Columnists | The Asian Age

The EC’s responsibility or failure to fulfil its constitutional obligation is a different matter. Armed with a set of rules and the Model Code of Conduct, which is not a law. (File Photo: DC)

Shikha Mukerjee | Public discourse standards fall, distorted by EC’s bias

The EC has limited power to control the terms of public discourse

30 Nov 2023 12:00 AM

The former Union home secretary and 1970-batch IAS officer has willingly parted ways with his life’s earnings, a whopping Rs 5 crores, donating them to his deity at the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. (Representational Image: PTI)

Dilip Cherian | Ram Lalla to be recipient of one retired babu’s bhakti bonanza

Mr Narayanan’s inclination towards maintaining a low profile and shying away from public acknowledgement

30 Nov 2023 12:00 AM

One critical component of democracy is to ensure an apolitical and “distanced” military from the unrestrained passions of society and partisanship. (Representational Image: AP)

Bhopinder Singh | As institutions get trivialised, ‘selfie points’ touch new low

The image of the military as an apolitical entity has been getting compromised and drawn into vicious and divisive polarisation.

29 Nov 2023 12:05 AM

Palestinians inspect the destruction caused by Israeli strikes in Wadi Gaza, in the central Gaza Strip on November 28, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and Hamas. A truce between Israel and Hamas entered a fifth day on November 28 after the deal was extended to allow further releases of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP)

Abhijit Bhattacharyya | As 2 wars rage in world, is India facing a food crisis?

The fatal hostilities by the belligerents since 2022 has already had adverse effects on the food sector even outside the conflict zones.

29 Nov 2023 12:00 AM

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan (PTI File Photo)

Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr | The politics of governors: How Centre tackles states

Kerala Guv Arif Khan should have known better than to use the office of governor as an obstacle in functioning of the CPI(M)-led-LDF govt

27 Nov 2023 11:38 PM

Assuming the census is held soon, the government will have to do some deft management of perceptions. (PTI Image)

Aakar Patel | When will India conduct its next census? And then the delimitation?

For the first time since 1880, no census was conducted as should have been the case in 2021.

27 Nov 2023 11:33 PM

Much of Telangana’s development over the past decade has been within and close to the Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR). (AA File Image)

Sanjaya Baru | Correct the ‘imbalance’ of the two Telanganas

Telangana requires more urban centres rather than the continued growth and over-expansion of Hyderabad.

27 Nov 2023 12:10 AM

Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma. (Image by Arrangement)

Shreya Sen-Handley | Confessions of an armchair cricketer

Cricket also played a part in my decision to settle in Britain.

26 Nov 2023 12:17 AM

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. (PTI Photo)

Pavan Varma | Inner-party democracy is vital, along with elections

Unquestionable authoritarianism at the helm may give the illusion of strong leadership, but it is definitively undesirable.

26 Nov 2023 12:13 AM

Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami. (PTI Image)

Anita Katyal | Is BJP grooming Shami for polls? Maurya sent to clip Yogi wings?

The buzz is that Shami could be promoted by the BJP to take on Danish Ali of the Bahujan Samaj Party

26 Nov 2023 12:11 AM

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks during a press briefing on the Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (PTI Photo)

K.C. Singh | India in a bind at Brics & G-20 over Gaza waffling

Surprisingly, no peaceful demonstration has taken place near the Israeli or US missions in India.

25 Nov 2023 12:02 AM

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street for his weekly Prime Ministers Questions at the House of Commons in London, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP/PTI)

Farrukh Dhondy | Focus on Boris, Rishi as Britain examines how it handled Covid

The inquiry is entrusted with finding out precisely how the virus spread and what the government of the time did or did not do.

25 Nov 2023 12:01 AM

The external affairs ministry admits that a record 225,620 Indians renounced their citizenship last year. (AA File Image)

Sunanda K. Datta-Ray | Create jobs at home, give Indians a brighter future

Tel Aviv has cancelled the Palestinians’ work permits as much to punish them for Hamas’ savage attack on Israel

23 Nov 2023 11:58 PM

NDRF personnel and others at the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway, days after a portion of the tunnel collapsed trapping several workers inside, in Uttarkashi district, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Patralekha Chatterjee | Blunders in the Himalayas: Have we learnt any lessons?

Uttarakhand and the Himalayas are in the news once again. And the inconvenient truth rears its head once more.

23 Nov 2023 12:12 AM

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (ANI)

Dilip Cherian | Exit of Ajit Pawar principal secy is hint at status quo

Sharma’s abrupt transfer marks the premature end of his first stint in the prestigious Mantralaya

23 Nov 2023 12:02 AM

US President Joe Biden greets China's President President Xi Jinping at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, California, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative conference. (AP)

Claude Arpi | As Tibet becomes ‘Xizang’, Delhi faces a new concern

Communist China often changes the names of the people, places and even nations. It is the case of Tibet, which is now called Xizang

22 Nov 2023 7:28 AM

Modi’s schemes have catchier names because he spends so much effort personally polishing coinage. (PTI Photo)

Aakar Patel | A rebranded govt: BJP adopted Congress schemes, and gave them new names…

The reality is that the UPA’s schemes had anodyne and unmemorable names even though they had the same aims.

21 Nov 2023 12:05 AM

Australian captain Pat Cummins holds the trophy after winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (PTI Photo/ Manvender Vashist Lav)

R. Mohan | Aussies gatecrash India’s grand cricket celebration

They came like gatecrashers to India’s party and stayed to spoil it while winning the cup and the accolades.

20 Nov 2023 10:52 PM

2023 will probably turn out to be a benchmark year when many planetary boundaries were irretrievably breached. (Photo: Representational/Pixabay)

Suman Sahai | In India, has the environment now been destroyed beyond recovery?

The 2023 UN Climate Change Conference will be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

20 Nov 2023 12:05 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Image: PTI)

Sunil Gatade | BJP facing more trouble as ‘polarisation’ is not enough

The BJP’s troubles are giving a lot of breathing space to the ruling Congress despite its internal problems.