Dheeraj Kalgutkar

    We are against terrorism. Aren’t we? I don’t remember anyone defending Ajmal Kasab. Or for instance Masood Azhar. But now I doubt we were against terrorism then or are now with respect to Azhar for instance. We have just elected ‘Sadhvi’ Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused awaiting trial in the 2008 Malegaon bombings with astounding margin nonetheless. That doesn’t fit into fighting terrorism, does it? There are other things to read from this and previous elections too. By and large, we all despise hate speech and also to an extent hate religious fundamentalism. Remember Zakir Naik? He was hounded and rightly so. But then we have just elected Ananth Kumar; again with a huge margin, yes, a man well-known for hate speeches. And in case we forgot, we have Ajay Mohan Bisht aka Yogi Adityanath, the less talked about him the better. What do these tell us? This doesn’t say much about us hating terrorism or despising hate speech; in fact, it shows us warmly embracing it. Then ...

Let me tell you an important story which for all reasons will be retold for years to come as our democracy transforms in coming decades. Way back in March 2014, 10 days before the general elections, the Delhi High Court found both BJP and Indian National Congress guilty of accepting foreign funds . The court ruled that these parties were violating the FCRA and were slated to be disqualified because both of them had taken donations from Vedanta and its subsidiaries — which are foreign entities — between 2004 and 2012.  — via Newslaundry.com I know how you are feeling. This was just before the biggest elections that voted in Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of the Republic of India. Imagine those elections without BJP and Congress; just imagine.  If this is indeed true (which it is), how come both parties fought the elections? That’s the interesting bit to know how political parties fight their battles and unite with ‘rivals’ when need be but we will come ...

On Monday Congress led United Progressive Alliance government breathed sigh of relief as they succeeded in passing landmark Food Security Bill touted as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's dream project in lower house of parliament. The Food Security Scheme aimed at providing food grain to whopping 82 crore people of India who fall below poverty line at the cost of Rs. 1,30,000 crore will be largest of its kind in the world. The bill will guarantee 5kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at a fixed price of Rs. 3, 2, 1 respectively. Price can be revised every 3 years. To realise a scheme of its calibre govt would require 62 million tonnes of food grains at its disposal but given the state of our godowns and ill storage one will doubt regarding its success. At a time when no day goes with reportage of grain-drain in rainy scum or stills of rotten grains in open storage across nation, anyone would be interested enough to know how this game-changer schem...

There was a time when some pundits used to provide vague theories of rape, one was - Gen Y wear what's provocative so man gets weird thoughts of lust and it just happens. As simple as that! Is it?   Let us not waste hours in discussing what India must year and what not to, what should they eat or at least not on how should they behave in here or anywhere else on this planet. At last the recent tales of rapes from Delhi and Madhya Pradesh silences their theories where a four and five year old little children have been inhumanly raped by men of horrific age gives us more often a sense of how beleaguered and senseless society we have become. Just remember when in last year, a bench of HC had said, they find themselves clueless how a baby sleeping at home could incite lust in the mind of a thief who came to burglar but went on to rape and and dump her in drainage. No words of shamelessness could well aptly describe or shame those indulged in such crimes. There even doesn...

Sachin Tendulkar politely accepted his nomination as Rajya Sabha MP and on June 4, he started another brilliant innings by signing in the register. It was an ecstatic moment both for master and his admirers, perhaps whole country rejoiced. Meanwhile the most important thing to be noted was the way he thanked the game, which made possible all such accolades to flow towards him. It was rarely seen anytime someone as great as Little Master thanking the profession before themselves. Silencing all his detractors who were busy spreading news of his retirement, Tendulkar said, "He was nominated to RS all because of cricket, so no chances of leaving the game behind atleast for now". This clearly depicted how close the game of cricket is to Sachin. He very well understands the well known fact that, A LEGEND CALLED SACHIN TENDULKAR was created all out of cricket; today world remembers him, praises him, accolads him, praises him all due to his classic game. Accompanie...