The "lifetime achievement" of Mr. Advani
I was a bit taken aback by NDTV’s decision to give a “lifetime achievement award” to L.K. Advani of the Bharatiya Janata Party. After all, Mr. Advani was widely acknowledged … Continue reading
Everybody loves a good conspiracy
Minority Affairs minister Antulay’s cynicism has done more to harm the Malegaon probe than the terrorists who killed Hemant Karkare and his colleagues… 23 December 2008The Hindu Everybody loves a … Continue reading
An endgame with no clear winners
Whether the UPA government survives or falls, none of the principal protagonists will be able to walk away from the present stand-off with a sense of having accomplished anything in … Continue reading
Playing the "Muslim card" on the nuclear deal
The Economic and Political Weekly has just published my article on Muslims and the nuclear deal. An earlier version of the same had appeared on this blog a few days … Continue reading
Don’t use Muslims as crutch on nuclear deal
The nuclear deal and other questions of foreign policy should be opposed or defended on their own merits. Sadly, both the government and its opponents have played fast and loose … Continue reading
Chhattisgarh has lost the plot
One year after jailing the eminent doctor, Binayak Sen, State authorities have arrested another leading civil liberties activist, the journalist and filmmaker, Ajay T.G. 13 May 2008The Hindu Chhattisgarh has … Continue reading
A lesson in statecraft, from Nepal to India
While Nepal’s erstwhile ruling parties are building peace with their Maoists, India is stuck with the disastrous Salwa Judum. If the Indian Maoists have something to learn from their Nepali … Continue reading
Rights for forgotten tribes
Amdist the claims and counter-claims of Gujjars and Meenas, the machinations of the Government and the brutality of the Police, Nandini Sundar has an excellent article in today’s Hindustan Times … Continue reading
Blame the police, not the messenger
By failing to act decisively against the Hindu chauvinist organisations which are targeting Christian priests and missionaries in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and elsewhere, the police are only increasing the likelihood of … Continue reading
That communal BJP CD: Videograbs
I finally figured out how to save images off a video disc. [Pause the film and press CTRL-i whenever you want to grab an image]. So here goes a series … Continue reading
That communal BJP CD – A transcript
Here are extracts from the verbatim transcript, translated by me from the Hindi original, of the VCD titled ‘Bharat ki Pukar’ released in early April 2007 by the Bharatiya Janata … Continue reading
Coming to terms with India’s missing Muslims
The reality of exclusion and discrimination can no longer be denied. But the remedy requires political courage on the part of the Manmohan Singh Government and wisdom on the part … Continue reading
Indian Maoists criticise Prachanda
Say multiparty democracy, U.N. supervision a “dangerous” mistake. 24 July 2006The Hindu Indian Maoists criticise Prachanda Siddharth Varadarajan BELYING SPECULATION of a unified red corridor from “Pashupati to Tirupati,” the … Continue reading
Pouring troubled water on oil
Regular readers of my pieces on energy issues would have noticed the key role India’s oil minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, was playing in pushing cooperation between India and China, Iran … Continue reading
Siddharth Varadarajan 