A technological revolution for $2,500
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev) - The news that India is starting the production of a $2,500 car is now told around the world in the fashion as the story of a fakir (also from India) who put ten cobra snakes in his bosom and stayed alive.
Actually, the story should line up with the risks and benefits for the world economy in 2008 and into the future. The story of such a car is an example of a revolution, not so much technological as consumerist, and revolutions are unpredictable.
Is Tibet reaching a decisive phase?
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS
Fractures in Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet run far deeper than not just what China would have the world believe but had probably convinced itself about. It is more than likely that Beijing would stamp out the spiralling protests with urgency mixed with ruthlessness, especially because it is desperate to ensure a smooth conduct of the impending Olympic games. However, what it is unlikely to accomplish is put a firm lid on the searing heat generated by the uprising.
Democracy – inclusion or exclusion?
Asghar Ali Engineer,
Barack Obama, who is in the race for being nominated as presidential candidate for America, made a remarkable speech on race relations in America. It was not merely complaining about discrimination against blacks (African Americans) but it was about extending hand of friendship towards whites so that people of America could stand together and form a more perfect union.
Minutes away but worlds apart
By Noa Epstein and Abed Eriqat, CGNews,
When you live ten minutes away – but worlds apart – from one another, you can still learn essential things about each other, even after five years of friendship and countless hours spent together.
Abortion laws must be urgently amended
By Puneet Bedi, IANS,
Every time I look at the ultrasound monitor to see the foetus from various angles, mothers read my face to see a twitch or a smile to suggest the baby is normal. Unfortunately their simple question "Is my baby alright?" can only be answered in maybes. Diagnosis of foetal abnormality is not easy and is not always accurate.
India should soon replace Australia at the top
By Joseph Hoover, IANS,
There can't be greater joy than convincingly trouncing Australia in Test cricket, a game they have dominated since the 90s. That India has consistently and emphatically challenged the cricket superpowers, at home and away, manifests that Mahender Singh Dhoni's conquering legion has the potential, skills and determination to put Indian cricket on a higher pedestal.
India should pursue ‘no war, no peace’ policy with Pakistan
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The Mumbai massacre has falsified the long-held belief in India that it is the rogue elements in the army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which are behind the terrorist attacks. Since Pakistan itself has been a victim of terrorism, the theory of loose cannons had gained credibility.
U.S. policy in the Middle East before, during and after Bush
MOSCOW : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday issued a "last-minute" appeal to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to reject their Hamas rulers and stop missile fire at Israel, warning them he would not hesitate to use force.
About 210 targets associated with Hamas have been hit since Saturday, while Hamas militants have launched more than 110 rockets into Israel. The UN has called for the hostilities to stop, but Olmert said at Sunday's Cabinet meeting the operation "is liable to continue for some time."
Growing demand among NRIs to become overseas citizens of India
By Kul Bhushan, IANS,
Regular NRI visitors to India are increasingly switching from a five-year visa to either a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card that allows them visa-free entry for 15 years or an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) status that allows them a life time entry and stay in India. This is the Indian version of the much sought after American 'Green Card'.
Considering the current depression in the West, OCI status has become more attractive to overseas Indians, many of who are seriously thinking of resettling in India.
Honour killings: Need for a stop to this barbaric practice
By Babu Joseph, IANS,
The media has rightly exposed the heinous crime of killing people under the guise of protecting the 'honour' of the caste or community. This monstrous practice reported from some states of India goes to show that there is something seriously amiss in our socio-cultural ethos.
Syed Ross Masood – Pursuit of excellence in higher education
By Naved Masood for TwoCircles.net,
Maulana Jauhar’s inheritors
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar died on January 4, 1931 in London while attending first Round Table Conference; he was buried in Jerusalem as he...
Winds of change are blowing, but mindsets need a changing
(One month after Dec 16 gang-rape)
By Anjali Ojha, IANS,
Will Modi be tripped by Hindu extremists?
By Amulya Ganguli,
Since communication skills are essential for political success, it is not surprising that the Bharatiya Janata...
Tebbit Test for Kashmiris who applaud Pakistan cricket team?
By Saeed Naqvi,
Across its six columns on page one last Wednesday, The Indian Express screamed: “For ‘cheering’ Pakistan in India Match, University in Meerut suspends 67 Kashmiri students.”
