T V R Shenoy
The Jurassic Park of Indian politics
It is the last place where the dinosaurs who once dreamt of ruling the Earth can still be seen in their natural habitat, says T V R Shenoy. Archives T P Sreenivasan
Who recognised Bangladesh first?
Bhutan's recognition of Bangladesh without waiting for Indian advice was a clever move, but if it did it even before India did, it was a calculated gamble to assert its independence, says T P Sreenivasan. Archives T P Sreenivasan
Another Rabbit out of Modi's Hat
Obama's decision to visit India must be a result of his judgement that Modi is a man of action, feels Ambassador T P Sreenivasan. Archives Claude Arpi
Why India needs to get tough with China
'It is certainly time for New Delhi to open up. Not only should it go ahead at full steam with the roads to the LAC, but the government must also allow tourists to visit these stunningly beautiful areas of Indian territory.' Archives T V R Shenoy
What is wrong in this man being a governor?
'Judging by the conduct of two governors of Kerala and one governor from Kerala, Congressmen treated Raj Bhavan as a transition point before taking a flight back into active politics.' Archives T P Sreenivasan
China, India and the New Asia
'It was China's rise that caused the New Cold War in Asia as it prompted the United States to rebalance its forces in Asia to experiment with engagement and containment at the same time,' says T P Sreenivasan. Archives T P Sreenivasan
Nanny Terror in New York
No theory would ever justify the public humiliation of the acting head of the consulate of a friendly country. Whatever be the eventual solution, grievous damage has been done to her personally and to the relations between the two countries, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan. Archives B S Prakash
Are women drivers Saudi Arabia's gravest threat?
The winds of revolution are blowing all over the Arab world. A bit, slowly in Saudi Arabia, perhaps, but nevertheless. Some women did drive, defying the ban and were duly arrested. But the day is not long, may be, just another century at most, when women can actually drive, in women-only lanes, of course, says B S Prakash. Archives T V R Shenoy
Will its allies desert the Congress with the escape velocity of Jupiter?
'The Congress's allies won't be left behind in looking out for their own interests. Some will demand a bigger share of the ministerial or electoral pie, others will simply jump ship,' says T V R Shenoy. Archives T V R Shenoy
What happens when the Congress 'High Command' is no longer in command?
'One senior Congress leader told me: "As long as Rahul is seen arriving there is no harm done, but when he opens his mouth, oh God...",' reveals T V R Shenoy. Archives Sanjeev Nayyar
Why India must remember Sardar Patel
Leaders of today can pay homage to Sardar Patel by being realists, calling a spade a spade, having sound advisors, playing to our strengths etc, says Sanjeev Nayyar. Archives T V R Shenoy
This actress deserves our thanks for speaking up
'Mere 'literacy' is not the same thing as 'education', which involves conceding that others have rights, and that one of those prerogatives is a woman's right to dignity. In 2012, the Kerala police registered 1,474 cases of rape, of which 455 victims were children,' says T V R Shenoy. Archives B S Prakash
Who will be the next Steve Jobs?
In some ways, Elon Musk's vision is even bolder and more transformative than that of Steve Jobs, says B S Prakash. Archives B S Prakash
'It is in America's nature to go to war'
'I am no longer surprised by how cynical university students generally are about American motives. America, no matter who the President, what the circumstances will act like a bully, is their collective belief,' says Ambassador B S Prakash after a recent interaction with students. Archives Professor Wang Dehua
Four elements that will shape India-China ties
'Border disputes cannot be solved by resorting to border conflicts. Only by mutual consensus, and a spirit of give-and-take, can we arrive at a long-lasting solution,' says Professor Wang Dehua, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to China next week.' Exclusive to Rediff.com. Archives T P Sreenivasan
OPCW's Nobel win shouldn't be lost in the din of Malala fans
The Nobel Prize for Malala may have caused deep divisions across the globe and disturbed the peace, while the award to OPCW, though not without critics, may have served the cause of peace by eliminating a weapon of mass destruction from the face of the earth, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan. Archives T V R Shenoy
Are Sonia and Rahul insecure about Pranab Mukherjee?
Does Pranab Mukherjee want to be 'PM' by office, not just by initials? The very prospect, with memories of the Narasimha Rao years scarred into their memories, scares the Nehru-Gandhis Archives Amberish K Diwanji
View: Only murderers deserve to be hanged, not gang rapists
Let not our current anger against gang rapes undermine centuries of wisdom. Because, in doing so, we may just be putting our women at greater risk, says Amberish K Diwanji Archives Sherna Gandhy
If politicians knew how idiotic they appear on TV, they would never step into another studio!
