India's volatile political mix has a new element - 'the Secularati' - that is adept at hijacking Muslim issues and running with them even before the community itself has formulated a response, says Hasan Suroor.
Mulayam on Sunday blamed the defeat on son Akhilesh's decision to ally with a Congress, which he said had tried its best to "ruin" him.
Narendra Modi on Thursday tore into the Congress manifesto, calling it a "bundle of lies" and unkept promises, and also accused the Nitish Kumar government of "nurturing and abetting" terrorism for "vote-bank" politics.
'If policy-makers hold the lives of animals to be more significant than the welfare of a human populace, I can't believe that they're likely to do anything progressive for India.'
Between its sentimental leanings and farcical outbursts, the superficial sermonising of Dharam Sankat Mein remains just that -- superficial, says Sukanya Verma.
'We have lost the importance of physical movement. It is important we encourage kids to take up sport.'
'Here was a man who played a major part in helping the Bengalis of East Pakistan create a new nation, secured the merger of Sikkim into the Indian dominion and built R&AW into a formidable outfit, comparable to the best in the world.' Rameshwar Nath Kao shunned the limelight, hated to be photographed and preferred to work behind the scenes. A revealing excerpt from Nitin A Gokhale's much awaited book, R N Kao: Gentleman Spymaster.
The strong words came after the ASG said that the MCDs and the other agencies need to work together in an integrated and synergetic manner to handle the problem.
The various meat bans across the country are an attempt to attack civil liberties, says civil rights activist Kavita Srivastava.
From reaching out to the Jat community and requesting them to not harm the country's assets to trying to mediate on behalf of the women protesting against Shani Shingnapur temple authorities, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has made his presence felt. Nikita Puri examines the rise of the New Age guru.
Rajinikanth's personal trait can become a political issue if he enters politics and could get translated as sympathy if not support for the BJP, which can cut both ways, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Facing a tough electoral battle, Congress on Friday made an array of promises in its manifesto like significant cut in power rates, Wi-Fi facilities in public transport, waving off pending water bills and ensuring a graft-free administration if voted to power in Delhi.
While churches burn in the capital and lawmakers spew rubbish, Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not think it important to utter a word against these atrocities.
Relying on the private sector to undertake infrastructure investment may not be a realistic proposition.
Calling RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan's exit a 'bad omen' for the Indian economy, eminent economists and former policymakers on Sunday said it will be seen by the world as India's non-approval to a policy against inflation and bad loans.
The Indian-American astronaut will fly the first space capsules built by private companies, SpaceX and Boeing.
'How can the monument where the prime minister unfurls the flag on Independence Day, in a ceremony broadcast and telecast nationally, be maintained by a private entity?' asks Jyoti Punwani.
A special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Ahmedabad on Tuesday rejected the anticipatory bail application of Additional Director General of Gujarat Police Prithvi Pal Pandey, paving the way for his arrest in the 2004 fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan and three others.
China, Indonesia ready to agree to a four-year interim solution.
More than 25 years after the Babri Masjid was destroyed, another generation proclaims its commitment to building a Ram temple.
'DGCA cares a damn for human life.'
'Must every believing Hindu automatically be assumed to subscribe to the Hindutva project?' asks Shashi Tharoor.
Absconding senior Gujarat IPS officer P P Pandey, an accused in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, on Monday made a dramatic appearance on a stretcher in a CBI court, which granted him anticipatory bail till July 31.
'No civilised nation can thrive if it is possessed with the spirit of Hindutva.'
In this May 2014 interview with Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com, the politically conscious Karnad spoke of why he is concerned about Modi coming to power.
Manjunath is a lesson in humanity we all need at the moment, says Paloma Sharma.
30 years later, relatives of the 329 people who perished in the Kanishka bombing gathered at a moving service in Ahakista, Cork in Ireland.
'My great grandfather Henry Ford would have been very happy with the lifestyle I am leading and the things I believe in.' He's a servant of god. A temple builder. Manu Shah meets the Ford who spreads word about the glories of Krishna.
'So complete is Modi's takeover of the foreign ministry, that Swaraj today is less important than a minister of state for secularism in Modi's government!'
'How can Hindus protest efforts to ban an edition of the Gita in parts of Russia, and force a publisher to withdraw an academic critique of Hinduism, all in the same breath? It makes the Hindu community seem petty, self-serving, and hypocritical. Episodes like this allow Hinduism to be "owned" by the most conservative, intolerant, extremist voices. These people do not speak for me, and they certainly don't represent the form of Hinduism I practice and love," Princeton University's Hindu chaplain Vineet Chander tells Rediff.com's Arthur J Pais.
Indian-American Vivek Murthy was on Wednesday administered the oath for the top post of US Surgeon General by Vice President Joe Biden at a ceremonial ceremony in Virginia, becoming the youngest-ever in charge of the country's public health.
Patnaik, 89, passed away at Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in the temple city
'I am only slightly puzzled by why the childishness has not left the minister. It is easy to be prejudiced and closed-minded when one is in one's teens. But adults should view the world as adults, not as squabbling and petty schoolchildren,' says Aakar Patel.
If only Mahabharat was a made-for-radio special instead of a half-heartedly animated demo reel masquerading as a children's fantasy, writes Sukanya Verma.
The Delhi high court on Friday allowed Vikas Yadav, convicted for killing Nitish Katara, to meet his ailing grandfather by granting him custody parole of two days as a test to see if he is "fit to be let out in society".
Whatever the ideologies of our leader are, the end result should be nothing more than well being of our fellow citizens, says Khemchand H Sakaldeepi and Nupur Pavan Bang.
Want to know how can the Mahabharata help you succeed in life? Read on!
'It is exceptionally important for Hindus to once again get in touch with the foundation of Hinduism.' 'Aggressive evangelists are reducing Hinduism to its lowest common denominator.'
If you can have caste and faith based parties, why can't there be a gender based one as well, asks T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
The writers, artistes, thinkers and academics had gathered for a "resistance" meet (Pratirodh) against what they described as "attack on reason, democracy and composite culture".
