Eighty per cent of Indians earn less than Rs 10,000, and the more you talk to this segment, the more you realise what a spectacular failure the Indian media has been in understanding, reflecting and empathising with this 'other India,' says award-winning journalist, Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
'Because the CBI was unable to investigate and find the murderer, they prosecuted Dr Talwar,' writer Patrick French tells Sheela Bhatt.
It is, now, more or less certain that in the ongoing election the SP is emerging as the main challenger to Mayawati's power in Lucknow. The combination of an experienced Mulayam Singh Yadav and his young, untested son Akhilesh Yadav is working, reports Sheela Bhatt from Lucknow
The 2012 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will go down as one of the most regressive elections fought on caste identity, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Sheela Bhatt finds out how the India-US relationship's initial zing has been replaced by a calmer, matured relationship.
This election is a thank you note to Nitish Babu from a grateful Bihari people, notes Sheela Bhatt.
Nitin Nabin's selection is a bold political decision by the Two Gujaratis. When Rahul Gandhi has resurrected the issue of social justice, the BJP and the Two Gujaratis are sticking to their plan and agenda, explains Sheela Bhatt.
'India is so big, of course, you can always find horror stories. The reason why you have to be optimistic is because you take the country as a whole. It seems that the trajectory is positive,' writer-historian Patrick French tells Sheela Bhatt.
'In India wherever there are equals, we can't function. We are like a joint family where when the father dies the brothers quarrel and kill each other. What is going on in the BJP is similar,' says Professor Dipankar Gupta.
If women voters are mobilised in big numbers to the voting booths on November 6 and 11 by the Nitish Kumar-led NDA, then it will be quite difficult for the Tejashwi Yadav-led Mahagathbandhan to defeat the incumbent government, points out Sheela Bhatt.
'Without our support Nitish Kumar wouldn't have become chief minister.' 'After the government was formed we became ministers, but our agenda remained the same: Amit Shah had promised reservation for Nishads.' 'He wouldn't listen, so we went to UP and contested 52 seats in the 2022 elections. He didn't like the idea of rebellion.' 'He saw that this man, coming from Bombay, is very sharp. He's made four MLAs now, tomorrow he'll make 40. A time will come when they will make it 125.' 'They bought our MLAs and ousted us from the government.'
The BJP had no option but to get Jagdeep Dhankhar out of its way for the sake of the Modi government's stability, reveals Sheela Bhatt, the legendary political journalist.
The Congress has done a disservice to its party leaders and workers by fielding a non-entity like Shweta Bhatt to take on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, feels Sheela Bhatt.
The Congress has done a disservice to its party leaders and workers by fielding a non-entity like Shweta Bhatt to take on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, feels Sheela Bhatt.
A new kind of history has been created in Maharashtra. Accept it. We need to give credit where it's due. Modi led this change... from the setback of June 4 to November 23, notes Sheela Bhatt.
'When one air force (India's) hits the other's airbases with impunity and that air force (Pakistan's) is not able to respond, then the air force, which has put the other's airbases out of commission, has won.'
Transcripts of the chat with rediff.com reporter Sheela Bhatt.
So who really is Narendra Modi? Do we really know him? Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com's ready reckoner on the mystery man who is India's new prime minister.
Zafar Sareshwala tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt why Muslims are better off under Narendra Modi's rule than they were under the Congress.
Sheela Bhatt finds hope for the ordinary Indian in an unlikely place -- a Delhi slum.
Author and historian Ramachandra Guha tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt that Narendra Modi's victory in Gujarat won't be a turning point in Indian politics because he is far too polarising.
'I am surprised to discover that Priyanka gives unimpressive speeches. It is as if she is fulfilling a 'duty.' Political passion is clearly absent.' Sheela Bhatt on the campaign trail.
Arvind Kerjriwal, the leader Team Anna, explains his motivations and his methods in a fascinating interview with Sheela Bhatt.
Arvind Kerjriwal, the leader Team Anna, explains his motivations and his methods in a fascinating interview with Sheela Bhatt.
'Many estimates by international agencies suggest that the 21st century will be ruled by three industries -- agriculture, food processing and textiles. And in these three critical industries, UP, surely, has more advantages than any other location in the world -- this is the Gangetic belt,' says Professor Arvind Mohan, who is bullish about the Uttar Pradesh economy.
'UP's fiscal story is extraordinary,' economist Arvind Mohan tells Sheela Bhatt. If one has money, he advises, one should invest in Uttar Pradesh. 'Your money is likely to grow as UP is set to improve its power sector.'
In a written submission before the Supreme Court on February 27, Mulayam Singh responded to the allegations against him. And his reply is an eye-opener
'India should act harshly by discontinuing the peace process. The Lashkar-e-Tayiba could not have the kind of capacity to train commandos. The Pakistani establishment's help has to be there to prepare people for such attacks,' says former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.
So what is Prime Minister Narendra Modi serving Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Sabarmati riverside dinner on Wednesday? Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com procured the menu.
The spiritual guru responds to Sheela Bhatt/Redifff.com's quick-fire questions with prompt answers.
This would give BJP the chance to explore Constitutional options for government formation if there is no clear-cut mandate, explains Sheela Bhatt.
Kanti Bhatt, respected Gujarati author and journalist, passed into the ages on August 4, 2019, at the age of 88. In tribute, we reproduce an article his wife Sheela Bhatt wrote about him 19 years ago.
'Can any nation claim, guarantee that there will be no terror strike?'
'This is the first time in the world that the prime minister of a country is openly talking of buying MLAs'
In India elections are never fought in a straight line. It's fought on many issues, at many levels, with multiple emotions and with a bit of good luck, too. Sheela Bhatt reports from Rajasthan.
Is Modi trampling upon senior BJP colleagues while taking decisions? How come Team Modi underestimated the political action-reaction when they were upsetting and uprooting the BJP's founding fathers L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi in the ticket distribution process?
It's obvious to all that the Congress is overestimating its success and the BJP is underestimating the people's message delivered through the ballot box, notes Sheela Bhatt.
In Tamil Nadu politics J Jayalalithaa is the queen of all she surveys today, But there are some ground realities that may still dent her high ambition. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt's fascinating new column where she reveals the ground realities in the Battle for India.
'Corruption eats the vitals of our bureaucracy, our army, our government. It is a bigger threat than terrorism. The terrorists are four steps ahead of us.'
Parmesh, brother of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, spoke to rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt about his personal experience of natural calamities in a telephonic conversation from Tokyo.
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