The decrepit state of Pakistan refuses to admit the fact that it has reared a horrible monster which needs to be put down right away, ruthlessly and swiftly. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the horrific bombings in Lahore; it has also let it be known that the bloodletting witnessed this week is only the trailer, the real show is yet to begin.

Jug Suraiya - Yes, there are shocking inequalities and oppression, based on caste, creed and gender, in our society. And yes, these stigmas have to be expunged. But are reservations the best delivery system for social and economic justice? Or are they just an excuse to perpetrate an exploitative political system of vote banks, which is a travesty of true democracy?

नक्सली नासूर

नक्सलियों से वार्ता के जरिये कुछ हासिल होने की उम्मीद इसलिए नहीं है, क्योंकि वे वैचारिक रूप से उतने ही कंट्टर हैं जितने कि जेहादी आतंकी। यह ठीक है कि चिंदबरम ने अगले तीन-चार वर्षो में नक्सलियों पर काबू पाने का भरोसा जताया, लेकिन आखिर जेहादी आतंकवाद पर लगाम कब लगेगी? क्या कारण है कि जेहादी आतंकवाद से निपटने के मामले में वैसा कोई संकल्प नहीं लिया जा रहा जैसा नक्सलवाद के मामले में लिया गया?

We should be on the frontline in Afghanistan

The Government appears nervous. It is indicating the moment the Americans go home, India too will pack its bags. What message is this sending to India’s friends in the Karzai establishment? What message is it giving the Pakistanis or, indeed, to the rest of the world? Willy-nilly, the UPA Government is letting the impression gain ground that India is a nation of wimps. It wants others to do the fighting for it and runs away at the first hint of trouble. A pusillanimous Prime Minister only makes the situation worse.

That old partner

India, Russia must exploit each other’s core interests for mutual benefit....

Loneliness of the honest mandarin

From days when most were honest we have hurtled to a time when honest bureaucrats are a rare species.

Narendra Modi's farm miracle

There is a new mood of resurgence on Gujarat’s farms. Farm incomes have more than doubled during the past 10 years, and are likely to grow even more in the coming years. Gujarat’s agriculture is expected to grow by at least 9% year-on-year in the coming years, compared with just 2-2.5% for the rest of the country. For the first time in India’s history, even farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been flocking to Gujarat just to see what makes the state’s farms so vibrant.