The 18th BRICS Summit, to be hosted by Bharat in New Delhi on September 12–13, could turn out to be far more politically uncomfortable for China than Beijing may have anticipated. With President Xi Jinping expected to lead a large Chinese delegation, the devastating Himalayan catastrophe on the Tibet-Nepal border is likely to cast a…
For decades, Bharatiyas have been fed a remarkably convenient version of the freedom struggle: the Congress fought the British, Mahatma Gandhi led the nation, Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister and, almost as a natural consequence, the British packed their bags and left. Now, the time has come to call that bluff—particularly in the…
I have listened to several Independence Day speeches from the ramparts of the Red Fort over the years. Some were ceremonial, some political, some predictable, and a few genuinely memorable. But, having heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address this year, I came away with a distinct feeling: this was not merely a speech to mark…
The other day, a friend called me to discuss the prevailing political climate in Telangana. His curiosity was straightforward: Does the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) still have a realistic chance of bouncing back to power? My answer was equally straightforward: I remain doubtful. He wanted to know why. I asked him a simple counter-question: What…
Leadership is often measured by how a person treats his supporters. True statesmanship, however, is revealed by how one treats his fiercest critics. That is precisely why Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the young protesters who hurled the most abusive, vulgar and deeply personal insults at him during the recent protests deserves thoughtful appreciation,…
I have absolutely no hesitation in saying this. Yogendra Yadav’s statement that “the future of democracy in Bharat will be settled on the streets and not in Parliament or through elections” is perhaps one of the most dangerous political propositions made in recent times. If this is not an invitation to constitutional anarchy, I do…
More than Revanth’s voter card The controversy over Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s alleged dual voter registration has once again exposed a much larger and more uncomfortable truth: Bharat’s electoral database management remains a bureaucratic maze where government agencies work in silos and accountability is often the first casualty. The issue is no longer…
Politics often thrives on selective memory. What is defended in government is frequently denounced in opposition. Few issues illustrate this contradiction better than the recent debate over ethanol-blended fuel and the broader criticism directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda. Two videos circulated widely on social media this week prompted this reflection. One features…
Temple autonomy without financial transparency would merely replace one custodian with another. The time has come to make every rupee offered to God fully accountable. If the first battle is about liberating Hindu temples from excessive governmental control, the second—and perhaps even more important—battle is about protecting temple wealth from every possible avenue of misuse….
Temple freedom must mean accountability too The battle for Hindu temples should not end with freeing them from government control. It should begin with ensuring every rupee offered by devotees is beyond suspicion. For decades, one of the most contentious debates in Bharat’s constitutional and religious landscape has revolved around a simple but uncomfortable question:…
