CATEGORIES

DOLES AT THEIR DOORSTEPS

Not even her critics doubt Mamata Banerjee’s street-fighter cred—there is easy recall of many moments in her political career that offer evidence.

A SAFFRON SURGE

Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had hoped to head off a late BJP surge by advancing elections to the 150-seat Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) by two months.

A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

After a Covid-curtailed monsoon session and with the winter session looking unlikely, India’s Parliament has lapsed into silence.

Farmer Protests: Why The Impasse

Since November 26, New Delhi has been under virtual siege by perhaps half a million farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, who are protesting three newly-minted farm laws, rammed through Parliament during its monsoon session.

Covid-19 Vaccine - Is It Safe? Will It Work?

As a number of vaccines come up in record time to combat the Covid-19 challenge, a closer look at the safety and efficacy of the various candidates in the fray

INDIA'S BILLION PROBLEM

AS INDIA PUTS TOGETHER ITS FIRSTEVER PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME TO VACCINATE ADULTS, THE COUNTRY OF OVER 1.4 BILLION IS BRACING ITSELF FOR A LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE

THE DIE IS CASTE

On her way to a rally in Khatra in Bankura district on November 23, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee made a halt at Bankia, a village of 116-odd Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) families.

THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH

On November 29, former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi addressed a gathering at Patna’s A.N. Sinha Institute, where he backed a full term for the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government in the state. “Iss sarkar ko koi gira nahin sakta (Nobody can pull down this government). There will be no mid-term poll in Bihar,” he declared during his speech at a memorial meet for the late Suraj Nandan Kushwaha of the BJP.

HOW REAL IS THE RECOVERY?

Although it was expected that the GDP growth numbers for the second quarter of this fiscal year would read far better than the dismal -23.9 per cent seen in the first quarter, the actual numbers came in as a surprise to many.

A WIN-WIN FOR METRO AND AAREY?

On October 1, when Maharastra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray decided to shift the controversial metro car depot from green zone Aarey Milk Colony in Mumbai’s western suburb of Goregaon to Kanjurmarg, an eastern suburb 7.5 km away, he had done his homework.

LOOKING FOR A GRAND ALLIANCE

THE BJP IS USING ITS ‘KINGMAKER’ IMAGE TO PUSH FOR A COALITION AND BREAK THE VICE-LIKE GRIP OF THE DRAVIDIAN PARTIES

CHOKED BY RED TAPE

INDIAN FIRMS ARE HOBBLED BY ENDLESS COMPLIANCES, COMPLICATED LAWS AND OVERLAPPING REGULATIONS

A MIND OF HIS OWN

DESPITE PRESSURE FROM ALLIES AND AN OPPOSITION CONSTANTLY SNAPPING AT HIS HEELS, FIRST-TIME CM UDDHAV THACKERAY HELD HIS OWN IN HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE

Sweetening The Peace Deal

On November 20, less than two weeks into the Congress’s desultory performance in the Bihar assembly election and the Madhya Pradesh by-elections, party chief Sonia Gandhi constituted three internal committees to “consider and discuss issues and policies” related to the economy, foreign affairs and national security.

Raising A Ram Temple

The Centre and the Rajasthan government are working to denotify 646.56 hectare (ha.) of the Bansi Paharpur forest and Bandh Baretha Wildlife Sanctuary in Bharatpur district to ensure a steady supply of pink sandstone for the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The High Seas Command

A joint study draws up the ambitious Maritime Theatre Command by restructuring existing military commands to straddle India’s entire maritime sphere. Will it take wings or meet the fate of its predecessor?

BEHIND THE SCENES

Sai Paranjpye’s memoir offers a delightfully chatty account of a creative career that has encompassed film, theatre, television… and even tea

WHEN LOVE BECOMES A CRIME

As the coronavirus pandemic rages across India, another contagion seems to be spreading in the country’s BJPruled states.

WHERE THE COWS RULE

The by-election victory behind him, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan got down to the serious business of governance.

Rebel Rising in the TMC

For over a month now, an ‘apolitical’ forum called ‘Dadar Anugami (Followers of Dada)’ has created a bit of a stir in West Bengal amid all the other buzz in the run-up to the assembly election early next year.

BOY MEETS WORLD

STEPHEN ALTER’S MOWGLI, IN HIS REIMAGINED JUNGLE BOOK, IS A FAR CRY FROM THE CHARACTER KIPLING’S READERS KNOW AND LOVE

ENDORSING HEALTH

Tennis star Sania Mirza on her digital debut with Nishedh Alone Together, an MTV documentary on tuberculosis, and on picking up the racquet again

A LIFE-LONG BUREAUCRAT

The theatre is closed thanks to the pandemic; so, backstage workers are coming out to perform.

The Long Road To Recovery

Persisting side-effects even months after surviving Covid are taking a heavy physical and emotional toll on patients, making their return to normal life a protracted and difficult battle

Where Stars Are Born

Fresh, innovative content on their youtube channels has enabled many digital stars to kickstart their acting careers

HOTSHEET HAMPERS

Festive High

HOTSHEET BEAUTY

Water purifier

Making HISTORY

Manan Ahmed Asif’s thoughtful study shows how history has come to be written in modern India

A MAN MISREMEMBERED

Wajahat Habibullah’s book is a long overdue revision of the widely-accepted view of Rajiv Gandhi’s political life. He is the least remembered of the prime ministers who lasted a full term or more, and when he is remembered, it is usually for his failures. His very considerable achievements are forgotten.

The Battle For Bengal- Can The BJP Win?

With a spring in its step after the recent Bihar victory, the BJP has launched a full-scale offensive to win West Bengal. How credible is its pitch and what are its chances against the formidable two-term chief minister Mamata Banerjee?