Television news. Anarchists. Special Status for UP! And that man-who-wants-to-be-Pradhan Mantri so baaad. Sherna Gandhy takes them on. Archives Tarun Vijay
Kishtwar is the face of anti-national 'secularism'
Kishtwar is the face of secularism that Srinagar wears. The secularism which the Indian government follows is self defeating, feels BJP MP Tarun Vijay. Archives B S Prakash
Images: The Pope at the Beach
Argentina and Brazil are traditional rivals and there was a time when their antagonism was being compared to India-Pakistan relations. They have overcome to a great extent their history of hostility. That an Argentinean Pope was so warmly embraced in Brazil shows that his great office does transcend such divides, notes B S Prakash, India's former ambassador to Brazil. Archives Srikanth Kondapalli
How India is learning from China
When it came to national security issues, China never hesitated to take a quick decision regardless of the material costs. Nor were the superiority in military strength of the adversary a consideration, Srikanth Kondapalli points out. Archives T V R Shenoy
Nitish Kumar and his shadowy path
'Nitish Kumar has reverted to the 1990s model. The besetting sin of this type of ministry formation was a fundamental insult to democracy,' argues T V R Shenoy. 'Not only did it not inform the voter who the prime ministerial candidate was, but it also gloried in keeping out the largest party in the Lok Sabha.'. Archives C Uday Bhaska
A true Indian patriot is now part of the ages
'Post Kargil, the effete Indian response to the complex national security challenges was a matter of deep anguish and muted anger. B Raman felt very strongly about the need to create a more informed national security community in India,' remembers C Uday Bhaskar. Archives Vikram Sood
A personal tribute and salute to B Raman
Vikram Sood remembers his friend and mentor B Raman, who passed away on Sunday. Archives Swati Parashar
B Raman: A Karmayogi for whom time was always short
Swati Parashar pays tribute to her mentor B Raman, who passed into the ages on Sunday. Archives Sudheendra Kulkarni
Why the BJP needs Advani more than ever
The shock treatment that Advani administered to the BJP has simply no parallel in India's modern political history, says Sudheendra Kulkarni. Archives Saroj Nagi
Federal Front: Can it be any different from its predecessors?
Narendra Modi's elevation in the BJP has given a fillip to the idea of an alternative forum for those who want to counter him for the 2002 Gujarat riots and for those like Nitish Kumar who do not wish to be part of a dispensation which is steered by him, says Saroj Nagi Archives K C Singh
How Iranians changed the PLOT of the Prez poll
The Iranian people, having spoken, are asking the new administration to find a way by which sanctions can be rolled back and civility and normalcy can return to Iran's engagement with the world, says K C Singh Archives Shubha Singh
India's message to Nepal, Maldives: Allow democracy to take root
India aims to gently encourage moderate and democratic forces in Nepal and Maldives towards building a less fractured polity, writes Shubha Singh Archives Harsh V Pant
Indian defence diplomacy and strategic re-balancing
Indian defence diplomacy will have to play an increasingly important role as it tries to emerge as a credible strategic partner of the regional states. Neither India nor other regional states have incentive to define their relationship in opposition to China. Great power politics in the region have only just begun, says Harsh V Pant Archives RN Ravi
Dr Singh's mantra for conflict resolution: military and money
Political conflicts with deep social roots are not resolved through ill-conceived surreptitious deals. They require a bold political vision to resolve them. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech at the recent annual conference on internal security showed a vision that is cynical, sterile and bureaucratic, writes RN Ravi, former special diretor of the Intelligence Bureau Archives Barun Roy
Darkness beyond 'Bharat Nirman' and 'India Shining'
Mutual suspicion and prejudice hang over India and its neighbours, says Barun Roy. Archives Mohan Guruswamy
The L K Advani I have known for 30 years
BJP patriarch L K Advani wanted to transform the BJP from a narrow, exclusivist and radical party into a more inclusive, reformist one, says Mohan Guruswamy Archives Sanjay Kapoor
How will the Congress counter Modi's game plan?
