'If people want to blackmail others to get information or harm things, so why will someone give them information?'
'They are ABVP-phobic people. Tomorrow, they will say the US attack on Iran is because of the ABVP.'
'The Chinese have not crossed the LAC in Galwan.' 'They are on their side of the LAC and we are on our side.'
'I don't believe that it beholds democracies like us who claim to be the largest democracy in the world, to have such a thin skin about the possibility of foreign commentary.'
An unemployed migrant becomes a much sought after Baba right before Syed Firdaus Ashraf's eyes.
'They are calling me an accused without even an inquiry.' 'The video was fabricated and doctored. Now the truth is coming out.'
'Everyone has to take some step in solving this deadlock -- civil society, separatist leaders, the government.'
'The Government of India could aggressively promote developmental projects that will alleviate poverty particularly in communities where South Africans of Indian origin and our black brothers and sisters live as neighbours.'
'To simply let the rupee depreciate to any level according to market forces will not be in the country's interests.'
From July 27, 2017, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf, my daughter will have to learn that there are only two most important things in life: Power and money.
The entire campaign in Lucknow is based on Narendra Modi -- there is little mention of the BJP candidate, a certain Rajnath Singh. Some locals wonder, 'Rajnathji is not coming to campaign in Lucknow. How will he take care of this city after he wins?' Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com reports from Lucknow.
'We were expecting at least they would be held guilty, but instead they have gone scot-free'
'Crony capitalism will gain due to these Acts.'
'I am happy Sanjay Raut and Sharad Pawar changed the game of Maharashtra politics.'
'There are other prisoners too who are behaving in a good manner, but they are not being released sooner.'
'The Indian government spent Rs 506 crore on security of the separatists in the last five years.' 'These separatist leaders must know how ordinary people live. Have you ever seen Geelani's son throwing stones?' 'The separatists have encouraged people into this stone throwing business. They have destroyed Kashmir.' Jammu BJP MLA Rajesh Gupta on why separatists must not be given security.
'All imaginary figures are pushed by government bureaucrats.' 'They never showed that the production of wheat was less this time.'
'No action will be taken against Ajit Pawar. I am sure.'
Amjed Ullah Khan, who carried out investigations of his own and helped rescue 15 women from Hyderabad, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com how the women get trapped in an underground slave market that 'sells' them to employers who force them to work for less or no pay and often under inhuman conditions.
She could not believe how much India had changed since the last time she experienced it first hand.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com presents 10 dynasts of the BJP who have managed to get elected this time round.
'Gaumutra kills all bacteria,' says the Congress corporator from Mumbai, who wants cow urine to clean the city's hospitals.
'God knows what kind of charges were framed against him and Kallu Gujjar, as both of them came out of jail the very same evening of their arrest.'
'The BJP will be wiped out from all over India.'
It was Dev Anand's dream to put Indian cinema on the world map and he thought Guide was the perfect film for it.
'I have learnt from Guru Nanakji that we all must live in harmony and brotherhood and have concern for others.'
'It will take a long time for people's memory to be misled by a prime minister who is so arrogant and who refuses to acknowledge his own faults.'
It is a waste of time to speak up in today's India, believes Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'I should not have lifted my hand, but whoever eats the meat of a cow, whom we Hindus consider our mother, these things will happen.'
'On the Kashmir and Pakistan question, it is startling that Vajpayee and Advani did more than anybody in Indian history.'
If you thought Vajubhai Vala's invitation to BSY was a one-off, think again :))
'Just keep telling people that we have fixed the Muslims, and they will not be bothered about their empty stomachs or empty wallets.'
Why 'anti-Romeo'? Why not 'anti-loafer' squad? Or 'anti-Majnu' squad?' wonders Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Mumbai top cop Rakesh Maria's trusted man Dinesh Kadam also helped crack the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts' case, sent Abu Salem to jail and helped bust the Indian Mujahideen terror network in Mumbai.
'He was a nobody then.' 'And whatever little his contribution was there, it was restricted to Gujarat.'
'The Scindias betrayed Jhansi ki Rani and now the Congress party.' 'So this is nothing new as he is repeating the history of his family.'
'This is a crisis which did not happen overnight. It was happening slowly.' 'Now we are mining very fast and this crisis won't last long.'
With Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stoking a controversy by saying that the Hindu population was falling while minorities are flourishing, Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf studied the 2001 and 2011 census data to track the demographic changes in the northeast.
'I am only asking about his travel bills and expenditure.'