Nitish’s another turnaround story: But will it ensure victory?
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
The fresh political realignment in Bihar is actually the byproduct of a bitter lesson learnt by the former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in the recent Lok Sabha election. He has come to realize that development works do not get translated into votes. This is the line adopted by his former bête noire Lalu Prasad. It is this belated realization that had forced him into the lap of the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, with whom he broke away exactly two decades back.
Turkey’s Erdogan or Erdogan’s Turkey?
By Mohammad Behzad Fatmi,
The Republic of Turkey has been a turbulent democracy since its very inception. The country has witnessed a number of coup d’état and continuous military dominance over elected governments resulting in limited civilian liberty, rare tolerance for dissent and utter disregard to the rule of law. It was in the year 2002 when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power with the promise and apparent determination to strengthen democracy, rule of law and freedom in the countrywhich gave hope to the people.But today after more than a decade, the country is standing at the same position (in a different form though), if not worse.
Created prosperity as the real goal of development
By Amit Kapoor,
Competitiveness is defined as the productivity with which a country’s uses its resources like land (natural resources), labor (human beings) and capital. Productivity is just not about efficiency and yield, it is about how much of the resources a nation/region is endowed with that the production process in able to cater to, in a given period of time. The productivity with which a nation utilizes its natural resources determines its standard of living, which gets reflected in the per capita income of the population.
Punjab’s religious clash has political overtones
Chandigarh, May 16 (IANS) The religious clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda, a heretical sect and Sikhs in Punjab is not a matter of religion alone but has political overtones to it.
As dozens were left injured and public property damaged, especially in Bathinda town, in mindless violence Monday and Tuesday by Dera followers and reactions by the dominant Sikh community in Punjab, the political battle lines have been clearly drawn over the issue.
The Congress, which lost the recent assembly election to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, openly came out in support of the Dera.
Bhutto death augurs unrest, lawlessness in N-armed nation
By Rahul Bedi, IANS
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination could not have come at a worse time for turbulent Pakistan and threatens to conflagrate a highly volatile security situation in a largely lawless country armed with nuclear weapons.
Other than the prevailing political chaos ahead of next month's proposed general elections - exacerbated by Bhutto's killing - Pakistan is under siege by Islamists and suicide bombers who have the army in retreat.
Why did Congress leadership not back Rahul Gandhi as PM?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Contrary to what recent events may suggest, the cloying sycophancy associated with the Congress is a relatively new phenomenon in the organisation.
Its roots lie in Indira Gandhi's emergency rule of 1975-77, a mere 30 years ago in a 123-year-old party. Like the display of servile obsequiousness, the Emergency itself was out of tune with the Congress' liberal tradition.
NRIs will discuss investing in India at Singapore meet
By Kul Bhushan, IANS,
Around 600 wealthy NRIs will gather in Singapore next month to discuss investing in India. They will be in the company of the crème de la crème of industry, academia and leaders of the governments of Singapore and India.
This is the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), to be held Oct 9-12, a premier international conference organised by the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI), the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with the support of the governments of Singapore and India.
Tharoor as MP: An acid test for professional netas
By Aswakumaran Vinod Kumar, IANS,
The protests by Youth Congress activists in Thiruvananthapuram against the candidature of former United Nations undersecretary general Shashi Tharoor and a last-ditch fax message to the Congress high command by a Christian clergy urging the nomination of a Congress leader belonging to their denomination goes to show how very little has changed, or will change, in Indian politics.
“Kerala history is learned mainly by non-Keralites” – Dr Ausaf Ahsan
By Najiya O, TwoCircles.net,
It’s time to study the Vulnerabilities posed to Taj Mahal’s foundation
By Misbahuddin Mirza for TwoCircles.net,
Please don’t spoil his life if he is not guilty: Gayur Jamali’s father
Special Series on Terror Arrests from Bihar – Part Two
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
The other Pakistan – that is different, yet like us!
By Shilpa Raina,
For anyone living either in India or Pakistan, even the faint prospect of travelling to the other side is no less than a lifetime's opportunity. The strained sub-continental relations have however resulted in strict visa procedures, turning dreams into distant desires.