The Congress's real test would be to stop Modi and the BJP from achieving this short term objective of winning the forthcoming assembly elections so that they remain relevant when the parliament elections take place in 2014. They may be helped by the growing trend amongst regional parties to stay out of any alliance with any national party, says Sanjay Kapoor. Archives Poornima Joshi
Advani-Modi clash: Secular vs communal twist astonishing
To promote Advani as a moderate is as much a travesty of truth as to present the children of Godse as followers of Gandhi, feels Poornima Joshi Archives A Ganesh Nadar
Why Narendra Modi is Congress's biggest asset
Modi will be the single most significant cause of the Congress's victory in 2014, despite 2G, coalgate, Commonwealth Games, and all the other scams he has forgotten, says A Ganesh Nadar Archives Vedika Kumar
Finding fault in the 'anti-rape' law
Women of India need freedom, not halfhearted attempts at reform, says Vedika Kumar Archives Zorawar Daulet Singh
Looking East, pragmatically
India's commitment to an open and plural security architecture attests to the fact that Asia's transition is a dynamic of both power & identity, says Zorawar Daulet Singh Archives Praful Bidwai
Beneath the deceptive calm, despair, anger brew in Kashmir
For the Kashmiri people, the gun remains India's main face, and coercion or deception by New Delhi dominates their consciousness, says Praful Bidwai after a recent visit to the valley. Archives Seema Mustafa
What the by-poll results foretell
Other than providing Narendra Modi a sweetner ahead of the BJP's national executive meet in Goa, there are no major trends to glean from the recent by-election results, says Seema Mustafa. Archives Shanthie Mariet D'Souza
New Delhi's strategic dissonance in post-2014 Afghanistan
India's post 2014 Afghanistan policy appears to be glued to the best-case scenarios of a successful democratic transition. New Delhi hopes that it would remain 'business as usual' and would not necessitate a drastic revisiting of its continuing strategy. This, in short, is a strategy of convenience, says Shanthie Mariet D'Souza. Archives Arun Jaitley
Should a discredited CBI investigate the IB?
The grilling of IB officials by the CBI in connection with the Ishrat Jahan encounter case smacks of vendetta against the Gujarat government. The myopic political regime in Delhi has not realised the significance of destroying institutions. Only Pakistan and LeT would have the last laugh, says Arun Jaitley. Archives Paloma Sharma
The futile ban on Mumbai's mannequins
But while our politicians are waging war against mannequins and trying to save society from being corrupted, maybe they would like to have a good look at the city's water and electricity problem. After all, thirst and darkness are known to provoke men into doing 'wrong acts', says Paloma Sharma. Archives Kishan S Rana
Cooperation with neighbours vital for India's Northeast
A sidelight of the Chinese prime minister's India visit was official approval for expanding a well-functioning mechanism for regional co-operation, notes Kishan S Rana. Archives Stanley A Weiss
It's time to send Pakistan's army back to the barracks
The US needs to do three things to help the newly elected Nawaz Sharif government in Pakistan, says Stanley A Weiss Archives T V R Shenoy
Why are politicians baying for Srinivasan's blood?
Arvind Kejriwal accused Robert Vadra of participating in questionable land deals. Those were just allegations, but so are the crimes supposedly committed by Gurunath Meiyappan. But one is a businessman's son-in-law and the other is a politician's son-in-law. And so, predictably, they were treated differently by the politicians, says T V R Shenoy. Archives Praful Bidwai
How the government suppresses dissent
The mother of intolerance is the Union home ministry, run by ultra-conservative bureaucrats who are inclined to take a hard line on matters ranging from fighting insurgencies to putting citizens under surveillance to outlawing dissident groups, says Praful Bidwai. Archives Mahesh Vijapurkar
Why the Sanjay Dutt case highlights need for jail reforms
Instead on reforming them, our jails are turning inmates into hardened criminals, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Archives Tarun Vijay
But where is the heart to fight the Maoists?
The State must stand as a solid tower of confidence to provide a guarantee of safety to its citizens and instill fear in the hearts of offenders. But where is that State, asks Tarun Vijay Archives Colonel (retd) Anil Athale
Naxal massacre: No lessons learnt from earlier attacks
The roots of the problem lies in the alienation of the tribals. Extreme sensitivity is required to tackle the issues involved. Rough and ready methods of using force may prove counterproductive in the long run, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale. Archives Ajai Shukla
Why is India reluctant to engage with Mullah Omar?
