Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Owaisi’s Dilemma

There is a certain irony in watching Asaduddin Owaisi now sermonise about the “exploitation” of Muslims by so-called secular parties. For decades, that accusation was whispered in political corridors; today, Owaisi has chosen to shout it from campaign platforms in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam. The question, however, is not whether…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Blood Jihad

For decades, the world has been fed a carefully packaged lie — that Pakistan’s so-called “jihad” in Kashmir is a noble, moral, almost spiritual struggle. That illusion now lies shattered, not by Indian dossiers or Western think tanks, but by a voice from within Pakistan itself. When Mufti Saeed Khan — a cleric with proximity…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Rupee Under Siege

The slide of the Indian rupee to ₹95 against the US dollar is not merely a statistical marker—it is a signal flare from the deeper currents shaping the global and domestic economic landscape. Currency depreciation, while not uncommon in emerging markets, becomes a cause for concern when it is persistent, broad-based, and driven by structural…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Trade, Not Control

India’s opposition to incorporating the China-backed Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the framework of the World Trade Organization is neither obstructionist nor regressive—as some critics lazily claim. It is, in fact, a calibrated, strategic, and principled stand rooted in protecting policy sovereignty, preserving multilateral balance, and resisting the creeping normalization of backdoor rule-making…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

WB Ballots Under Siege

The moment the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule, West Bengal predictably slid back into a familiar, ugly script—violence, intimidation, and political muscle-flexing. This is not coincidence; it is a pattern. And at the center of it stands All India Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee. Despite pre-emptive steps by the Election Commission—replacing the…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Naxalism Crushed

If there was ever a moment for the Narendra Modi government to claim that it doesn’t just make promises but executes them, the latest developments in Maoist-affected regions offer a compelling case. The surrender of a top CPI (Maoist) leader in Chhattisgarh—days before the Centre’s self-imposed March 31 deadline—signals not just an operational success, but…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Debate, For What?

At a time when the world is rattled by a prolonged and volatile conflict in West Asia, India has quietly demonstrated what mature statecraft looks like. While global headlines scream about disrupted oil routes, spiralling fuel prices, and geopolitical brinkmanship, New Delhi has stayed focused on outcomes—not optics. The safe passage of multiple Indian-bound LPG…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

Doval: Real Dhurandhar

There are moments in a nation’s journey when decisions appear abrupt, even disruptive—but history later reveals them as decisive turning points. India has witnessed several such moments since 2014, and behind many of them stands one man whose name rarely seeks the spotlight but invariably shapes outcomes: Ajit Doval. The recent buzz around the film…

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Columnist-M.S.Shanker

India’s LPG Reality

Is India facing a genuine structural shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or is the current anxiety merely a byproduct of geopolitical tensions and panic-driven behaviour? The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between—but the facts on the ground suggest this is more than just manufactured fear. The Union government has firmly denied any nationwide…

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