Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com tracks Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's project-launching spree with just about three months to go for the assembly election in India's most populous state.
'Every Indian knows why the BJP is targeting Hamid Ansari.'
'We want Muslims to go about their work and business unhindered.' 'They should not get victimised and that will only come through the process of reconciliation.'
'We need to have a prosperous J-K, where all communities must prosper including Dogras, Gujjars, Sikhs, Muslims and Pandits.' 'Prosperity is the first signal of peace.'
'Dharavi will be completely slum free by 2040'
'Two years ago I told Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi that we have traitors in the Congress.'
Shyel Trehan, an alumna of the 2000 batch of the National Law School, was one of the organisers who managed this near impossible achievement.
'The cases have not reduced because the prosecution has found some other way to stop people from using their right to free speech.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf, who grew up in the 1980s, tells us why Befikre is a must watch to understand the new generation.
It reinforces the Muslim stereotype, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'Today, the situation in the country is bad.' 'The distance between Hindus and Muslims is increasing.' 'If an out-of-court settlement is reached, then a cordial atmosphere will prevail in the country.'
'Had these three farm laws existed it would have become a huge election issue.'
In these times of Rs 2,000 notes and digital payment apps, Syed Firdaus Ashraf tries to book tickets for Dear Zindagi.
Bharat Pardeshi, one of the leaders from the All India Railway Act Apprentice Association, spoke to Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf about why they had to resort to the unpopular move, disrupting the lives of thousands of railway commuters in Mumbai.
'I can barely see anything in the news about the farmer protests, and all I've seen of Nirav Modi is that he can't come home because he's busy, and that the CBI is writing letters begging him to please at least call the Indian embassy, no?'
'The Congress can exist without (someone from) the Nehru-Gandhi family being its president.'
'That would be very bad for them and suicidal for both the Gandhis and the Congress party.'
From Singapore to Almora, Abhishant Pant has survived without cash, and he wants to continue in that state all his life.
'The message they want to send to the country is that they can do anything by hook or crook'
'Kejriwal tries to project that his party is not Hindu virodhi.'
'It could take at least a couple of years for his case to go through the entire run of the British judiciary.'
Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf and Hitesh Harisinghani speak to millennials to find out if the ease of ride-sharing apps like Ola and Uber was a reason for them not buying a car.
'Government must take into consideration the human cost of the NRC exercise'
Onkar Singh, a valuable member of the Rediff.com team over the years, breathed his last on January 13. Syed Firdaus Ashraf, who knew him intimately, remembers the ultimate newsman.
'When the Babri Masjid was demolished, we didn't take permission from anyone.'
Dr Rajendra Bharud has done what no other district collector in India could do as the pandemic ravaged the nation. He not only made Nandurbar district oxygen surplus, but ensured that the supply of life-saving oxygen remained uninterrupted for patients -- something even Delhi and Mumbai hospitals have not achieved yet.
'Even if the BJP does not come to power, the system has changed.'
'Muslims should not justify demolition of temples by foreign invaders.'
Why Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manjinder S Sirsa is furious with the director and actor of Sacred Games 2.
Amitabh Bachchan was preparing to pack up his bags and return to Allahabad if Zanjeer failed.
Narendra Modi's agenda is to build a Ram mandir, Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com
'Bommai's predicament is pathetic right now because deep inside he is not like this, but to remain in power he has to talk and speak against his own conscience.'
'Goa is a tiny state, but in terms of its Business of Politics, several powerful lobbies of India are involved in it, be it the mining lobby, hoteliers' lobby, casino lobby, hawala lobby, drugs lobby etc.'
'When there is so much anxiety, the Government of India should assure people on the vaccine issue and help the states demanding more supply that they will be provided the required quantities.' 'Any Centre-state conflict at this point of time is counter-productive and enhances people's anxieties that should be avoided.'
'If a politician asks the policeman to do something which is not correct, then why blame the politician?' 'If you do it, then you are equally liable.'
'The Naxals started firing indiscriminately.' 'The whole jungle echoed with the sound of bullets.' 'The only thing I heard from that side was 'Chhodna kisi ko nahi (don't let anyone escape)'.'
'Dr Kafeel is being framed by the Yogi government because he talks about the BRD hospital all the time.'
'Our only request to the Indian government is that they should act fast and send a plane to evacuate us as people around us are dying'
'These atheist people wanted to finish the progress of Sabrimala temple devotees and now they are using this (the Supreme Court verdict) as a weapon to destroy the believers.'
'Narendra Modi knows that the Congress without the Gandhis is a more formidable and more dangerous adversary.'