Establishing dialogue with the Quetta Shura must be recognised as a key strategic requirement. This would allow India to catalyse a favourable settlement in post-2014 Afghanistan, says Ajai Shukla Archives Nitin A Gokhale
State's ambiguity has restricted its anti-Maoist progress
The State's ambiguity has resulted in a stalemate in the crucial fight against the creeping progress of the Naxalite movement in the country, notes Nitin A Gokhale. Archives Sajid Bhombal
Strengthening NDA, not Modi, should be BJP's priority
Even with Narendra Modi as its PM candidate, the BJP is expected to get between 170 and 190 seats in 2014. That means some 100-odd seats will have to come from allies. That also means the present NDA allies are not enough, it has to be NDA+, says Sajid Bhombal Archives T N Ninan
Pillorying govt for corruption might be an escapist option
The cricket establishment is a disgrace; the cricket boss is a businessman. Archives A Ganesh Nadar
Will they arrest the whole country for betting?
A gambler is not a threat to society or to the country, says A Ganesh Nadar. Archives Nitin Pai
Scaling the great wall of symbolism
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to India showed the impact of patient and persuasive diplomacy on both sides - but it's the outcome that will matter, says Nitin Pai Archives Sonia Gandhi
'We regret opposition's obstructionist approach'
We present verbatim the full speech given by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the release of UPA II's report card in New Delhi on Wednesday. Archives Nandikesh Sivalingam
Questions India needs to ask on world biodiversity day
India is the chair of Convention on Biological Diversity till 2014. India has the chance to lead the world with setting high standards on biodiversity protection within India and with operations outside. We should also shift our energy paradigm slowly away from dirty destructive practice of coal mining into cleaner sources of energy, says Nandikesh Sivalingam. Archives Li Keqiang
Seize the new opportunities in India-China cooperation
We present the translation of the full speech given by Chiese Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the Indian Council of World Affairs in New Delhi on Tuesday. Archives Sana Hashmi
Li Keqiang's India visit: Rhetoric over results
The Chinese premier's visit may be considered rather moderately successful, which has covered a profusion of convergent ideas while leaving many more areas of divergence untouched, says Sana Hashmi. Archives Srikanth Kondapalli
Sino-Indian ties: Incremental progress but more work needed
A close scrutiny of speeches and documents during Chinese premier Li Keqiang visit indicate that, while there are gains for both Beijing and New Delhi, overall China's diplomacy scored more points, says Srikanth Kondapalli. Archives Sunanda K Datta-Ray
If we feel ignored, that's exactly what the Chinese want
Seeing a sinister design behind every Chinese utterance will only make it more difficult to negotiate a settlement Archives Colonel Anil Athale
India MUST drive a hard bargain with China
India must be cautious and not repeat its Himayalan blunders during new Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang's forthcoming visit, warns Colonel Anil Athale Archives G Parthasarathy
Impulsive, enigmatic and unpredictable, what will Sharif do next?
Hurried and ill-planned Summits like the Vajpayee-Musharraf Summit in Agra which preceded the attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001 are best avoided for now, says G Parthasarathy Archives Sushant Sareen
Will Nawaz Sharif walk the talk on India?
If Pakistan's new government lives up to the commitments given by Nawaz Sharif that he will not allow Pakistan's soil to be used against India and will put the jihadist networks out of business, it will create a lot of space for the next government in India to move forward on the bilateral track, says Sushant Sareen Archives Mahesh Vijapurkar
View: The dead deserve a better sendoff, surely
Despite all views about afterlife and such, it matters little to the dead how he or she is disposed of, says Mahesh Vijapurkar Archives Mahesh Vijapurkar
The dead deserve a better sendoff, surely
Despite all views about afterlife and such, it matters little to the dead how he or she is disposed of, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Archives Harsh V Pant
India-Iran relations: A tangled web
A close examination of the Indian-Iranian relationship reveals an underdeveloped relationship despite all the spin attached to it. India would like to increase its presence in the Iranian energy sector because of its rapidly rising energy needs, and is rightfully feeling restless about its own marginalisation in Iran, says Harsh V Pant. Archives Vivek Gumaste
Why objections to the Vande Mataram are not valid
In a pluralistic society like India it is imperative that religious fervour be tempered to suit the common good, say Vivek Gumaste. Archives Claude Arpi
Was the Chinese intrusion really a PLA strike against Xi Jinping?
Could some frustrated Chinese generals have decided to teach India a lesson to sink Xi Jinping's world dream, asks Claude Arpi. Archives T V R Shenoy
The PMO, the coal scam, the missing sentence and the CBI
Did the principal secretary to the prime minister authorise the controversial meeting a joint secretary at the PMO had at the CBI headquarters to discuss the coal scam report, asks T V R Shenoy. Archives T V R Shenoy
BJP follows Congress path of ruin
'If the activities of the BJP government in Karnataka fostered dissidence, the Gadkari era saw the same sin crop up elsewhere, notably in Uttarakhand. (Both states would see multiple chief ministers in the course of five years.) Gadkari's leadership saw the BJP drift away from its moral moorings,' says TVR Shenoy. Archives B S Prakash
Which planet do you live on?
