#228

I closely watched Rahul Gandhi's interaction with the media last evening after the state elections returns came out, and I really liked what I saw. He was quite candid, calm and measured in what he had to say. There was a sense of realizing what an enormous responsibility this success places on the Congress party going forward. The big difference between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, to my mind, is that the former draws you into a conversation. He's always cultured and never loses his civility and decency. Mr. Modi, on the other hand, comes across as a crass and hectoring bully, who is not interested in talking to you but is only looking to harangue the opposition and give a lecture from the pulpit.

#227

For quite a few years, I would watch Udayan Mukherjee on television analyze the corporate sector and stock markets.  And then, he completely went off the radar in order to pursue his passion for writing.  And the effect has been dazzling.  This novel is right up my alley.  A haunting meditation on personal loss and private grief, a choking miasma of depression from which there is no escape for the protagonists

.  First few pages and I am already hooked.

#226

On the one hand, it's a matter of immense shame, and on the other, also of great relief that sexual predators of varying degrees are being outed almost on an hourly basis in India on the rising tide of 'Me Too' movement by a lot of courageous women, who have finally shown the gumption to speak out.  However, I think some sort of distinction needs to be made between harmless flirting without any ulterior motives, and the scary, unremitting, and incessant harassment which has crossed all bounds of civility and decency, and respect for women in general.  I think, the former works as some kind of grease to reduce friction of our existence, but the latter has only poisoned the well for every civilized male of the species.  Unless of course ladies, you think that a civilized man is an oxymoron in itself.

#225

As a neutral observer from so far away, who has no real stake in the Supreme Court nomination in the United States, I'd rather believe in the testimony of Ms. Christine Blasey Ford than the angry defense of Judge Kavanaugh. I think no self-respecting woman would come out with such a serious accusation of sexual assault and subject herself to a circus-like atmosphere of the Senate hearings on Capitol Hill unless she has a compelling reason to do so. What really struck me was not what Brett Kavanaugh said in his defense, but how he singled out some Democrats for trying to sabotage his nomination. For all practical purposes, he's as good as laid his cards on the table as to which side his bread is buttered. This is no ordinary nomination. Brett Kavanaugh is in his fifties, and since there is no retirement age for the Justices in the U.S. Supreme Court, his nomination would decisively shift the balance of power to the right for generations in the highest court of the land. Very unwelcome prospects indeed.

#224

It is important to keep visiting the classics from time to time, and ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' is one of the most enduring classics in more than 150 years.  Published in 1852, the novel was instrumental in raising an outcry against the inhumanity of slavery practiced in the Midwest and the deep south of the United States.  In fact, when the civil war finally broke out in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln went to meet the author, the diminutive Ms. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and gently said to her, 'so, here is the lady who started the fire!'

#223

The prime minister doesn't speak to the people of this country, he lectures like an insufferable school teacher, mostly giving sermons about useless things.  He is always silent on substantive issues affecting the public discourse in India.  There is not a shadow of a doubt that a grave impropriety has been committed in the Rafael fighter aircraft deal between the governments of India and France.  Why have an otherwise so voluble Mr. Modi on ''Mann Ki Baat'' maintained a studied and embarrassing silence on this?  What is stopping him from coming out in the open and deny that there is anything suspicious about the purchase of the aircraft?  Why can't he plainly say in public that no pressure was brought to bear upon the French government to give the offset contract to his friend Mr. Anil Ambani who incorporated his firm just 12 days prior to the signing of the agreement between the two governments?  If you don't have anything to hide, then you should bring everything in the open.  This is surely raising an almighty stink.  Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

#222

Former French president Francois Hollande has no reason to be economical with the truth.  He's got no ax to grind with the Indian government, nor does he need to curry any favors with them.  I would be willing to believe him far more than these liars like Mr. Jaitly and Ms. Sitharaman.  It's a clear case of crony capitalism, where a major defense offset contract was awarded to a bankrupt company with zero experience in manufacturing of defense hardware.  All this because the owner of the company happens to be a close buddy of PM Modi.  The defense minister needs to resign, and the prime minister must answer questions.  He cannot stand aloof and apart like an Olympian god.

