The Congress fared badly in the elections to various State Assemblies, particularly U.P.  The emergence of Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party as a powerful force in U.P. has put paid to the Congress’ hopes of taking him on board and dumping Maverick Mamata’s TMC.  With Karunanidhi’s DMK and Pawar’s NCP also playing truant, the Congress’ options…

A pedestal fan, in the heat of summer, is a cooling experience, not just for the body, but also for frayed tempers! There is another type of “pedestal fan” that actually raises temperatures and tempers to fever pitch. This other “pedestal fan” is actually a fan of an icon; so we have sports fans, movie…

Do celibate Catholic priests need a safety net? How different is safe sex from unsafe celibacy? A recent meeting of the Conference of Diocesan Priests of India, held in Bhopal, MP, occasioned these thoughts. The priests “pledged to safeguard their celibacy vow in the face of modern day challenges, and treat it as a gift…

The decision of Rev Bismarque Dias to stand for elections from the Cumbharjua constituency of the Goa Assembly, albeit as an Independent candidate, has set the cat among the pigeons, triggering a heated debate. Those against the priest’s decision have based their arguments on Canon Law, and those for him have referred to the rampant…

The great Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar, famously said, “Friends, Romans and countrymen, lend me an ear”. Now we have our Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.K. Singh, proclaiming in similar vein, “Judges, Indians and Media, lend me an year”; that is to say, extend my tenure by one year, by changing my date of birth…

There is a sharp polarisation of views on the Govt’s recent proposal to allow 51% of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail; depending on one’s political inclination, customer profile or business interests. Truth seems to be the casualty. To arrive at a balanced assessment some basic questions need to be asked. Why is the…