New Zealand dollar could be best performer
By Vatsal Srivastava,
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is all set to raise its benchmark interest rate at its monthly monetary policy meeting...
It can’t get any darker
By Irfanullah Farooqi,
As 2014 general assembly elections come to an end, a mixed feeling has gripped us; hope and fear, joy and scepticism, passion and anxiety. It is simply impossible to pinpoint a pan-Indian feeling towards the 2014 elections. A quintessentially Indian response seems to be missing. However, if there is one thing that has somehow managed to link otherwise scattered reactions to 2014 elections within India, it is the likelihood of Narendra Modi becoming the prime minister of India. People across sections and of all kinds of intellectual allegiances and political orientations have, directly or indirectly, shared their belief in the possibility of Narendra Modi heading the Indian state.
Adarsh Society scam: Ashok Chavan may be prosecuted
Mumbai : In an embarrassment for the opposition Congress in Maharashtra, the CBI could prosecute former chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh Society...
A cold spell soon to replace global warming
MOSCOW. (Oleg Sorokhtin for RIA Novosti) – Stock up on fur coats and felt boots! This is my paradoxical advice to the warm world.
Earth is now at the peak of one of its passing warm spells. It started in the 17th century when there was no industrial influence on the climate to speak of and no such thing as the hothouse effect. The current warming is evidently a natural process and utterly independent of hothouse gases.
After Bilkis Bano – ensure justice for all
People's Democracy Editorial
Finally, at least in one case amongst the thousands that occurred in the State-sponsored communal genocide in Gujarat in 2002, justice appears to have been done. The special court in Mumbai, designated by the Supreme Court, to conduct the trial in some of the most gruesome incidents of communal carnage, has sentenced eleven out of the twelve guilty to life imprisonment in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and massacre case. In addition, one police officer was sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment on charges of complicity.
Whither Justice: Trajectory of Srikrishna Report
Ram Puniyani
The communal violence in India has been a festering sore on its body politic. Due to its peculiar nature, the crimes are not registered-investigated and guilty are usually not punished. The state while sloppy in these matters has been forced to appoint the inquiry commissions in to the violence, mainly due to public pressure. Most of the inquiry commissions have met with indifference from the political-administrative-legal system. The fate of Srikrishna Commission is no different. Its recommendations have not been honored so far.
Will Rice’s visit help push forward Mideast peace talks?
By Guo Chunju, Yu Zhongwen, Xinhua
Cairo : As U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday started her latest Mideast regional tour with the aim to salvage the U.S.-sponsored peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Arab experts and media here didn't hold high expectations on her visit to achieve tangible results to push forward the stalled Mideast peace process.
Visit amid difficult situation
Bush is right – but equally wrong: the global food debate
By John Stanly, IANS,
Is there anything common between US President George W. Bush and the 18th century British political economist Thomas Malthus? Most unlikely. But Bush's "discovery" that the growing "prosperity" of India has shot up global demand for food brings back the 'Malthusian Catastrophe' to the centre of the global food debate.
The British economist warned the world way back in 1798 that population growth would outpace agricultural production in the future resulting in the "premature death" of the human race.
Orissa violence: Time to act beyond tears
By Navaid Hamid,
The continuous murderous attack on the innocent, unarmed, peace loving Christians belonging to lower strata of society in Orissa (India), the Adivasis, by the right wing Hindutva organisations particularly Vishwa Hindu Parishad and its armed wing Bajrang Dal is most deplorable and needs not only strongest condemnation but sincere and assertive actions to counter them and stand with the innocents.
Congress, BJP are haunted by past misdeeds
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Rahul Gandhi's excessive enthusiasm for winning new friends for the Congress has landed his party in some trouble.
Several constituents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress have not been amused by this search for partners since it suggests that the party no longer has much faith in the alliance.
Tehelka’s Populist Turn?
By Bobby Kunhu and Sudeep KS,
The magazine joins the Great Kerala Terrorist Hunt. This was sent as a rebuttal to Tehelka, but has not been published.
Bihar’s quest for Central University delays due to all wrong reasons
By Mohammad Mudassir Alam,
Why I’m giving up being politically correct
By Nury Vittachi,
Don't you think that everyone who has to listen to sermons should be supplied with a button that says "Skip to end...
