The Sharm-el-Sheikh joint statement which says – “Action on terrorism should not be linked to the Composite Dialogue process and these should not be bracketed” was not surrender by the Indian side as it is being made out to be.  In the milieu of Pakistan becoming a hub of terrorism – no government in that country could rein-in the situation on fast-track basis in the foreseeable future. For mending the 60 years of strained relations – there is no othe...

Manmohan Singh surprised the nation by defending successfully what appeared to be indefensible.  The Sharm al-Sheikh statement was quite a faux pas and hardly a thing the PM should have ventured into single-handedly. He is thought of more as a man of statistics and figures and hardly a statesman of Vajpayee’s calibre. But he did have all the answers and put them forth with remarkable dexterity. His best stroke was the tribute he paid to Vajpayee, who, he said, did not s...

The article “Will Europe Be Islamic” (Hindustan Times – New Delhi – Friday, 31st July, 09) informs us that the ‘fears’ of Islamic Europe were misplaced. The ‘fears’ did not come true else we do not know what bad consequences (bad, else why would it have caused fear?) it would have had for Europe. It was interesting to learn that around 4% Muslim population in Europe is due to ‘swamping’ by Muslims with high fertility rates...

Public Information Officer at Delhi High Court in response to an RTI petition has revealed that not only judges, their spouses, dependent children and parents are entitled to enjoy privileged protocol courtesies at airports, railway-stations, hospitals and other government-departments, even other relations including in-laws, adult children and other relations other than blood-relation of judges are entitled to such facilities. Every protocol and facility awarded to the privileged ones cost ...

It refers to JD(U) fielding an aged George Fernandez for the lone seat falling vacant in Rajya Sabha from Bihar. TV news-clippings were sufficient to establish that the former Union Defence Minister was not at all physically fit to fulfil his responsible duty as a Parliamentarian. Deputing such physically unfit persons for Parliament is wastage of hard-earned tax-payers’ money spent on each of the Parliamentarian. There should also be a rule whereby any person having lost a direct ele...