#221

The five judges of the Supreme Court of India, by delivering such a historic verdict yesterday decriminalizing homosexuality in the country, have not only struck a massive blow in favor of the basic constitutional and human rights of the sexual minorities in India but have also enhanced the prestige of the nation in the whole world.  I especially take my hat's off to the only woman justice on the bench Justice Indu Malhotra, who said that history owes an apology to all the people, who over many many years have been brutalized, ostracized, humiliated, and casually discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation.
   What is truly a sad aspect of all this is that it took the highest judiciary to nullify the section 377 of the Indian Penal Code; which has become an instrument of Victorian morality to harass and persecute the members of the LGBT community.  If only our political leadership had taken the initiative in repealing this obnoxious law in parliament, now that would have been a real progress.  But even as their Lordships were enunciating such a remarkable and far-reaching judgment, barring a few honorable exceptions, there was an uncomfortable radio silence from our elected representatives.
     I did not expect the BJP government to come out in support of the striking down section 377, but it's no small mercy that they did not actively oppose it because, in this country, the heavy hand of the state is present in virtually every sphere of a citizen's life.  This is a significant milestone in terms of equality and human rights.  Every battle is important.  Every victory, big or small, matters.  The next goal should be the right to have a civil union between the same-sex couple.  If that were to come to pass some day, then our brothers and sisters belonging to the LGBT community will have been fully integrated into the social fabric of our nation.

#220

81 years-old Republican senator from Arizona, John Mccain has decided to discontinue his ongoing treatment for terminal stage brain cancer.  This is a poignant moment not only for his family but for everyone who believed in the politics based on ethics and conviction.  To say that Mr. John Mccain is an honorable man would be a gross understatement.  He's been the epitome of grace and courage under fire, sometimes literally so.  In October of 1967, at the height of the Vietnam war, while on a bombing mission over Hanoi, his plane was shot down and he was taken POW by the North Vietnamese.  He survived a brutal torture by them until his release in 1973.  The physical abuse he suffered as a prisoner-of-war left a debilitating lifelong impact on the body.
  Mr. Mccain showed a similar bloody-mindedness and defiant streak when he entered politics and ran for public office.  He's been known to be a bit of a maverick in the GOP establishment, which means he would be with them, but not beholden to them.  He would judge each issue on its own merit, and not be constrained by the party's agenda.  I can never forget how despite being sick, he specifically flew up to the Capitol in Washington DC last year in order to vote on the repeal of the Obama care.  Going against the party's stand, he clearly believed that taking away the affordable healthcare from millions of middle-class Americans was an immoral idea.  The way senator Mccain dramatically took the floor and after looking around for a few minutes, made a thumbs down gesture at the chair, signifying his vote against the proposal.  That was pure theater.  It's, of course, another matter that president Trump, in subsequent months, did a lot to undermine the provisions of the act in the name of curbing fiscal profligacy, but he's not been able to repeal the law thanks to that single vote by senator Mccain.  I think he should be remembered as someone who made being socially conservative an attractive proposition.
   Senator John Mccain is at peace with the inevitable and is preparing to be claimed by the Grim Reaper.  One hopes that when the hour does arrive for him to cross over to the other side, he will go away gently and without too much fuss.  John Mccain is a true patriot.

#219

The other day, was able to catch a fine interview of Kamal Haasan on NDTV. I really like him, and have a lot of time for him. I hope he succeeds in politics. What I liked most about him in that interview was that he clearly said that he is an atheist and that he did not believe in any God. So, it follows that religion will have no presence in his political journey. Now, for an aspiring politician in India, it takes some courage to say so upfront. Here's wishing he stays true to his words.

#218

Yesterday, I wrote on Twitter that sometimes, I get the feeling that in my lifetime, I'm not going to see, let alone the end, not even decline of the political dominance of Modi-Shah's BJP in India.  I think it did touch a chord with quite a few people somewhere.  Because in the space ten minutes, a lot of people liked and also retweeted my tweet.  Some also replied to me saying that I am exactly echoing their own sentiment on this.  The prominent supreme court lawyer Mr. Sanjay Hegde, who occasionally appears on TV debates on NDTV, and with whom I am on very good terms on Twitter (we both follow each other), responded by saying that 'the night is at its darkest just before dawn, may your life be long, and their reign short.'  I thought that was quite interesting.  Anyway, it felt good that one of my considered views gained some traction on social media.

#217

One interesting nugget of information that I came across after reading quite an enjoyable memoir of Karan Thapar is that, contrary to her carefully cultivated persona of a jet-setting international relations and human rights lawyer, who is always fighting for the individual human rights and free speech; Ms. Amal Cloony is quite the hypocrite when it comes to applying the same yardsticks when it relates to her personal conduct.

#216

Does Mr. Nitish Kumar's morality only extend to denying people their right to have a quiet drink after a hard day's work, and kill all joy?  His morality is definitely in short supply when it comes to taking action against the concerned minister and the officials on whose watch the sexual abuses of destitute women and children have been going on for months and years in the shelter homes across the state?  Merely conducting an investigation is not good enough.  The Chief Minister should show some spine, and sack the minister Ms. Manju Verma, and suspend the senior officials related to the department pending a thorough, time-bound inquiry into this utterly despicable state of affairs.

#215

Anybody who is saying that we should not politicize mob-lynchings is either being patently dishonest or they just want to keep their heads buried in the sand, Ostrich-like, believing that if you remain oblivious to the sweeping winds of hate against the Muslim community in the country these days, the menace will disappear. No, it's not until and unless we keep this issue at the left, right and the center of politics. It's bloody well a political issue. And it should be.

