Two kinds of people die at regular intervals in Kashmir – soldiers and militants. The militants are driven by hatred fed by religion, with no other aim than to destroy, kill, and maim. The soldiers are driven by the duty to their profession of arms – to protect, to nurture,[Read More…]
Tag: Opinion
Madhushala in the age of prohibition
“Musalman o hindu hain do, ek, magar, unka pyala, Ek, magar, unka madiralaya, ek , magar, unki hala, Dono rehte ek na jab tak masjid mandir mein jaate, Bair badhate masjid mandir mel karati madhushal ।” Many of us, poetry lovers, have enjoyed these lines of “Madhushala” sung by Manna[Read More…]
How are we ruining India’s future by trolling & faking it
This is no regular blog. This is an intervention. A serious one at that. You really need to stop. Stop whatever you have been doing all this while and think for a second what have we become? And, what are we trying to become in the future? A few years[Read More…]
Tax Free Wings
Women’s empowerment by far is one the most vexed issues in any nation. However developed or underdeveloped, liberal or conservative a nation may be, the difficulty with empowering women is a challenge that cannot simply be tackled by any government by fiscal and legal provisions like in the case of[Read More…]
Guns or Roses – A choice Kashmir has to make
“A stone pelter is pelting stones for his nation.” Farooq Abdullah “Indian government should resume talks with Pakistan or be ready to lose Kashmir.” Farooq Abdullah “Valley is losing faith in Indian Democracy.” Karan Thapar It has become a fashion for the elite intellectuals of India to lambast every policy[Read More…]
What ails the Indian millennials?
Millennials, or the generation Y, following the generation X can largely be defined as the generation born from the early 1980s to early 2000s. In other words the millennials are today’s adults. India with its largest youth population enjoys a great demographic dividend that puts it at enviable position of[Read More…]
Literary festivals don’t just promote reading and writing, they encourage you to think
A book communicates knowledge, and not only knowledge but wisdom of all kinds. The more you read, the more well-read you are. In simple terms what this means is that the more you read the more exposed you are, and your attitudes, your ideas, your imagination and your thinking changes.[Read More…]
Both Sides Guilty?
The family of Pehlu Khan has been claiming that they had the valid documents for the transit of the cattle. However this claim has been rejected by the Home Minister.
A city called Dehradun and a tale of nature, love, life and literature
This is a unique city, this Dehradun. It was love that dragged me here the first time. That first time, I remember Dehradun being a unique kind of quaint. Everything here, life, food and therefore, love stories, are all connected to the crazy weather here. I do not know of[Read More…]
Witch hunt against Chidambaram and family still alive
So here are some facts. The Aircel-Maxis case has been quashed by Judge O P Saini in February this year. Therefore, any rational person would think that there is no further investigation is possible. Hence, Monday’s news reports that the CBI will file a status report on the Aircel-Maxis case on[Read More…]
What the attack on Nigerians tells us about vigilantism and mob violence?
A video has surfaced recently which brings out the worst of humanity. It features a brutal mob attacking Nigerian nationals in a Noida mall. Watching it is an exercise of ultimate outrage and mind numbing fear. It combines the racial hatred with violence of the mob. It proves what we[Read More…]
Understanding Hinduism in the times of pseudo seculars
Since 2014, ever since Shri Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister of India there has been a big hue and cry from the opposition parties of this country that Modi and BJP are going to rule this country with an agenda of Hindutva. And now after Yogi Adityanath[Read More…]
An Open Letter to the Prime Minister of India
Dear Sir, I am writing this Open letter to you with the confidence that even a young person can approach you directly. In India, we follow the age-old tradition that if a member of the family errs, it is better to approach the Head of the Family to resolve the[Read More…]
Electoral defeats are temporary shocks, Rahul Gandhi has been steadfast in his core values
It was anybody’s guess while analysing the Congress result in the recently concluded 5 state elections that Congress’s success will have many fathers but in case of failure, all blame would be on Rahul Gandhi alone. As the leader, Rahul Gandhi has accepted the blame for the defeats on[Read More…]
UP Polls: How and why senior journalists and editors batted for the BJP on poll eve
Team Modi’s electoral strategy aimed at capturing floating votes? Elections are a tricky subject in India. Things can change overnight. Rumor mills start working overtime and rumor mongers have a field day because they know that that is the moment when they can bring about a big change if their[Read More…]
UP Assembly Elections 2017: Manufacturing a “hawa” for the BJP out of thin air
Senior journalist and India Today consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai said in the Hindustan Times on March 2: “I am putting my neck on the line once again and forecasting a likely BJP win in Uttar Pradesh. In a seemingly ‘wave-less’ election where 403 constituencies are witnessing fierce competition almost everywhere,[Read More…]
The ‘fragile’ male ego: Addressing the elephant in the room
Writing about male ego may sound like a disastrous idea on women’s day but it is one of the prime causes keeping us away from attaining gender equality. India is a contradictory society and has people living both a hundred years ahead and behind time, all at once. With such[Read More…]
Even if GDP figures despite demonetisation are true, it is still bad news
Everybody knows that disparities exist in Indian society and economy but that the gap would be so huge has become apparent only now. Actually, only 10 percent of India’s population controls all resources. So much for Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. Let’s see why: Just when everyone was expecting the demonetization[Read More…]
Stifling Freedom of Expression makes the weakest suffer the most
ABVP members were at it again, beating up students/ activists who wanted to have a discussion over something. Despite clear evidence of the violence, and lots of gloating about the evidence, there (like always) are ‘neutral’ people who think that the ABVP members were right in their actions; that ‘anti-national’[Read More…]
India reacts as Facebook plans to put ads in the middle of its Live videos
The social media giant Facebook will allow brands to advertise on their Live video section. Live experience may now come with a brief message from a sponsor. As reports say, the ads, which can last up to 20 seconds in each break, can start after the first four minutes of[Read More…]
Jallikattu: A Sport, A Ban and An Angry Tamil!
An old quote by Thomas Wolfe reads, “Culture is the Arts elevated to a set of Beliefs.” The recent ban on “Jallikattu” a sport that has often been equated to the exuberance of the ancient Tamil culture and a symbol of Tamil pride has evoked a wide range of comments[Read More…]
An Open Letter to Arvind Kejriwal
Dear Mr Kejriwal, As kids we were taught the adage, “A bad workman blames his tools.” So in the blame game that you have recently launched against the BJP-led MCD over the current health emergency, as usual it’s the common man that suffers. Let’s get one thing straight Mr CM…Delhi[Read More…]
My Seditious taste for Indo-Pak peace
Over the past few days, Indian actress Ramya has been under fire for speaking in favour of our neighbours. So atrocious were her words that there is a case of “Sedition” filed against her. Her crime: To speak a truth that is unwanted in the Indian diaspora currently. I am[Read More…]
Lives lost, Kashmir still burning
Another day of curfew, another day of violence, another day of uncertainty, another day of horror, another day of miseries…that’s what the fate of the people of Kashmir has become these days. Can you imagine living in a place where you will go out of your house but you are[Read More…]