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Modi's counter to 'topi' politics: Track-II mission to woo Muslims

Apr 25, 2013

Behind the scenes, Modi is opening up a dialogue with the Muslim leadership using Gujarat's huge contribution to zakat-fed madrasas #Narendra Modi #Nitish Kumar #topi tilak #Secular Politics #Zafar Sareshwala
Busting some foundational myths of Indian secularism

Apr 18, 2013

The Indian secularism has several foundational myths and the debate needs to go beyond Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi. #Narendra Modi #InMyOpinion #Nitish Kumar #minorities #Hindus #Muslims #Secularism
Nitish's empty rhetoric aside, Modi's 'No Topi' stance is wrong too

Apr 16, 2013

Modi supporters bristled about empty symbolism after Nitish Kumar's comments about topis and tilaks. But shooting the messenger does not mean the message is not true. This is a topi tilak country. Even a Vajpayee knew that. #Narendra Modi #PoliticsDecoder #Atal Bihari Vajpayee #Nitish Kumar #Secularism #topi tilak

Blog posts

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Karnataka elections: Narendra Modi is brave, Rahul, Sonia opportunists

May 12, 2013

Modi would surely have known that his speeches would not sway an election in South India, but he came and he attacked the Congress. It was a selfless act for his party and a statement on his unchanging beliefs. The same cannot be said of Rahul and Sonia. #Politics #Sonia Gandhi #Gujarat #Congress #Narendra Modi #InMyOpinion #Rahul Gandhi #Karnataka #Nehru #Secularism #Karnataka 2013 #Pluralism
Islam and prejudice: Why Girish Karnad is wrong about Naipaul

Nov 11, 2012

Much of what Naipaul has said about Islam's damage to native cultures, based on field reportage, is visible and indisputable unless one is blind to what is around. #Islam #Music #Islamophobia #VS Naipaul #Secularism #Girish Karnad

Wire

India Today
Secularism vs Growth Hysteria

2013-05-25 14:21:00

Let us accept that secularism is a highly abused word in India. It has been reduced to a slogan, a form of tokenism, a mistress of convenience for every electoral bordello. Like litmus paper it takes on the colour that every cynical politician seeks to g #India #Assam #Tamil Nadu
Montreal Gazette
The drawn-out debate on Bill 14 means another pet PQ project, a Charter of secularism, will be delayed until the fall

2013-05-22 21:33:00

QUEBEC — With Bill 14, meant to bolster Quebec’s Charter of the French language, bogged down by what Immigration and Cultural Communities Minister Diane De Courcy termed on Wednesday a “Liberal filibuster,” the Parti Québécois government has postponed un #Quebec #Montreal
Daily Mail - UK
Turkey bans alcohol advertising amid claims of creeping Islamism

2013-05-24 13:36:00

Sale of alcohol - which is forbidden to Muslims - to be restricted Turkey has banned alcohol advertising and increased restrictions on alcohol sales today in a move likely to anger secularists who accuse the government of having an Islamic agenda. It fol #Turkey #Istanbul #Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Editor's picks

The Big Mac of sports: Why we love IPL and its scandals

The average IPL fan isn’t outraged by the spot-fixing scandal. It merely confirms what we already suspected about the junk food of sports.
Nine years of UPA: What makes Sonia Gandhi the real hero

Not burdened by the baggage of caste or dogma, Sonia Gandhi has the opportunity and capacity to make a real difference to Indian society.
Sex charge against Phaneesh Murthy may be settled out of court

If the three can’t thrash out an out of court settlement, the sexual harassment case is likely to result in long litigation in the full glare of the media.
Why Preity Zinta stands for all that is wrong with the IPL

Preity Zinta embodies a lot of what is wrong with the IPL – irresponsibility and compromising the dignity of cricket as a sport.

