'If the BJP wants to build a minimally inclusive and secure society, in which vulnerable groups and religious minorities don't feel persecuted, then the Sangh Parivar, the party and its government must change their ways. Or else, they risk dividing India further -- violently and irreparably -- for narrow political ends,' argues Praful Bidwai.
'The majority community needs to accept that the Indian Muslim is peace loving, not communal and treat them accordingly.'
Despite criticism of a lack of transparency and communication from the Modi-led government, BJP leaders point to "good beginnings" on several fronts to defend its performance. Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com reports.
K Vaitheeswaran, co-founder of Indiaplaza, one of India's first e-commerce companies, shares the lessons he learnt from its failure.
After an Intelligence Bureau report warning the PMO against non-profit bodies, the home ministry is likely to order an SIT probe into their functioning, reports Vicky Nanjappa.
In a significant departure from tradition, the United States has decided to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi by working out a "special gesture date" around the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly meeting that is scheduled to take place on September 26 in New York.
'I am sure the BJP can find a highly educated, respected, non-controversial party man from the North East to be elected India's vice-president,' says Sudhir Bisht.
If you have to take the daunting step of joining a conversation of strangers, always pick a duo.
Jamida K is the first Indian Muslim woman to lead the Friday prayer.
The history of the Cauvery and Mullaperiyar cases has shown how helpless the constitutional processes and judicial verdicts have been in enforcing the law of the land in inter-state and state-Centre disputes, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
A serving army personnel was on Sunday arrested by Delhi Police from Siliguri in West Bengal in connection with the alleged ISI-linked espionage racket, taking to five the number of people taken into custody in the case.
'Mulk questions the very principle, of good-Muslim exceptionalism.' 'That, of course, we adore Abdul Hamid, A P J Abdul Kalam and Bismillah Khan and if only more Muslims were like them.' 'Anubhav Sinha sticks his neck out to say that these are no exceptions.' 'Most Muslims are like them. It is the terrorists who are exceptions,' says Shekhar Gupta.
Given the Indian electoral system, the racecourse totaliser (tote) would be a near-ideal model for election betting.
In conversation with Karan Thapar, former Vice President Hamid Ansari takes on one of the most sensitive issues of our times.
'Gandhi has not become out of date, we have.'
Here's a spoiler-filled recap of the key players in the riveting saga!
Director Karan Malhotra overstuffs a simple family story about strained ties into a nearly three-hour long cacophonous music video, writes Sukanya Verma.
'Whether I die in Calcutta or in Paris, on a Wednesday or a Saturday, it does not matter, but you would not want me to come to India's door and then return to France without having visited India.' 'Either I will die or I will visit India!' Claude Arpi hails Georges Clemenceau, French prime minister during the Great War, a great man who loved India.
After the court exonerated him in the case, a happy Prof Joseph told Rediff.com over the phone, "I am very happy. I had no intentions of hurting anyone. When the protests happened I had given an unconditional apology to both the public and the college but it was not accepted. Today they know that I was innocent."
Though the worker strike at the Gorakhpur-based publisher of Hindu religious texts has been called off, it hints at an underlying financial crisis, says Manavi Kapur
'We ask all Americans to stand against homophobia as well as against Islamophobia.'
Kolkata Gives brings together the city's philanthropists and deserving NGOs in a structured interface. Subir Roy walks away with fascinating stories from this year's do.
Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje breaks her silence.
Opposing Tipu birth anniversary celebrations, Bharatiya Janata Party and pro-Hindu organisations had called for a bandh on Tuesday even as the district administration had made arrangements for the celebration.
This is one bill that will ensure that no politician, official or person can play politics with the lives of any other person and if they do, they will be arrested. It is time for such a bill to protect the minorities, says Neeta Kolhatkar.
'I don't give a f****. I am old enough now.' 'You just have to white-knuckle it and ride through it.' 'But really, who cares?' 'At the end of the day, just get on, feel the pain, embrace the suck.'
The verdict could impact a range of life choices of Indians, including food habits and sexual orientation.
Or for that matter scared of anybody in India if they follow the principles of Islam sincerely in spirit, asks BJP supporter Haji Akhil Shaikh in this conversation with Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.
'One hopes the younger generation sees Savarkar him for what he was and does not view him through a distorted prism.' 'This is the least one could do for someone who devoted his whole life to Indian freedom struggle, elimination of caste, succour to Dalits, and instilling of strategic culture in India,' says Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi (retd) and Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'For the likes of Zomato or Swiggy or Foodpanda or similar others, the customer has been sensitised for all times to the perils of the food pack being pilfered.' 'An important matter of trust has been exposed. And that really has been the biggest downer of this entire episode,' points out marketing guru Sandeep Goyal.
'The impression I get is bread and butter matters more than freedom and choice. And China is providing bread and butter in plenty.' Saisuresh Sivaswamy/Rediff.com takes the road less travelled -- to Tibet.
The priest-turned-politician is not someone who minces his words.
Born as Ajay Singh, the diminutive shaven headed politician is known for his provocative speeches and mass following across Uttar Pradesh.
'Communalism and communal riots happened in India only during and due to colonialism. Pre-colonial India didn't have this problem of communal conflicts and religious strife.'
'The BJP must realise that a resurgent Rahul Gandhi will take the battle straight into its camp.' 'He is not going to be held back by the misdeeds of UPA 1 and 2, so there is no point harping on them,' says Sanjeev Nayyar.
'The benefits may not be visible immediately, but the general feeling of wellness, rejuvenation and relaxation is palpable.' 'A former President had the habit of undergoing Ayurveda treatment every year in Kerala and he remarked once that he felt ten years younger every time he took the treatment.'
'More so, if it is their daughters wanting to marry someone of their own choosing.' 'Children are seen as property. That's why the problem is so messy.' For young Indians wanting to marry outside their religion, expressing their right to love and live as they choose is becoming increasingly hazardous.
In the light of the efforts being made to forge electoral unity between scheduled castes and Muslims, Mohammad Sajjad examines what the architect of our Constitution, B R Ambedkar, had to say about the Muslim community.
'There are different kinds of risk.' 'It is a very powerful value. Your ability to de-risk the risk is also as important for risk taking.'
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