Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Hinduism: Faith or Mere “Way of Life”?

As a responsible citizen and Editor of this e-paper, I felt deeply disturbed by certain observations made during the hearing on petitions related to women’s entry into the Sabarimala Temple, particularly remarks describing Hinduism merely as a “way of life” and suggesting there is no compulsion to visit temples. For millions of devotees, temples are…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Governance Before Grandstanding

There is a reason why some leaders inspire confidence during uncertain times while others merely issue statements and vanish behind press conferences. Leadership is not tested in times of abundance. It is tested when global uncertainty threatens domestic stability. And in that context, the swift response of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Madhya…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Pakistan’s Double Game Never Ends

There is an old saying in diplomacy: nations do not have permanent friends, only permanent interests. But in Pakistan’s case, even trust has become disposable. The latest allegations that Islamabad quietly allowed Iran to park sensitive aircraft at Pakistani airbases while simultaneously posturing as a mediator between the United States and Iran only reinforces a…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Lead By Example, Mr Prime Minister

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood before a massive gathering in Hyderabad after unveiling infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores, his appeal to citizens carried both urgency and sincerity. In the backdrop of tensions in West Asia, volatile crude oil prices, and growing economic uncertainty across the world, Modi urged Indians to reduce dependence on…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Vijay’s Risky Congress Embrace

Victory, when incomplete, often demands compromise. For actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay, that compromise may well define the credibility of his political debut. Sweeping into relevance with a strong mandate but falling short of a majority, his decision to seek support from the Indian National Congress is not merely tactical—it is fraught with historical baggage and political…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Modi’s Relentless Political Consolidation

If there is one defining feature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long dominance, it is not merely electoral success—it is the systematic dismantling of India’s once-formidable regional power centres. What we are witnessing is not routine political churn, but a deep structural shift in the country’s power matrix, engineered through strategy, messaging, and relentless ground-level…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Wiring India’s Energy Rise

India’s power story has undergone a quiet but extraordinary transformation over the past decade—one that has fundamentally altered the narrative from chronic shortages to surplus capacity, from blackouts to resilience. The disappearance of India’s electricity deficit is not the result of a single reform or policy, but a combination of scientific innovation, strategic infrastructure, and…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Pakistan’s Double Game

Trusting Pakistan has never been a strategy—it has always been a gamble. And once again, events are proving that those who place faith in Islamabad do so at their own peril. The latest geopolitical manoeuvre by the Shehbaz Sharif–Asif Munir combine exposes a familiar pattern: say one thing to Washington, do quite another with Beijing—and…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Promise or Political Prelude?

When Narendra Modi reportedly asserted in a confidential setting that his government will “leave no stone unturned” to ensure the implementation of women’s reservation in legislatures, it was not just a routine political assurance. It was a loaded statement—one that carries within it both the weight of expectation and the ambiguity of intent. In Indian…

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