Q/ Half of this election is over. How do you gauge public sentiment?
A/ Since the BJP has come to power, a 440-volt current is running through the electorate against it. Of course, the party does not realise this. The first question it needs to answer is— why is inflation so high? Then, why is it that, despite the much-touted ‘double engine’, there are no jobs. The youth of the state are ready to uproot the tracks on which their train of lies runs.
When farmers came out with their demands, forget listening to them, they (the BJP) put up barricades, fixed nails on roads, called in whatever (police) forces they could and labelled the farmers terrorists and mawalis (disreputable characters). 700 of them lost their lives. It took them (the BJP-led Centre) that long to take back the black laws. When the SP rath (chariot) started moving from Ghazipur to Lucknow (November 2021), the government was petrified [by the crowds we were attracting]. Elections were looming in Punjab and UP, so they had no option but to withdraw the laws.
BJP leaders keep saying A for this, B for that (Yogi Adityanath had said ‘Abba jaan’ to allude to the preference the SP gives Muslims during its rule), but I say only this—‘Kaka’ for Kaale Kanoon (black laws). Kaka went and now it is Baba’s turn to go. I heard he has already booked a flight ticket to Gorakhpur.
Q/ Where does the SP stand after three phases of polling?
A/ In the first two phases, we have hit a century. With the fourth phase, we will complete another century. We will get our majority in these four phases. Then we will go beyond it.
Q/ The kind of language used in this election has been unfortunate. Why has politics come to this?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 06, 2022-Ausgabe von THE WEEK.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 06, 2022-Ausgabe von THE WEEK.
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A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock
