The RSS’ antipathy to Nehru is well-known. There is a two-pronged attempt to downplay his iconography. The first is to broaden India’s pantheon of national icons — in this the BJP is right to redress a historical neglect by boosting such figures as Vallabhbhai Patel. But the second effort is to simply negate Nehru and his idea of a secular, pluralistic India. The historian Ramachandra Guha tells an interesting story. Back in 1977 when the Janata government ended 30 years of Congress rule, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the recently appointed minister of external affairs, stepped into office at South Block and…

Hardik Patel’s agitation is not about just quotas but about re-examining a system that has over the years been used conveniently by political parties to further vote banks. Liberalisation’s children now want more. No government, leave alone one that came to power on the promise of development and ‘achche din’, can afford to ignore them. It took a 22-year-old to break what has now become Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s customary silence on uncomfortable issues. With photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel placed behind him, a somber-looking Modi appealed for peace in Gujarat, a state where he has held the…

Several incidents in the last few months show that though the country is celebrating its 69th Independence Day, it still has miles to go to achieve real freedom from many challenges. The only problem is that the list seems to be growing every single day. Independence Day is a good a day to reflect on the word ‘freedom’. So, how did we do on the freedom index in the week running up to our 69th Independence Day? 1. Last week in a stunning display of defending public morality, the Mumbai police rounded up adult couples from hotels and resorts at Madh…

Several incidents in the last few months show that though the country is celebrating its 69th Independence Day, it still has miles to go to achieve real freedom from many challenges. The only problem is that the list seems to be growing every single day. FTII-students-protest-outside-Delhi-s-Shastri-Bhawan-against-Gajendra-Chauhan-s-appointment-as-the-new-chairperson-ANI-Photo Independence Day is a good a day to reflect on the word ‘freedom’. So, how did we do on the freedom index in the week running up to our 69th Independence Day? 1. Last week in a stunning display of defending public morality, the Mumbai police rounded up adult couples from hotels and resorts at…

Kalam was beloved because he symbolised a syncretic India. Fittingly, the last image of his burial has a sea of caps all around: The military caps, the taqiyah, Gandhi topis, a keffiyah, and even plain handkerchiefs. For one moment, a fractious nation was united in grief. Perhaps we were mourning for what we once were and might never be again. Since we tend to deify the heroes that we do have in hero-scarce India, it’s easy to forget that APJ Abdul Kalam became president not because he was the best candidate for the job but because he was the least…

If defamation is to be decriminalized, then civil remedies and financial compensation for the loss of individual reputations must be strengthened. If defamation is to be decriminalised, then civil remedies and financial compensation for the loss of individual reputations must be strengthened. Would you have ever imagined that the BJP’s Subramanian Swamy, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal could come together on a single issue? But united they are, at least in the Supreme Court, where this past week they (or their lawyers) have been arguing for defamation to be decriminalized. A petition led by Swamy wants sections 499…

If defamation is to be decriminalized, then civil remedies and financial compensation for the loss of individual reputations must be strengthened. A combination photo of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Agencies) If defamation is to be decriminalised, then civil remedies and financial compensation for the loss of individual reputations must be strengthened. Would you have ever imagined that the BJP’s Subramanian Swamy, Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal could come together on a single issue? But united they are, at least in the Supreme Court, where this past week they…

Few politicians in India have as canny an instinct for social media communication as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his general election campaign, he used it to his advantage, reaching out to a growing demographic of savvy users on Twitter, Facebook and Google hangouts. Few politicians in India have as canny an instinct for social media communication as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his general election campaign, he used it to his advantage, reaching out to a growing demographic of savvy users on Twitter, Facebook and Google hangouts. Now, the Selfie with Daughter campaign — started by sarpanch Sunil Jaglani…

Few politicians in India have as canny an instinct for social media communication as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his general election campaign, he used it to his advantage, reaching out to a growing demographic of savvy users on Twitter, Facebook and Google hangouts. Few politicians in India have as canny an instinct for social media communication as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his general election campaign, he used it to his advantage, reaching out to a growing demographic of savvy users on Twitter, Facebook and Google hangouts. Now, the Selfie with Daughter campaign — started by sarpanch Sunil Jaglani…

As a bonafide member of Delhi’s power elite, Lalit Modi knows too many secrets. Is he trying to cut friends-turned-adversaries down to size? Who will he implicate next? Can Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Shashi Tharoor and Rajeev Shukla be safe? What is the security threat that Modi goes on and on about? Away-from-the-spin-doctoring-charges-and-counter-charges-the-Lalit-Modi-scandal-embodies-all-that-is-wrong-with-our-system-nepotism-conflict-of-interest-dirty-tricks-media-plants-and-zero-ethics At some point in the course of his interview with Rajdeep Sardesai, I had to press ‘pause’ just to take my pulse. Could it be true? Was I actually nodding in agreement with Lalit Modi? Perhaps it was his sibilant lisp. But my pulse was steady and…

As a bonafide member of Delhi’s power elite, Lalit Modi knows too many secrets. Is he trying to cut friends-turned-adversaries down to size? Who will he implicate next? Can Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Shashi Tharoor and Rajeev Shukla be safe? What is the security threat that Modi goes on and on about? At some point in the course of his interview with Rajdeep Sardesai, I had to press ‘pause’ just to take my pulse. Could it be true? Was I actually nodding in agreement with Lalit Modi? Perhaps it was his sibilant lisp. But my pulse was steady and as…

If the ongoing global gender conversation over sexual violence, over gay rights, over stereotypes just got a bit more interesting, then you can thank Caitlyn Jenner for that. Jenner’s decision to come out as a woman may not immediately open doors and dispel discrimination but it gives hope to many like her. The Kardashian khandaan is not anybody’s idea of a role model. Well, technically the former Bruce Jenner is not a Kardashian, except by marriage. Yet, I find myself moved by his transformation to Caitlyn Jenner. Forget for now the oozing cynicism: Is she doing it for the money?…