Dheeraj Kalgutkar

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 ...

As the largest democracy of the world goes to polls this season, most of the folk are asking who should they vote for or should I say, most of them have already made their minds to vote for so and so! Development, legacy, over-the-top oratory, new energy or be it old issues in new package; we all have our own reasons to press that one button, the one that will decide next five years. There are people who perceive it as power-in-their-hands and there are those who see it as the same old compulsion to do so. For a hundred million voters who will press that button from EVM for first time is kind of an excitement, it’s kind of buttons from some remote control that will decide his/her boss! Sounds like digging pit for ourselves! Doesn’t it? Meanwhile, somebody should go salute those greats who sit in the comforts of their homes complaining about every other thing that has gone wrong and abuse their leaders in languages any sane person would find alien. What should they ...

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...

Narendra Modi: Intelligent bluff-master or unparalleled developer...!  Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh which have been hit by worst ever combination of monsoon, cloud bursts and landslides all at once has witnessed hitherto unseen visitors who if am not wrong scarcely visited any of this hill towns prone to sabotage round the clock. From PM to UPA Chairperson to CMs of other states to voyeuristic ministers, all have visited the ravaged sites in name of aerial surveys or to get a 'eyesight' of how 'bad' the place has been hit. They came and gone causing technical hues to the rescue operations as they bring with them the baggage of VIP status plus their security 'convoy'. Hmm, yes. They didn't help rescue any of the men or women stranded in those 'dead' hills now. They all came and gone; but our man was at to arrive, arrive with hope and promise which only superman could understand or can do away with. Next? Next is what they call some miracle!...

With race to Raisina Hills rising and amidst many a big speculations. This one man's candidature stands tall!! But in Indian politics RUBBER STAMPS are more valued than visionaries! will APJ KALAM revive his magic? Will we be able to see PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT for the second term? Read on..... With Mamata and Mulayam raising speculations by picking APJ Kalam's name for Presidential candidature, hopes of million Indians took a dip in creamy elixir! For a country known mostly because of its merry politicians this man stands all apart. Media well from days is abuzz with news of Race to Presidential House. Earlier it was media which brought alive hopes of masses with Kalam's name in race but then with no political party's backing, it was passed into cold bath. But then, it was Mamata Bannergy after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi, made it clear that Pranab da and Hamid Ansari are congress's first choices but she is averse to them and with Mulayam Singh Y...