#214

Vishal Dadlani, after a long time, I tuned into #IndianIdol last night, and immediately regretted my decision. I mean so much nautanki and melodrama goes on that it becomes embarrassing. Everybody just trying to milk their sob-story for all its worth. And, for the life of me, I cannot understand why the contestants can't choose some nice old melodies to sing? Their choice of songs is absolutely horrible. I am not going back to the show, although there was a time when it used to be one of my favorite shows on Indian television. Not anymore.

#213

Was PM Modi replying to the no-confidence motion in the Parliament, or trying to drown us with a dreadfully boring accountants bean counting kind of speech?  He conveniently ignored the ever-widening social faultlines in the country and did not make even one conciliatory gesture to those at the receiving end of the Hindutva mobs.  Last night was an opportunity to be a statesman, but Mr. Modi chose to be an angry statistician.  A little humility is not a weakness but a sign of strength.  But obviously, he thinks otherwise.

#212

It's oppressively hot.  You feel enervated, listless, and devoid of any enthusiasm.  What can you do?  You are biding your time; waiting, hoping for a turn in the weather.  Anxiously scanning the horizon, imagining, almost willing for the dark, rain-bearing cloud.  At the very least, a gust of cool breeze to provide succor to the body and soul.  It seems that human, animals, and plants, all of them are at the mercy of some malevolent force, crying out for release.

#211

Even as I kept waiting for the match between Nadal and Djokovic to begin, I was slowly but surely sucked into the vortex of this epic first semi-final clash between John Isner and Kevin Anderson. Lasting 6 hours and 36 minutes, this was a battle for the ages. I have been watching Wimbledon on television since 1987, but I can hardly recall such a monumental display of skill, stamina, and energy. Tough luck John...somebody had to lose it. But it was quite exhilarating. That's what sport can do to you, to us.

#210

12 young boys of a football team and their coach get too adventurous for their own good and are trapped in a warren of underground caves in Thailand.  After surviving in those claustrophobic dark tunnels for well over a fortnight, all of them have been rescued by the indomitable courage of the divers and navy seal commandos, who overcame many insurmountable odds, even losing one of their own in order to save those children and the coach from a certain, agonizing death.  
While I was following the events on television, my mind went back to what happened a couple of years ago.  It has rained heavily in the city of Bombay.  A vast chunk of the metropolis has been flooded.  There is muddy water everywhere.  Nothing is visible of the surface.  A doctor is returning home.  He's not seeking any adventure.  Due to heavy waterlogging, his car is stalling continuously, and in the end, is rendered completely immobile.  Meanwhile, the downpour is showing no signs of abating.  So, he decides to abandon the car and walk all the way home.  He has very little idea what lies beneath the muddy waters.  The man steps into an open manhole and swiftly goes down.  A couple of bystanders see that but either they are unwilling or unable to do anything.  Two days later his pitch black body is discovered, marinated in the filth of the city.
Do these two instances prove or disprove the existence of God?  You decide.

Agents of Hindutva are trying to draw a sickening moral equivalence between the ghastly rape of a small child in Kathua back in January, and this horrific rape in Mandsaur a few days ago.  Before blatantly communalizing the incident, and taunting people like us; they should look within themselves and answer a couple of questions.  Has there been a march on the street by the 'Muslim Ekta Manch' in favor of the accused?  Has any Muslim lawyer tried to obstruct the course of justice in this case so far?  Have any Muslim politicians come out with any statements in defense of the perpetrators?  So, don't try to trip us with your perverted thinking.  We know where we stand.

Fouzia Azeem, better known to the world as Qandeel Baloch was a kind of anomaly.  She was an aspiring model, a part-time singer, she posted videos of her on social media like our very own Poonam Pandey.  She wanted to jolt the society that is stuck in a conservative morass by being unapologetic about her sexuality.  In a nutshell, she wanted to live life on her own terms.  And that represented a clear and present danger to the suffocating patriarchy and misogyny of the Pakistani society.  Then, one fine day in July 2016, when she was visiting her family--whom she doted on--in Multan, her younger brother literally throttled her while she was sleeping in the bedroom for bringing 'disrepute' and 'dishonor' to the family's name.  She was just 26.  Sanam Maher is a noted journalist and critic based in Karachi, and she has painstakingly pieced together the tragic story of the ''Sensational Life And Death Of Qandeel Baloch'' in this book.  To my mind, this book also holds a mirror to us and shows what a warped and schizophrenic society we have created in our part of the world when it comes to dealing with the modernity and a young woman's desire to chart her own destiny.  Because make no mistake, for every sister like Qandeel even in India, there are many brothers like Waseem lurking in the shadows, waiting...and watching.