Saudi Arabia holds its biggest military exercise
By Gulshan Luthra,
Dubai: Saudi Arabia, one of the world's largest arms importers, has held its biggest military exercise over two weeks in three theaters...
Whatever the budget be, equities set for short-term breather
By Vatsal Srivastava,
As one would expect, Indian equities have decided to take a breather before the big budget announcement day (July 10). It is a clear case of profit booking as the sharp sell-off in the small-cap and mid-cap space came on the back of no major disappointments post the railway budget on Tuesday (July 8). This is the most anticipated budget in recent years and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley must manage the market’s expectations - which in this column’s view have become quite overstretched. Markets hate uncertainty and although Jaitley may not be able to implement key reforms in his first budget, a clear road map will cheer the markets further to lifetime highs.
A hard look at Javed Akhtar’s farewell speech
By Ubaidur Rahman for TwoCircles.net,
Javed Akhtar, a poet and writer, did not speak anything noticeable in Parliament in last 6 years but his farewell...
Britain cuts off its nose to spite Russia’s face
By Vladimir Simonov, IANS
It is commonplace that actions can have unintended consequences. Sometimes, however, the consequences of a particular action are all too predictable.
When David Miliband, Britain's new foreign secretary, announced his decision to expel four Russian diplomats and suspend attempts to streamline visa procedures between the two countries, his audience in the House of Commons was already thinking of Moscow's reply.
Indian judiciary: a time for introspection
By Rebecca Mammen John, IANS
The function of the judiciary is not to stand itself against the policy and politics of majority rule. Courts are there to test the validity and constitutionality of the actions of the state.
Judicial activism in India is again in the net of criticism with the Supreme Court making observations on its overreach, with references to several orders passed in relation to the demolition of unauthorised constructions, nursery admissions, air pollution, motor vehicle fines and so on.
Is Zardari more India-friendly than others in Pakistan?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Asif Ali Zardari's acknowledgement of the links between the terrorists and the Pakistani establishment is not exactly a state secret. Nor is this is the first time someone in authority has made such a confession.
Climate politics eclipses climate science
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
For the last few weeks, leaders of industrialised countries have been busy reducing expectations from next month's critical Copenhagen climate summit, while their counterparts in the developing world declare ambitious plans to control emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHG) that are warming the world.
Anna’s anti-corruption campaign: Viewpoints of regional press
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Abusaleh report debunks Modi’s claims of growth
Part 1 of the 2-part series on Gujarat's development
By Faraz Ahmad
मज़हब पर उठती उंगलियों से भरा रहा बीता साल
जावेद अनीस
पिछले डेढ़ सालों में इस देश में अभिव्यक्ति की आज़ादी और लोकतंत्र के दायरे कम हुए हैं और बहुसंख्यकवाद का अहंकार सामने आया...
SAARC: Hype, reality and a little matter of visas
By Sanjoy Hazarika, IANS
The recent summit of the heads of state and government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) appears to have gone well although the large television screen above the heads of the heads of government in Vigyan Bhavan caught a few Indian cabinet ministers dozing while the leaders droned on.
Early elections in Palestine is a necessity
By Akram Atallah
Bethlehem : The current case of political division within Palestinian society is, no doubt, so deep and strong, that it has started to clearly affect, not only the points of view and opinion of political factions and figures, but has also started to deeply influence "normal" Palestinian people, affecting their ambitions and confidence in the factions and political leadership in an unprecedented manner in the history of the Palestinian cause.
To Muslims, Ram is their Imam-e-Hind
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed, IANS
On behalf of all Muslims who believe in reason and sanity, I declare that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) affidavit (since withdrawn) questioning the existence of Hindu god Ram was vitriolic, scathing, unfortunate and blasphemous -not just to Hindus but to all those who cherish our pluralistic cultural heritage. How can a government decide the veracity of a figure like Ram?
He Ram ke wajood pe Hindostan ko naaz/Ahl-e-nazar samajhtey hein usko Imam-e-Hind!
Food crises or rising prices?
By Mirza Anwarulhaq Baig
Why much outcry is over the rising food grains prises while Mr Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister has recently revealed pleasing news for those who were much haunted by the ghost of rising prises that India got the record-breaking wheat productions in the running year, now there is no need to import food-grain.