'We had been talking for two hours about India and America and we stopped and looked at each other. "The issues are the same," said my hyper-successful and patriotic NRI friend, his hidden Indian self somewhere wanting to empathise. Yes, I agreed, only the planets that we inhabit seem different, notes B S Prakash. Archives Dr Sanjay Nagral
Why is Mumbai abandoning its civic hospitals?
By deserting public hospitals we are dismantling our public health-care system, says Dr Sanjay Nagral. Archives T V R Shenoy
Why India's top law officer is under attack
'On April 30, the Supreme Court spoke on the need to further insulate the CBI from political interference. Come May 8, perhaps their Lordships could also extend protection to the law officers too -- simultaneously sending out the message that the Attorney General is much more than a professional doing his duty to the ministry of the day, that he owes a higher duty as an officer of the court,' says T V R Shenoy. Archives T V R Shenoy
Why should the people of Bengal suffer lung cancer?
Mamata Banerjee has announced a Rs 500 crore relief package to assuage those who lost their money to the Saradha chit fund. As West Bengal is dancing on the edge of bankruptcy, this money will be raised from taxes on tobacco. Having already seen their savings go up in smoke the people of West Bengal must now puff away whatever is left, says T V R Shenoy. Archives Gurmeet Kanwal
What the Chinese gameplan against India is
The military gap between India and China is growing steadily. Clearly, China's negotiating strategy is to resolve the dispute when the Chinese are in a much stronger position in terms of comprehensive national strength so that they can dictate terms, says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd). Archives B Raman
Chinese intrusion is a matter of concern, not alarm
We have seen greater Chinese activism in the South and East China seas, but not across the Sino-Indian border. If the Chinese troops stay put in the Burthe area and construct defensive structures, that will be an indicator of their deciding to follow a similar policy of activism across the Sino-Indian border, says B Raman. Archives Ajit Balakrishnan
Legitimising myths about gold imports
The massive buyers of gold in the past two years have not been the distressed farmers or the manual scavengers. Archives T V R Shenoy
Strange Salman, the Saudis and Kerala
The Saudi leaders were willing to walk the extra mile to solve India's problem, but the external affairs ministry in New Delhi wanted to dawdle. Why did External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid not find time for his Saudi counterparts, and that too on a matter that is of great interest to Indians, asks T V R Shenoy. Archives T V R Shenoy
Elections soon after Diwali!
The state of the economy which is in a far worse condition than the government wants us to know; the UPA's instability and the Robert Vadra factor may force a Lok Sabha election this winter, predicts T V R Shenoy Archives T V R Shenoy
Marines and chopper deal: 'Italian Hand' at work?
'We seem to be reliving the sleaziest days of the 1980s,' says T V R Shenoy. 'Defence purchases are made under controversial circumstances, and nobody is held accountable... Shoddy staffwork leads to suspects leaving India, and it is virtually impossible to lay hands on them again once they are out... The same shabby acts of commission and omission. The same stale excuses...' Archives Tarun Vijay
View: Why the Italians take India for granted
One can say the Italians are rogue, they belong to an irresponsible republic, but what about the great democracy and the Republic of India that shows shameful pusillanimity or connivance with favoured foreigners as a pattern and not as an exception, asks Tarun Vijay Archives M K Bhadrakumar
India, Italy can still reconcile, and should
'Indian diplomacy should be allowed a free hand and politicians should step aside. It is difficult to see that happening, but it can happen -- and it should in the spirit of a mature democracy,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. Archives Dr Aseem Shukla
Wharton and Modi: Political gamesmanship won over business savvy
'I agonise for these students that only desired to create a platform to discuss India's challenges and opportunities for growth. They shot themselves in the foot and the students and Wharton administration must learn the lessons of consequences even as they seek redemption that can be theirs with the right moves forward, argues Dr Aseem Shukla. Archives Bhaskar Menon
A reality check for David Cameron's India quest
Bhaskar Menon explains why for India it cannot be business as usual with the British. Archives Mahesh Vijapurkar
For cities, small is not beautiful
To make anything manageable, both the intent and the will to manage is important, not empty words. This is missing from all those involved in operating a city where budgets as they exist ought to provide good results only if politics and politicians' objective of pelf do not lead to poor execution and large-scale drain of resources. That is why even small is not beautiful, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Archives Colonel (retd) Anil Athale
