Can Owaisis give their politics a non-sectarian twist?

Unlike the Aam Aadmi Party which overestimated its potential after an outstanding debut in Delhi, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Asaduddin and Akbaruddin Owaisi is expanding cautiously. During recent state elections in Maharashtra, they ventured outside the confines o

Jaitley's clout grows with latest cabinet expansion

That the defence portfolio will be taken away from Arun Jaitley was a given. The lawyer-politician, who will turn 62 next month, had himself said in as many words that it was an additional charge he was holding, which would be assigned to someone else at the first given opportunity.

Fresh doubts over Koodankulam power plant

All is not well with the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) in southern Tamil Nadu. The first 1,000 MW unit of what is described as the “world class third generation plant” was reported to have attained criticality in July 2013.

Baba, black sheep, and the black money trail

The BJP’s Lok Sabha election slogan “Abki baar Modi sarkar,” has become “Abki baar U turn sarkar” as the NDA government informed a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justices MB Lokur and AK Sikri on 17 October that the na

Eelam struggle receives major boost

In a significant development in the Eelam liberation movement, the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the European Union (EU) has annulled the restrictive measures against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It vindicates the belief that the Eelam Tamils

A 'benevolent military dictator' voted to power in Fiji

Voreqe Bainimarama, former chief of the Republic of Fiji’s Armed Forces and founder-leader of the Fiji First political party, is an enigma misunderstood not only by the people of the island nation, both iTaukie, the majority indigenous community, and the Fiji-Indians who constitute 37 pe

Judgment's aftermath and Jayalalithaa's future

If political and economic freedoms have been siblings in the history of liberty, it is incestuous couplings of wealth and power that poses the deadliest threat to democracy,” wrote Al Gore, former US Vice-President, in his book “Assault on Reason.”

Bitter battle on the cards in Maharashtra

This month's assembly elections in Maharashtra may well prove to be one of the most acrimonious contests in recent memory. Since the parting of close associates invariably arouses considerable antagonism, there is nothing surprising about the present hostility between the Shiv S

Why 'Make in India' is an anachronism

Prime Minister Modi's ambitious campaign to turn India into a global manufacturing hub aims to develop infrastructure and make it easier for companies to do business. The hope is to bump up manufacturing from 15 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to 25 percent. But the chal

Modi's defence of Muslims - a little too late?

If some of the recent statements of the saffron netizens and the actions threatened by Hindutva outfits are noted, then it can seem that the hardliners have learnt nothing from the setbacks suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent by-elections. Except for winning a

Goa should look east, emulate Bali's success

Goa should look east and learn from the transformation of Indonesia's Bali province from a backward region with poor infrastructure in 2001 to a beautiful, thriving beach tourism paradise. As things stand now, Bali, as a tourism destination, is far ahead of Goa. We have the adva

Indian team should have 20-20 vision of Test cricket

Ask any player anywhere in the world and he will say Test cricket is the ultimate. But today - though he may not openly admit it - he knows in his heart that his Twenty20 performance is far more important. It may sound nonsensical yet the aspiring cricketer has started believing tha

A new challenging motorsport in rain

Formula 1 racing has a huge television audience in India, dwarfing other forms of motorsports which hardly get a look-in unless sponsored. In India, motorsports is confined to a small band of enthusiasts and its niche bracket of Formula racing on purpose-built tarmac circuits and ra

The great Indian sellout

There has been a reset on India’s Sri Lanka policy which is at variance with what Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj had stated in public in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Addressing an election rally in Chennai on 13 April and another in Ramanathapuram on 17 April, M

With Priyanka's 'no', Congress revival prospects dim

There is little doubt that by declining to join "active" politics, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra will not only cause huge disappointment to her growing body of supporters in the Congress, but may also undermine the party's chances of revival. To her followers, she represents t

India should be happy with Glasgow returns

If you take away 2010 New Delhi, the benchmark for India at the Commonwealth Games has been 2002 Manchester when they crossed the 50-medal mark for the first time by ending up with 69 medals, 30 of them gold. Before the Indians left for Glasgow, the expectations were pegged at somew

Modi sends Advani, BJP old guard into exile

In the Hindu way of life, old age entails exile from home and hearth. As the Manu Smriti says, when a man sees "his skin wrinkled and his hair gray and when he sees the son of his son, then he should resort to the forest". Narendra Modi seems to be following this precept f

7 ideas for pro-Eelam groups to ponder on

Round 1 has gone to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the fight for justice for Eelam Tamils, as fresh battle lines were drawn after Narendra Modi came to power in India. Pro-Eelam groups have not been able to convince New Delhi to give up its pro-Colombo policy and look with favor on

Markandey Katju and the curious case of Ashok Kumar

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of god,” says the Bible. In Tamil Nadu, it is easier for a Dalit to go through the eye of a needle than to become a judge of the Madras High Court. From pre-independence

I am from northeast... but I am not Mowgli!

"Does the Rajdhani Express go to Assam?" I thought I had heard something wrong. When the question was repeated, I knew I heard it right. My blood came to a boil. But my conscience got the better of me as I realised that the person may genuinely not know much about Assam. I

From temple to table, a chicken's tale

Apparently a Tamil film, "Saivam" (also a word for vegetarianism in Tamil) is having a good run in theatres in Tamil Nadu and it has become a subject of cultural exploration of a state known more for its pride in its non-vegetarian mores and the often expressed conflict over the upho

Stop insulting the dhoti

It is a shame that a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, a senior advocate from the same court and a lawyer from Madurai were denied entry into the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Club in Chennai because they violated the club’s dress code.