What the U.S. sermonise about terrorism is utterly opposite from what it practices is vindicated in its approach to the West Asia policy.  While the U.S. has blamed Hamas for launching rockets on Israel, it seemed to approve of the disproportionate retaliation by the Israeli war machine, which killed scores of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. The hypocrisy of the U.S. is exposed when it had remained tightlipped, when Gaza was turned as a big-cage by the Israeli army which blockaded food ...

It is beyond understanding why and how Congress gave party-ticket for Lok Sabha elections to Raja Ram Pal who was expelled from Lok Sabha and from his original party BSP after being caught for taking ‘Cash for Question at Lok Sabha’. It is quite natural that Congress leaders like Kapil Sibal were totally answerless when quizzed by media-persons on Pal being gifted with party-ticket to contest Lok Sabha elections. Interestingly, Pal is the only former Parliamentarian to get a par...

The manifesto (Radiance, 5-11 April) is full of worthy thoughts, but suffers from several structural weaknesses. But the Jamaat also needs to explain why it is not in the fray to fight this battle itself. For, isn’t the Jamaat best qualified, even duty bound, to fight this politico-electoral battle?

The Jamaat, along with all other Muslim formations, groups, parties first needs to enter into a ‘peace accord’ with the people of India; it then needs to g...

Election Commission should further modify rules regarding declaration of assets and wealth by candidates entering poll-fray. Most candidates declare very low value of properties as compared to market-value, perhaps being related to date of acquirement. To remove all confusions, rule should be to also provide approximate market-value of properties at time of filing nomination in addition to that as on acquiring the properties.

In case market-value seems to be undervalued, then th...

At the Summit of American nations held at Trinidad recently, the U.S. President Barack Obama shook hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez, an ardent critic of the United States.  Mr. Obama has also promised to soothe the decades-old of hostile relations with Cuba and promised to ‘listen and learn’ from the leaders of Latin American countries to start a new chapter in the U.S’s approach in its own backyard.  Perhaps, it was the writing on the wall owing...