Who ordered the search against DMK leader Stalin or did the CBI really act of its own? Sheela Bhatt breaks down the events leading up to the raid and explains why claims by the government and CBI are unconvincing.
'I think he had this in his head to go to different places, get some experience and then become the Congress president.'
Six IPS officers have been shortlisted for the post of the CBI director once incumbent A P Singh retires in November. Sheela Bhatt reports
The Delhi high court had on December 17 convicted Kumar and sentenced him to imprisonment for 'remainder of his natural life' in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.
In an exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, BJP MP Harin Pathak, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee probing the 2G scam, says without mincing words that panel chief P C Chacko cannot decide exclusively whether to summon prime accused former Union Telecom Minister A Raja or not.
Sheela Bhatt feels that in view of the wrong message percolating down in India from New Delhi, it is very necessary that the political class, instead of running down the protesters, instead of resisting the movement at Jantar Mantar for small political gains, say something with conviction
Mamata Banerjee changed her stand on the presidential election because the Congress and Pranab Mukheree, at different levels, worked hard to make her understand that the 'Vote for Pranab' is a win-win situation, reports Sheela Bhatt
In an exclusive interview with rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, Telo Tulku Rinpoche, who heads the biggest Russian monastery in Kalmykia and is the president of Buddhist Union of Kalmykia, says while in New Delhi, they want to attract Putin's attention to an urgent need of visa to the Dalai Lama, despite China's reservations.
Sheela Bhatt says Sonia Gandhi's speech in Rajkot did not do anything to galvanise the Congress cadre in Gujarat.
Somabhai Modi talks to Sheela Bhatt and Sonil Dedhia about his famous younger brother, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
What does the high voters' turnout of 68 per cent in first phase of Gujarat election mean? Sheela Bhatt tries to find out.
P Chidamabaram's February 28 Budget will not have any big-ticket ideas, reports Sheela Bhatt
Unless the name of a Congress-linked person or leader having links with the middlemen is revealed, the target of the Opposition party will remain blurred, says Sheela Bhatt
None of Dr Manmohan Singh's arguments to make us understand his government's decisions were new. Sheela Bhatt examines the prime minister's address to the nation
"The Congress is in the hands of a few people. Rahul Gandhi, C P Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia have decided on all the 182 seats. Once again, our leaders are plotting to defeat each other. They have made a mess of the Congress's improving fortunes. Like 2007, the Congress will lose both the election and prestige."
"The Congress is in the hands of a few people. Rahul Gandhi, C P Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia have decided on all the 182 seats. Once again, our leaders are plotting to defeat each other. They have made a mess of the Congress's improving fortunes. Like 2007, the Congress will lose both the election and prestige."
'Through his Election 2012 campaign Narendra Modi has not shown any signs to suggest that he is confident enough to take the risk to set new standards to don the national leadership. His attempt to stoop low to conquer is avoidable, entirely, in view of his comfortable position in the ongoing election campaign.' Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt identifies the factors that are not going well for Modi.
'The biggest damage is inflicted not during the riots, but after the riots. The curfews and inactivity brings misery to survivors of the riots. In every riot, some 3,000 Muslim families slip below the poverty line. Nobody talks about them.' Zafar Yunus Sareshwala, who speaks in Narendra Modi's favour and has initiated the dialogue between Modi and Gujarati Muslims, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Sheela Bhatt, who visited Islamabad and Lahore to cover the visit of External Affairs Minister SM Krishnato Pakistan last weekend, returned with these impressions of the neighbouring country who India is trying to befriend after more than half a century of mutual hostilities
After watching Uri: The Surgical Strike, Syed Firdaus Ashraf gets the feeling that Modi has added another tool to help him win the 2019 Lok Sabha election: Hindi cinema...
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on his visit to Islamabad, reports that both India and Pakistan are cautious about keeping the peace process moving forward.
'Naveen Patnaik's simplicity makes him look like an innocent fellow. But he is not like that. You can go to Odisha's mining areas and you can understand what is going on under his nose. A colossal loss to the national exchequer has taken place in Odisha,' Union Minister Srikant Jena tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Contrary to what Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told the media, Sheela Bhatt discovers that the decision to execute the Pakistani terrorist was a carefully calibrated move taken by the nation's top governmental and political leadership.
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, who wants a debate in Parliament on FDI in retail, says that the way political parties are poised in Parliament they won't be able to win the motion of no-confidence. Sheela Bhatt reports
'So far as FDI is concerned, there are some things one says -- particularly if one is in election mode -- that may or may not be truly reflective of what is eventually going to happen,' says economist Bibek Debroy.
While Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's moral argument has been severely weakened by the judgment, on the political turf he is unlikely to lose, or gain, from it. However, the story is not about politics but justice, says Sheela Bhatt
Sheela Bhatt explains why Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Iran for the Non-Aligned Summit will be closely watched around the world.
Both countries are closer than before due to these two leaders's public display of mutual connectivity and warm exchanges of words, but how it will help India to serve its interests will be known on Tuesday.
Will the current session of the Lok Sabha, which is witnessing turmoil due to Bhartiya Janta Party's demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over the Coalgate, get adjourned sine die? As the deadlock between the United Progressive Alliance and BJP continues, the adjournment of the Lok Sabha sine die seems to be the only option left, notes Sheela Bhatt.
Petitioner in disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family blames the CBI for it double standards. Sheela Bhatt reports.
While it is almost certain that Gadkari won't get a second term as BJP president, the RSS wants to ease him out without diminishing its own clout within the saffron pariwar. Sheela Bhatt analyses the situation.
Sheela Murthy, founder, president, and managing attorney of the Baltimore County, Maryland-based Murthy Law Firm, will be honoured by the Children's Guild with its 2012 Sadie Award for her philanthropy and humanitarianism.
The second part of the interview with Achyut Yagnik, the Ahmedabad-based social activist, writer and political analyst, in which he discusses the electoral winds in Gujarat, with Sheela Bhatt.
'It is very difficult to be an honest politician in a country where the system is absolutely corrupt. Jaipal Reddy is one up even on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is considered clean and honest. Reddy has gone a step ahead by playing an active role in stopping corruption. He has put things on record; he has walked the extra mile to ensure that public money is valued highly. One must recognise Reddy's efforts, and make it an example for India's younger generation.'
The battle to win the minds of around 37 million Gujarati voters will begin soon after the monsoon. Chief Minister Narendra Modi is at the centre of this crucial electoral battle that is as politically important for Modi as the Uttar Pradesh assembly election of 2012 was for Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Arvind Kejriwal speaks out on Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Robert Vadra and the Gandhi family in this exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
During the Cabinet reshuffle, the "give and take" amongst the trio of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi has resulted in a new paradigm of power within the Congress and the government, notes Sheela Bhatt.
Nearly 70 Indian students in the US continue to remain in limbo after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials raided the University of Northern Virginia and the Customs and Immigration Service subsequently rejected their transfer applications. Their attorney and counsel Sheela Murthy says that she has now advised them to file a class-action suit against the university.
Arvind Kejriwal and India Against Corruption have shown India that 'having power' is not really 'being powerful', says Sheela Bhatt