Russia-NATO: Return of the great game
By Ilya Kramnik. RIA Novosti,
Moscow : After the breakup of the Soviet Union, many intellectuals in Russia and the West announced "the end of history". It seemed that the United States' complete domination of the world was not disputed by anyone.
The subsequent decade, during which Russia lost its foreign policy positions, and its former satellites and even provinces became US and NATO allies, seemed to have buttressed this idea.
The first signal that the situation was changing came Sep 11, 2001, when it appeared that US domination did not guarantee Washington absolute security.
The Thackeray family’s dubious inheritance
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The Thackeray family's parochial agenda has a long history. It all began with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's father, Keshav Sitaram, who was a member of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti, the organisation which spearheaded the agitation for a separate Maharashtra in the 1950s.
Congress shoots itself in the foot as poll scene hots up
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The Congress' penchant for creating unnecessary problems for itself was again in evidence in the messy episode involving two of its candidates for the parliamentary polls who have long been suspected of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Yet, it took the hurling of a shoe by an angry Sikh journalist at Home Minister P. Chidambaram for the exoneration of one of the accused, Jagdish Tytler, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to force the Congress to backtrack.
Another accidental PM after the elections?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Like the TV game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati?" the million dollar question in Indian politics today is who will be the next prime minister?
Although the Congress has stood by the present incumbent, Manmohan Singh, there is speculation that he may be asked to stand aside in case the party needs the Left's support to form a government.
A small step forward for Indian hockey
By Anand Philar, IANS,
Par for the course is how one can best describe India's final position in the 7-8 bracket at the 12th men's Hockey World Cup. Ultimately, the fracas over a denied goal and consequent victory against South Africa last night did not impact India's standings in the pool, although Pakistan would have avoided playing for the 11-12 slots.
Indonesia’s multicultural Islam in action
By Agung Yudhawiranata
The birthday of the prophet Muhammad, which fell on 26 February this year, is celebrated by Muslim communities throughout Indonesia with religious services and other special events. In Java, the event has taken on a unique form in the Sekaten Festival. The week-long cultural festivals are hosted in some of the island's major cities - Cirebon, Surakarta, Semarang and Yogyakarta, its most famous location.
With few reservations, Muslims support Anna Hazare’s fast for Jan Lokpal
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
One cannot pursue political ambition at cost of one’s life, says Shweta Bhatt
By Sayema Sahar for TwoCircles.net,
Till when Mr.Raghavan…
By Sayema Sahar,
Read a comment by a facebook user: Sanjiv Bhatt provides provides and provides, Raghavan neglects neglects and neglects…True indeed.
‘Protest becomes necessary when the oppressor is an outsider’
By Mohd. Ismail khan, TwoCircles.net,
Vindictive ‘democracy’
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat,
A priest was found to have ‘sacrificed’ his wife to please the God in Indore, a story revisited the gory “tandoori murder” of Naina Sahni by her politician husband Sushil Sharma, who is serving life imprisonment in the jail and wanted to spend time with his mother to perform his ‘sonly’ duties. Girls are being hanged to deaths after being gang raped and political class as a whole speak of controlling time and choices. It is not that we suggest here that all the ills of the country began with the current government but there are certain trends.
Over 160 civilians killed in Nigeria
Abuja: At least 160 people have so far been killed in recent attacks in central Nigeria by unknown gunmen, a media report said Saturday.
According...
“Netanyahu you will see, you will see, Palestine will be free”
Thousands chant In London
By M Ghazali Khan,
London 27 July: At least 60,000 protestorsfrom amazingly and admiringly multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-ethnic backgroundsrallied yesterdayin front of Israeli Embassy and from where they marched to the British Parliament to demand lifting of siege of Gaza and freedom for Palestine. “You don’t have to be a Muslim to stand for Palestinians. Just be a human” read a placard raised by a marcher.
Awards galore for British NRIs
By Kul Bhushan, IANS
Most NRIs who have distinguished themselves in Britain have a cupboard full of awards. These British Asians, as they are called in Britain, have awards for being the top in almost every field: politics, showbiz, fashion, food (read curry), social service and business, which of course means just being rich. And of course 'The Most Powerful British Asian Women'!