Money, sleaze take the sheen off imperious Chennai Super Kings

Given the huge legal, moral and ethical stakes, Srinvasan and Meiyappan should have voluntarily clarified their position and should have offered to face an investigation.
How the Woolwich terror attack will harm Britain's Muslim community more

For Muslims in Britain, there comes one thing after another to get defensive about, and at quite short intervals. The Muslim community will be cornered into paying a price for the brutality of these two killers.
Explainer: Why Sensex has fallen over 300 points today

Chidambaram ‘s soothsaying may not work when the markets are driven largely by foreign institutional investors (FIIs)
PM carrying out responsibility with great dignity, says Sonia

Rejecting the talk about two power centres and differences between them, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today said there is “collective leadership” between her and Manmohan Singh and “we all stand by” the Prime Minister who will complete his term.

Why India is concerned about supplying arms to Afghanistan

From across the Hindu Kush, a plea for Indian help. Hamid Karzai wants New Delhi to provide artillery and military transport aircraft. It won’t cost India much—but New Delhi is worried about upsetting Pakistan, and wary of making commitments before it becomes clear which way the political wind is blowing in Kabul.
Sreesanth and IPL spot fixing: Why history makes it so hard to believe the police

With the glut of information regarding the IPL spot fixing scandal and the three cricketers how much of it can we really trust?
Phaneesh Murthy admits to relationship with employee

This is the second time the IT industry veteran has been involved in a sex scandal.
Despite BJP edge over Cong, both NDA and UPA are conjectures

Opinion polls show the BJP and the NDA ahead of the Congress and UPA. But it is the regional parties that are likely to make the biggest gains. NDA and UPA are post-poll creatures

Not just niceties, China and India need to focus on thorny issues

India’s discourse with China has traditionally been trapped in the Mao-ist maze that defines how “friends” ought to conduct themselves. But Chinese statecraft has evolved, and India too must up its diplomatic game.
Why the Indian media gives a damn about poverty

In that sense the poverty line of India is cruel. It is merciless and doesn’t allow the majority of Indians any money for shelter or access to education or healthcare or sanitation or anything else that civilised nations would consider as essential as food.
Goa meet: Will the BJP finally find a way out of its troubles?

Can the party resolve internal discord and take a call on Modi’s PM candidature?
Why Dhoni, Tendulkar can't distance themselves from spot fixing

Try following a game on twitter or with friends or at the ground. At every step of the way, the spot-fixing question raises itself.

Movie Review: 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' leaves you dissatisfied

If you forget the politics and just look at the film, The Reluctant Fundamentalist doesn’t fare much better. It’s a thriller that lacks tension and suspense.
Here's how the Delhi Police stumbled upon spot-fixing in IPL

After monitoring a phone call, the investigation had virtually turned pan-India with some of the bookies based in Gujarat and Mumbai.
Ex-Citi CEO Vikram Pandit, JM Financial join hands for banking foray in India

JM Financial will nominate Pandit as the non-executive chairman of the proposed bank. Pandit and Aiyar will have the right to purchase shares up to the amount prescribed by the RBI in this entity.
Movie Review: The Great Gatsby is the most Bollywood of Baz Luhrmann's films

The great American dream is an integral part of America. It’s ‘great’ in that it symbolises not truth, but hope when the truth is disillusioning; it symbolises not facts, but ideals when facts are unnerving; it symbolises not likelihood, but promise when likelihood is all but bleak.

Google I/O 2013 keynote: New Maps, Search, Plus, and S4 with 'pure' Android

We’re tracking the Google I/O conference 2013 live – what will be unveiled?
Hero worshipped in Kerala, Sreesanth still innocent in his state

The summary of the response in his Sreesanth’s home turf is that of incredulity. They are unwilling to believe that the pacer is guilty.
Why return of Dreamliners won't change Air India's fortunes

The original promise of the Dreamliner has failed to materiallise due to limitations in its flying range. Will Air India continue to pay a price for this?
Did Indira abolish bonded labour or Sonia? NREGA's tall claims

The UPA ads eulogising MGNREGA as a a huge success needs to be taken with bags of salt. The scheme did make a difference, but not as is claimed.