Although popular Dalit writer and thinker Chandrabhan Prasad feels what Ashis Nandy said at the Jaipur Literature Festival was undignified and vulgar, he tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt that matter should have ended once the professor apologised.
'The BJP has the torch and with that same torch, the BJP is trying to light up its house in Bihar.' 'The BJP is trying to burn Nitish Kumar's house with that torch.'
Naresh Chandra, bureaucrat, diplomat and administrator, shares an 'insider's view' on the India-Pakistan peace process in an exclusive interview with Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
'I think he had this in his head to go to different places, get some experience and then become the Congress president.'
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt analysis what Rahul Gandhi's elevation to number 2 position means to a struggling Congress party and a government facing a credibility crisis.
Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan have successfully managed to blow the lid off the 'crony capitalism' that is flourishing in the country today, and in the process delivered a crushing blow to the UPA government. Sheela Bhatt analyses
L K Advani had no option but to strike now to ensure that Modi is not announced as the prime ministerial candidate under any circumstances before the general election, says Sheela Bhatt
'Neither Modi nor the BJP have lost control over the minds and votes of their original supporters due to their tremendous political ability to play upon baser communal instincts.' 'But this buoyant support will melt away if the economic scenario remains depressing.' 'That makes 2020 an interesting year to watch out for,' notes Sheela Bhatt.
Barring a Shah Rukh Khan, an Akshay Kumar or a Preity Zinta, it is near impossible for most Indians to break into Bollywood's exclusive club of star children. Hearteningly, it is still possible for Indians born in middle class homes to become star technicians like 3 Idiots director Rajkumar Hirani. Patcy N and photographer N V Reuben traveled to Raju Hirani's home town Nagpur last week to discover how his journey to directorial superstardom began.
Sheela Bhatt who traveled with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the BRICS summit in Durban, reports on what transpired during Dr Singh's first meeting with China's new leader Xi Jinping.
A senior government source explains to Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt why India cannot pre-judge a rivalry with China.
Surat's businessmen and citizens collect funds to help the police build a state-of-the-art surveillance system that will provide real-time video coverage of the city. Sheela Bhatt reports.
Four Gujarat ministers were handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to organise the reception for Chinese President Xi Jinping, right from the welcome at the airport to the menu for the dinner at the Sabarmati riverfront, reports Sheela Bhatt.
These include increasing the public float in listed companies to 35 per cent from 25 per cent, increasing the minimum statutory limit for FPI investment in a firm from 24 per cent to the sectoral foreign investment, and lowering government holding in listed public sector undertakings.
'Does a secular nation not believe in its ancestry? The Constitution has a photo of Ram also.'
Sheela Bhatt, who attended the United Progressive Alliance's fourth anniversary event on Wednesday, shares some gupshup picked up from 7, Race Course Road.
Sheela Bhatt blames the Delhi gang-rape and its aftermath on the dreadful transport mafia, the offspring of the nexus between politicians, crooked bureaucrats and shady operators.
Sheela Bhatt speaks to BJP insiders and those privy to Modi's thinking to piece together the Gujarat's strongman plan/journey that aims for the biggest prize in Indian politics.
'The court would like to make the CBI politically neutral so that they behave as professionals and they are not influenced by somebody in power,' constitutional expert Anil Divan tells Sheela Bhatt
Sheela Bhatt spoke to various members of Parliament to elicit their opinion about Finance Minister P Chidambaram's last Budget before the general elections, and found them lukewarm in their reaction. 'Political nuksaan nahi, lekin faida bhi nahin. Bach nikle,' about sums it up
'Lashkar is full of soldiers; it is full of spies, and you never know who is retired and who isn't... Headley asked one of the army majors, who claimed to be a retired officer, from where a lot of the information was coming from and he was told the military have become particularly proud of a series of sources they have in India.' Adrian Levy, co-author of The Siege: The Attack on the Taj, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt in an exclusive interview.
Commerce, Connectivity, Consular and Community -- External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has urged Indian ambassadors in Central Asia to find ways to explore the massive potential that the strategically-important region offers. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who travelled to Tajikistan with the foreign minister, reports.
By all accounts Digvijaya Singh is serving Rahul Gandhi's purpose of pushing himself into orbit over Narendra Modi, but he is also pushing his own case by his brazen tweets and bold assertions in the social media and in public acrimonies. But there is a limit to all games, writes Sheela Bhatt.
For a man revered for his probity, Defence Minister A K Antony was caught napping when bribes were paid over the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. With the UPA government staring at another scam, nothing it seems will change, writes Sheela Bhatt.
Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal, in a tersely-written letter to his boss and Attorney General G E Vahanvati, accusing him of messy handling of the CBI in the coal scam investigation, and sparking speculation that the latter may recuse himself from the case. Sheela Bhatt reports.
Congress is wary that state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and New Delhi to be held in December will impact its prospects in the 2014 general elections. Sheela Bhatt reports
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling around Gujarat, lists the factors that will help Chief Minister Narendra Modi likely win the state election.
With her simple cotton saree and hawai chappal, Mamata was always identified with the poorest of the poor Bengali. But this sudden burst of chit fund network of seemingly cheat companies has dragged her into the cesspool. Sheela Bhatt analyses.
In the final part, Prof Shiva Visvanathan talks some more about Modi's chances of becoming PM, the professor's stay in Gujarat and how he was finally ousted from there.
Asif Ibrahim's appointment as Director of India's Intelligence Bureau has stirred considerable interest. Observers believe the UPA government has chosen the new heads of the IB, the Research and Analysis Wing and the Central Bureau of Investigation, keeping in mind the next Lok Sabha election, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Professor Shiv Visvanathan talks of the dangers of celebrating of reign of Narendra Modi and why the Gujarat chief minister may be as bad bet as prime minister.
The more Narendra Modi tours the country with his 'vikas purush' card, the more the Congress will refresh his image as the poster boy of Hindutva. The irony is that the Congress's political reaction suits Modi! He won't complain at all, says Sheela Bhatt.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday steeply increased the price of gas, hitting the aam-aadmi, also gave a meagre hike to the minimum support price of food-grains, adversely affecting farmers, reports Sheela Bhatt.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar believes that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's popularity may not translate into votes to give him a clear nod to become prime minister, says Sheela Bhatt
'The idea was not just to kill those hundreds of people,' historian Ramachandra Guha tells Sheela Bhatt, 'the idea was to provoke people against Muslims. It is really shocking that Pakistan is in denial about what happened in Mumbai.'
Sheela Bhatt reports how Ajmal Kasab's execution is significant for the central government and for the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra.
Opposition parties are wary that any such attempt that is likely to fail or is even potentially risky will end up helping the Congress eventually, says Sheela Bhatt.
'I don't think Modi is PM material... Because of his nature, because of his arrogance... A prime ministerial candidate is one who can carry others with him. The quality of statesmanship which ought to be there is missing,' Ahmed Patel, the most powerful man in the Congress party after the Gandhis, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt in a rare and exclusive interview.
What most people don't know is that the emotional flourishes and notes, the memories about Rahul's father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi, the point about his mother Sonia coming into his room late on Saturday night and weeping, in the speech were added by his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
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