NRIs often tormented, cheated out of their properties
By Kul Bhushan, IANS
Non-resident Indians' property experiences in India can put any horror film to shame. An NRI couple from the US came to Mumbai on vacation and when they visited their ancestral farm, the illegal occupiers refused to vacate the land. The NRI was brutally beaten and his wife molested and hounded out of their property grabbed by neighbours.
Comrades hit where it hurts in Bengal panchayat polls
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
In addition to the Left's across-the-board setbacks in the West Bengal panchayat elections, the significance of the outcome is that the comrades have been hit where it hurts the most. As a result, any claim that it still controls the majority of the local bodies - 518 of the zilla parishads, for instance, against the opposition's 230 - will not dispel the gloom in the Communist camp.
Celebrating Bihar’s birth: Will it help remove the tag of Bihari?
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
‘Closure of camps is not the solution’
By Mahtab Alam, TwoCircles.net
Assam Violence 2012: Stories from the ground: Part 3
‘Growing sense of betrayal and victimisation leads to illogical protest’
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Abolish capital punishment: Fate of death row prisoners like ‘lottery’
M. Reyaz, TwoCircles.net
Swami Aseemanand and Art of ‘Statement Withdrawal’
By Ram Puniyani,
Swami Aseemanand emerged as the alleged kingpin in the series of blasts, starting from Malegaon, Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad, Ajmer Dargaah...
Modi wave didn’t help BJP’s Muslim candidates
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,
Modi wave that has given BJP a historic win has reduced the number of Muslim MPs in Lok Sabha. This wave did not help its own Muslim candidates. 282 BJP MPs will sit in the next Lok Sabha but none of them Muslim.
India pitches tourism for South Asian integration
By Saroj Mohanty,
After talks with the Bhutanese leadership, Prime minister Narendra Modi Monday proposed developing a tourism circuit combining India's Northeast region and the Himalayan nation. This came weeks after he conferred with other South Asian leaders and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj spoke about some "new initiatives" that could be taken to build a new architecture of development cooperation among SAARC countries. One of those, she said, is tourism.
Kashmir: A call for new realism?
By Murtaza Shibli,
The moderate faction of Kashmir's pro-freedom political amalgam, Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has renewed its call for 'realism' to seek solution to the longstanding Kashmir problem that was once regarded as 'nuclear flashpoint', but has since been relegated to the sidelines as India and Pakistan embarked upon a historic 'peace process' that started after Pakistan's then military ruler and now beleaguered President, General Musharraf agreed to roll back his country's policy of supporting Jehad in Kashmir.
Mystery of PMO’s vanishing Twitter followers
By Prasanto K. Roy,
On May 20, four days after the Congress party and its ruling alliance conceded the mother of all mandates in three decades to the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party, the Twitter handle of the Prime Minister's Office, @PMOIndia, vanished mysteriously.
Will Britain’s powerful Zionist lobby forgive Sayeeda Warsi?
By M Ghazali Khan,
The first ever female Muslim Minister in the history of Britain, Sayeeda Warsi, has displayed extraordinary courage by resigning as a Foreign Office Minister over David Cameron Government’s “morally indefensible” stand on Israeli barbarism in Gaza.
Micro-financing: A tool for grassroot development
By Animesh Banerjee, IANS,
As a majority of the Indian population lives in its 650,000-odd villages, there has been a consistent attempt by successive governments since Independence to develop rural India. Despite these attempts, the sad truth is that due to ineffectiveness in government or public delivery systems the policy benefits hardly trickled down to the targeted beneficiaries.
The many lives of Amitabh Bachchan
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
In the film "Dev" Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of an upright police officer who is horrified by the collusion between ruling politicians and a section of the police during a communal outbreak. The film provides a mirror image of the scene in Gujarat at the time of the 2002 riots. While it was being made, Amitabh might not have thought that he would become the state's brand ambassador after a few years.
Waking Ayodhya’s ghosts
By Aijaz Afaqui,
Growing up in the India of 1970s and 1980s, I often found myself debating the identity crisis facing the Muslim community with my father.
‘Neither me nor my colleagues have cheated anybody’
TMMK chief MH Jawahirullah clarifies about his conviction in an alleged cheating case
By MH Jawahirullah,
Expectations from Mamata’s budget: Muslims want education, homes
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,