Remembering the Mighty Shivaji, truly a world leader
Shivaji revolutionised the art of warfare in India. His approach to the use of violence was radically different from that followed in the preceding 1,000 years. He was one of the great personalities of world history, says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd). Archives Harsh Pant
China's Gwadar plunge, and India's confused reaction
China's new naval strategy of 'far sea defence' is aimed at giving Beijing the ability to project its power in key oceanic areas, including and most significantly the Indian Ocean. China has fired the first salvo. Others will have to react seriously if they want to retain their role in the region. Archives Sushant Sareen
Afzal Guru's execution: Propaganda, politics, portents
It would be a real shame if after having demonstrated strong resolve in acting against terrorists like Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru, the government was to fritter away the gains on the altar of politics of appeasing fringe groups, says Sushant Sareen. Archives Mohammad Sayeed Malik
View from Kashmir: The lengthening shadow of Afzal Guru's gallows
The impression in the valley that Kashmir is not only 'expendable' for buttressing New Delhi's partisan interests, but also a preferred choice to do so, is getting strengthened, feels veteran Kashmir commentator Mohammad Sayeed Malik. Archives Tarun Vijay
Afzal Guru's hanging: Move on, and make India terror-free
Unless we learn to forget our differences and stand together as Indians first, earnestly believing that the cause of the Motherland is bigger than the interests of our groups and parties, the terrorist network cannot be rooted out, says Tarun Vijay. Archives Seema Mustafa
Hanging could have damaging repercussions
'The only logical explanation for the sudden hanging of Afzal Guru,' feels Seema Mustafa, 'is the fact that general elections are around the corner. And the Congress in its usual cynical manipulation of votes is trying to eat into the majority constituency with this action.' Archives Vicky Nanjappa
How Afzal Guru spent the last few years of his life
The gallows was merely 30 meters away from the 16 by 12 feet cell in Tihar Jail in which Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was lodged. Afzal was, at all times, surrounded by security guards as he was a high-profile prisoner. Archives T V R Shenoy
The BJP needs to declare its PM today!
If a party is indecisive while in the Opposition, what does it say about its capacity to govern effectively, asks T V R Shenoy. Archives C Uday Bhaskar
When the home minister speaks, every word has to be carefully chosen
Distorting facts in relation to politics and religion and appeasing extremist ideology has grave long term implications for India's security, feels C Uday Bhaskar. Archives Praful Bidwai
View: Why Rahul's strategy will fail
The Congress could have regained some lost ground had it returned to welfare and a pro-poor platform. Instead, it has moved in the opposite direction. Rahul Gandhi's upper middle class-based political mobilisation strategy is likely to fail badly, says Praful Bidwai. Archives Tarun Vijay
How Shinde spoilt Rahul's good beginning
If the home minister knows anything unlawful about the RSS or the BJP, who has stopped him from taking the sternest action? But to blame nationalist forces without any proof is a sin against the very idea of India, says BJP MP Tarun Vijay. Archives T P Sreenivasan
Why India needs Young Pravasis
'The subsequent generations of Indians abroad are free from such baggage of the past. They may be intolerant of the mosquitoes and the heat when they come to India, but they are proud of their heritage and the achievements of their parents abroad. India, to them, is a brand, which gives them added advantage in their highly competitive environment,' says T P Sreenivasan. Archives Shreekant Sambrani
Rarely has India faced Republic Day in as somber a mood
The general disaffection of masses arises from a widely shared perception that those in power have stopped listening to them and are content to pursue solely their own interests, says Shreekant Sambrani.. Archives T V R Shenoy
Why I'm pessimistic about Congress or BJP coming to power
The decline of the two national parties is palpable. Neither can hope to reach the mark of 272 on its own. One can only hope that India is spared another 1996-1998 experiment where the prime minister's party has fewer than one-tenth of the seats in the Lok Sabha, says TVR Shenoy. Archives Nilanjana S Roy
A woman alone in the forest
Five stories of rape and sexual assault from the epics are particularly useful in offering an insight into the way rape works in India, says Nilanjana S Roy. Archives Chirag Shah
What drives the Indian male to rape?
The Indian man needs to learn that he isn't in control, that he is no one to control and that it is not he who is more than a woman. There isn't a competition between the sexes, says Chirag Shah. Archives Raghothama C
How to shame the shameless sexual predators
It'll be another sad day if the outrage over the Delhi gangrape withers away without achieving anything, says Raghothama C. Archives