living in a democracy?'

Rediff.com19 Feb 2016

'We are living in terrible times.'

Jairam not in favour of outside support to third front

Jairam not in favour of outside support to third front

Rediff.com27 Apr 2014

Union minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said in Hyderabad that he was not in favour of his party extending support to the third front from outside, rather he wanted the party to be a part of the government.

#Not In My Name: They came for the India they loved!

#Not In My Name: They came for the India they loved!

Rediff.com4 Jul 2017

#Not In My Name, said ordinary citizens, as they took to the streets to reclaim the India they believed in.

'People should not think our party men kill each other'

'People should not think our party men kill each other'

Rediff.com28 Mar 2014

'I told him when I started my political career seven decades ago he was not even born. His political activities, the protests he organises and the way he fights the biggest corporate of India, the Ambanis, give hope to all people who are progressive. My desire is that such a party must grow, and I wished him all success for its growth.' V S Achuthanandan, the senior-most Communist in India, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier why he turned down Arvind Kejriwal's invitation to join the Aam Aadmi Party.

'Today, only Sangh Parivar's agenda is given importance'

'Today, only Sangh Parivar's agenda is given importance'

Rediff.com13 May 2016

'In Kerala, if the Left had worked on stopping fascism the BJP would not have become a force today.'

Bitter campaign ends, Karnataka to vote on Saturday

Bitter campaign ends, Karnataka to vote on Saturday

Rediff.com10 May 2018

From corruption to communalism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Rs 70 lakh Hublot watch to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, the electoral potboiler had it all.

BJP can be ousted in 2019 if coalition stitched, say Oppn leaders

BJP can be ousted in 2019 if coalition stitched, say Oppn leaders

Rediff.com7 Sep 2018

'There will be a broad coalition of non-BJP parties in at least 25 states'

'Hatred for Modi' sole glue binding the opposition: PM

'Hatred for Modi' sole glue binding the opposition: PM

Rediff.com3 Jul 2018

Dubbing the next election a choice between governance and development on one side and chaos on the other, the prime minister cited the example of Karnataka, where the Congress-Janata Dal(Secular) alliance 'stole the mandate' to form government with 'development taking a back seat'.

Sonia chairs Opposition meet, calls for unity

Sonia chairs Opposition meet, calls for unity

Rediff.com1 Feb 2018

This is the first meeting chaired by Gandhi after relinquishing the post of Congress president last year.

UPA brought fundamental reset in foreign policy: PM

UPA brought fundamental reset in foreign policy: PM

Rediff.com4 Nov 2013

We present the highlights of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's address at the annual conclave of Indian ambassadors/high commissioners abroad in New Delhi on Monday.

Why the BJP must stand up to fake protests

Why the BJP must stand up to fake protests

Rediff.com5 Nov 2015

'While the government must be relentless in its efforts to curb unruly elements to ensure secular harmony and protect its goal of national development,it must not lose the moral high ground by giving in to the antics of the anti-nationalist lobby.' 'They must be countered and relegated to the dustbin of history,' says Vivek Gumaste.

Still in majority, ready to prove it on floor: Uttarakhand CM

Still in majority, ready to prove it on floor: Uttarakhand CM

Rediff.com19 Mar 2016

With the Congress government in crisis in Uttarakhand after nine party members of Legislative Assembly, including a minister, joined hands with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party overnight, Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday asserted that the welfare of the state was his priority and added that he would tender his resignation if he was not able to prove majority.

BJP blighted in bypolls, loses all 3 Lok Sabha seats in UP, Bihar

BJP blighted in bypolls, loses all 3 Lok Sabha seats in UP, Bihar

Rediff.com14 Mar 2018

The bypolls are termed as a 'rehearsal' for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by CM Yogi Adityanath.

At mega TMC rally, united Oppn vows to oust Modi

At mega TMC rally, united Oppn vows to oust Modi

Rediff.com19 Jan 2019

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.

What Nitish did is an act of extreme courage

What Nitish did is an act of extreme courage

Rediff.com1 Aug 2017

'Nitish should be portrayed as an upholder of political dharma.'

Why Rahul was right in keeping conservative Muslims out

Why Rahul was right in keeping conservative Muslims out

Rediff.com17 Jul 2018

Rahul Gandhi has not erred by not engaging with Muslim conservatives. After all, they had misled his father in 1986 to legislate a misogynistic law after the Supreme Court verdict in the Shah Bano case, which helped the BJP rise at the cost of the Congress, says Mohammad Sajjad.