Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speech at Gol market in Delhi in 1977 was a huge influence on my father, who had come to Delhi from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, and it formed a big part of the life lessons he imparted to his children.
The current government’s penchant for everything shiny and new, such as the Rs. 2000 currency notes is a nightmare when it comes to accessing your IT refund.
Kids need nurturing, a feeling of connectedness and a safe zone where they can discuss their problems and, most importantly, feelings. But, for that, one needs to put away the mobile phone and learn to talk emotions with a child.
At each of these Unification Centres we are shown short films -- stark images of starving children, North Koreans crying and fanatically beating their chests at the demise of their Great Leaders, extreme poverty -- a generally unhappy people.
In India, too, 1917 was a curtain-raiser to events two years later that would mark the beginning of mass involvement in the movement for freedom. As Gandhi’s critic M N Roy acknowledged in his memoirs, Lenin looked upon Gandhi “as the inspirer and leader of a mass movement” and “a revolutionary”.
The Khichdi Story: From the high peaks of Himalayas to the serene backwaters of Kerala I withstood your constant demands for moulding me as per your needs. As you battled each other in the name of caste and religion, I stood there sternly uniting you as the one-pot meal suited for all.
It was at Jantar Mantar that I watched Maya Krishna Rao perform her powerful “walk” in response to the December 2012 rape; heard Imphal-based protest musician Akhu sing about oppression; and saw two men kiss each other passionately and without fear.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim case: At least 28 people were killed in the violence by the supporters of Dera chief as paramilitary troops and police personnel deployed outside special CBI court before the judgment failed to prevent the crowd buildup and the resultant mayhem.
Though the Hizbul Mujahideen has been projected as the largest “Kashmiri” militant group, during the last decade and half, it had lost the appeal to a more radical section such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
A woman who dares to have an opinion and broadcast it too, is highly likely to be personally targeted by denizens with the aim to ‘put her in her place’ and see her silenced.
