'Speaking this year from the ramparts of the Red Fort, he excelled himself in content, diction and delivery -- all extemporaneously flowing, replete with felicitous expressions and captivating word play. 'The only other Indian prime minister with whom he stands comparison is Jawaharlal Nehru who too shunned prepared speeches and established instant rapport with his audiences,' says B S Raghavan.
The plaintive strains of bugles sounding the last post broke through the hush, men in uniform clicked their heels and a 17-gun salute rang out as Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife were cremated on Friday evening -- the sun setting on a day written into India's military history and on the life of its most senior military officer.
The prime minister said there had been such a fall in the party that a Congress leader went to be amid those raising slogans like "Bharat ke tukde honge", giving them blessings.
'Amit Shah and his fellow travellers need to realise that India was divided because of competitive communalism of forces like Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League, prodded, aided and abetted by the colonial power,' says Mohammad Sajjad.
'A hundred days later, it is a moot point whether the lockdown has been partially or totally effective, or, as sceptics indicate, plain ineffective.' 'Did it actually deflect infections and the loss of lives, or was it merely a hasty decision rammed down the populace's throats that choked the economy and caused the searing tragedy of dispossessed migrant workers?' ask Radha Roy Biswas and Manoj Mohanka.
veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah says citizens of the country should give more time to it before making perceptions though he feels a bit worried by the "changes made in few textbooks".
'Tagore repeatedly denounced the "My country, right or wrong" attitude.' 'We often use the phrase "unity in diversity" like a cliche and often make diversity secondary, giving precedence to unity.' 'You do not have to shout from the rooftops that we are very tolerant.'
'The innate fascism of the RSS is overshadowing Modi's development programme,' says Amulya Ganguli.
'They are our go-to men, our trouble-shooters.' 'They draw their strength from remaining low-key and accessible only to our workers.'
Here are some glimpses of the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
A pictorial exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi in the park in front of the Indian Embassy drew a large number of crowd.
"This TMC government is anti-people, anti-democratic and have compromised with national security," Adityanath said.
Akhilesh was apparently targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Stars take to social media to wish fan Independence Day!
Malik said the step will enable good governance, bring self-reliance and employment opportunities to people Jammu and Kashmir and most importantly the feeling of unity and equality with the rest of the country.
As with the last 37 years, this year too the India Day Parade in New York saw thousands of Indian Americans throng Manhattan's Madison Avenue to celebrate India's Independence Day. For the thousands of Indians who turned up, it was a once in a year chance to showcase their country's rich cultural diversity.
Here's the full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's customary address to the joining sitting of Parliament on the first day of the budget session.
The 37th India Day Parade organised by the Federation of Indian Associations.
This Republic Day, learn what it takes to be a perfect patriot from Bollywood.
Goswami came out of the jail around 8.30 pm and waved to people assembled outside from the vehicle carrying him, and thanked the Supreme Court for granting him interim bail.
Lauding the bravery displayed by the soldiers, the prime minister said: "The bravery that you and your compatriots showed, a message has gone to the world about India's strength."
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As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New York on Friday on a five-day US visit, he was greeted with 'Har Har Modi' slogan, heard first during Lok Sabha poll campaign, by a large group of Indians who had gathered outside his hotel.
The move that comes in the backdrop of the massive controversy over alleged anti-India protests in the JNU.
Modi also attacked the Congress for charging him with corruption in the Rafale deal.
The politics of hate does not pay. The people are too sensible to fall for such a ruse, says Amulya Ganguli.
'A second defeat in a Hindu heartland state will be disastrous for its morale and political fortune.' 'There is no alternative for the BJP, therefore, but to play the patriotic card with gusto.'
The march was its attempt to retaliate against All India Students' Association and assorted Left-inclined groups, which had put up a massive anti-ABVP show on February 28, by projecting alleged violence "perpetrated" by Communists in the country.
Arvind Kejriwal, engineer, civil servant and Delhi's man with a development agenda, is the David who slayed the government's Goliath.
Sukanya Verma presents a playlist of 100 Lata Mangeshkar songs from different decades of Hindi films -- songs that make me sing, smile, sob and sigh.
'I may not indulge in chest thumping to express my patriotism every day.' 'I may be cynical about many things happening in our country.' 'I may not roar Bharat Mata Ki Jai at the top of my voice. But I still love my country, just as one loves one's parents with all their weaknesses.' 'Does that make me any less of a patriot?' asks Shobha Warrier.
The rally from Raj Ghat to Jantar Mantar saw marchers fervently waving the tricolour and raising slogans like 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' with some of them saying that nothing is above 'nationalism'.
'The Congresswallahs will hope that Arvind Kejriwal's oratory and confidence will be the anti-aircraft guns to Narendra Modi's airwave-capturing force. Both Kejriwal and Modi speak Hindi well. Both are supremely self-confident about their agenda and vision. Some of their catch-phrases -- 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' -- are identical. Both are inspiring figures for their cadres. Both are not hesitant at all to wear their faith in Bhagwan on their foreheads on public platforms.' Sheela Bhatt believes that the 2014 election will be a Kejriwal versus Modi battle.
BJP president Amit Shah, while kickstarting 'Ganatanatra Bachao Yatra' in Bengal, vowed to overthrow the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state.
Singh's remarks come in the backdrop of a renewed buzz in the Congress circles about Rahul Gandhi's sooner than later elevation as party president.
'Prayers of 125 crore Indians have been answered,' said well-wishers of the former naval officer who has been incarcerated by Pakistan.
Indeed, if you look at this hypothesis with sufficiently jaundiced eyes, you will find plenty in common in the way 'Team India' conducts its affairs and the way 'Team Modi' does, argues Krishna Prasad.
Thousands of mourners jostled and some clambered on trees to capture the moment on their phones as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cortege left the Bharatiya Janata Party's headquarters for Rashtriya Smriti Sthal.
Following is the full text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 73rd Independence Day.
'He is a BJP man among Dalits, not a Dalit man in the BJP.'
BJP MP Satish Gautam demanded the expulsion of Uttar Pradesh Labour Minister Swami Prasad Maurya from the party for calling Jinnah a 'mahapurush'
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