By T.J.S. George There is a strategic political coup that Rahul Gandhi can execute, and thereby transform the entire landscape of the 2019 election. Routine politicking won’t do in the present climate because Narendra Modi’s oratorical ability to attract mass attention is unrivalled and his party has the advantage of being in power. It will…
When AG is worried, it’s serious
By T.J.S. George The Attorney General (AG) is the first Law Officer of the Government of India and acts as the top advocate for the Union Government. When such an Officer criticises Governments in power, it points to an extraordinary situation. When the Attorney General happens to be K.K. Venugopal and the governments happen to…
The Best and the Worst on Show
By T.J.S. George, How many will learn how many lessons from the floods that devastated Kerala and Kodagu? The most important lesson is bound to go unlearned — that, ultimately, these were again examples of Nature collapsing under the impact of human greed. We were warned of it five years ago when cloudbursts and landslides…
The Prime Minister as Gentleman
By T.J.S. George My Lord, Never let me climb so high that I’m unable to embrace a stranger. The humanism in Atal Bihari Vajpayee made him taller than a Prime Minister. In the vastness of his mind the ephemerality of political glory counted for what it was. He once said: You might become an ex-Prime…
Why Karunanidhi was important
By T.J.S. George With M. Karunanidhi’s death, a chapter turns in history. That is rare because most political leaders constitute mere footnotes in history, let alone a page. Karunanidhi was more a cultural reformer than a politician, a recognition that led people to confer on him the popular title of Kalaignar, man of the arts…
Start with how to make a rifle
By T.J.S. George, We pay a price when we let other countries set our pace. One day Donald Trump includes India in the list of those “who are robbing America” and threatens to levy high taxes on “thousands and thousands” of Indian motorcycles imported into America. This was when India cut duty on the glamorous…
The bugles are calling for war
By T.J.S. George The big question is finally being addressed: Who will be the Opposition’s Prime Minister candidate? It will be unrealistic, of course, to expect an answer at this stage. But the unexpected flexibility in the Congress’ position tells its own tale. Two days after taking a stand firmly in favour of Rahul Gandhi,…
The Rakshasa Culture Lives On
By T.J.S. George The relative smoothness of the No Confidence Motion in Parliament, hug and all, was welcome. But it does not hide the ugly truth — that civility in public discourse is disappearing in our country. Ministers use abusive language against opponents. Party spokesmen react with anger to legitimate criticism. Some leaders go to…
Much ado about ‘Hindu Pakistan’
By T.J.S. George The furore over Shashi Tharoor’s remarks over the possibilities of India becoming a “Hindu Pakistan” must have surprised his enemies and his friends in equal measure. It also reminds us, yet again, that we live in a politically surcharged atmosphere where battles can suddenly break out over a gesture, a phrase, a…
Why ISRO ‘Spy Case’ is important
By T.J.S. George India’s biggest achievement since independence is its march to leadership ranks in space technology. In June last year, the national space organisation, ISRO, put into space a rocket as heavy as 200 fully grown elephants, making it a major player in the satellite launch industry alongside the US, France and Russia. The…
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