‘Why does it matter where the money for celebrations is coming from? Some have come from Taliban, some from Abu Salem, some from Dawood (Ibrahim), some from terrorists...,’ said powerful Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, which some thought was a sarcastic response by an irritated Minister. The comments from Khan were well-designed and well-drafted and it had its desired effect. Media ran the Mulayam Singh birthday story 24x7. Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav’s 75^th birthday celebrations have concluded. It has had the desired effect of creating more than a political ripple. The elite English media has seldom connected with the pulse of the masses, repeatedly proved by the outcome of the electoral results, and in this case too they managed to walk into the trap laid by the wily political fox from Etawah. For detail analysis, click here

Unfortunately a large section of Indian English-reading intelligentsia has not yet been able to exonerate Aligarh of its intellectual complicity in the formation of Pakistan. They continue to look at the campus as centre of conservatism bordering to fundamentalism and issues needing no cognizance are blown out of proportion, as in the recent case of the Vice-Chancellor being flayed for possessing ‘anti-women’ mindset. To put the record straight, Aligarh has been a major centre of women education for more than a century lest you thought that the campus was run by the Ulemah and Quran the only content of curriculum. For detailed analysis, click here

In my younger days there were several ways that I practised the religion of cricket. We played every evening during winter months with our mohalla team in Bhagalpur's huge Sandy's Compound; on returning home from compound I would rush to open the last pages of Times of India, Delhi edition to read KN Prabhu's and Sundar Rajan's match reports; on Sundays we played matches with rival mohallas; lastly waited with baited breath for Nawab Pataudi's edited Sportsworld to arrive at the stands and bought copies of Cricket Samrat from AH Wheeler's book stall at the Railway Station. In those days when there was no television, it came with cricket as late as 1982-83, many of us learnt our cricket from this literature. We collected money to buy Sunil Gavaskar's books and quickly read them from cover to cover. But Sachin Tendulkar's book, I fear, doesn't propose to provide that kind of fare for today's teenagers. Why would this book have only an ephemeral effect, click here to read          

The first expansion of council of ministers undertaken by prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday 09 November 2014 clearly bears the stamp of the government's head and his close confidant, party president Amit Shah. It reiterates prime minister's line of integrity and efficiency in government. While Modi so far has managed well on the integrity of ministers, same cannot be said about the efficiency quotient. The government urgently needs to deliver on its promise of 'ache din' (good days) to the people. Likes of Suresh Prabhu and Manohar Parrikar have been inducted precisely with this agenda in mind. For detail analysis click here     

The first expansion of council of ministers undertaken by prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday 09 November 2014 clearly bears the stamp of the government's head and his close confidant, party president Amit Shah. It reiterates prime minister's line of integrity and efficiency in government. While Modi so far has managed well on the integrity of ministers, same cannot be said about the efficiency quotient. The government urgently needs to deliver on its promise of 'ache din' (good days) to the people. Likes of Suresh Prabhu and Manohar Parrikar have been inducted precisely with this agenda in mind. For detail analysis click here     

Its seldom that the appointment of a minister carries such a loud positive message. The elevation of Goa politician Manohar Parrikar from the chief ministership of the state to the union cabinet has helped boost the image of prime minister Narendra Modi, whose cabinet has been targeted for being short in talent. The 58-year-old IIT graduate comes with loads of positive vibes having established himself as an efficient administrator with effective control over administrative machinery and also impeccable record of personal integrity. For detailed analysis, click here 

A leading votary of Modisattva (as in Bodhisattva) Swapan Dasgupta recently said in his newspaper column that, ‘The truth that many of Modi’s critics have been slow to grasp is that, unlike conventional politicians, the prime minister is very picky with his public symbolism. The usual Amar-Akbar-Antony symbolism preferred by Bollywood has given way to something that is less contrived and, more important, modern.’  Agreed Mr Dasgupta, the prime minister’s choice of symbolisms are very meticulous but does their operationalisation have the same degree of thoroughness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi as of now enjoys both the electoral and the social mandate. There is no threat to the former till the next poll but it’s important that he retains the social mandate. His managers have rated BJP’s performance in Haryana and Maharashtra in public to be a grand show. But were they in keeping with the expectation of the BJP top leadership? The answer is best left to them.CRDJ president Sidharth Mishra discusses in detail the pros and cons of symbolisms being practised by prime minister. Click Here

Today the nation is going to celebrate the birth anniversary of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. There is a large section of people who feel that Patel's contribution towards nation building did not get due recognition. His role in Kashmir, especially in saving it from the maruders, with quick and swift decisions stands tall in face of the shifing stand of his friend and colleague Jawaharlal Nehru. CRDJ secretary Dr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, in a very well researched piece carries this argument further. For complete article click here