Power to expunge speeches is too broad, and is often used to mute legitimate criticism of government In an age of WhatsApp videos, YouTube feeds, reels on Instagram and visual tweets (sorry, X), interventions made by MPs on the floor of Parliament spread very quickly. So why do Members of Parliament get outraged when words… Continue reading In Parliament, unmute the Opposition
As I write this, we have just concluded the seventh day of parliament. No sign yet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The closest he has come to the chambers of both Houses is to address the media somewhere in the precincts of parliament House. The INDIA parties (preferred usage to “Opposition parties”) are striving to get a discussion going in parliament on Manipur. There is one hitch. The PM does not want to participate in the debate. The INDIA parties insist he must. Hence, the logjam.
The leaders of the political parties who met earlier this week at the Bengaluru summit were not just looking for a name. They were looking for an idea. They were looking for a BIG IDEA. They came up with one. INDIA. Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. Add the tagline Jeetega Bharat or more and you have a blockbuster.
Rarely has a large-sized conference room anywhere in India ever hosted a political gathering quite like this. I do not know what the collective noun for biodatas is, but the no-frills conference room at 1 Anne Marg, Patna was an array of curriculum vitae. The heads of the political parties (considering one representative per party… Continue reading Between 2 Opposition Summits, BJP’s Growing Nerves
In primary school, we were taught that the lotus is our national flower. In middle school, we were told that the lotus symbolises the purity of our thoughts, mind, and speech. In the contemporary school of Indian politics, we have quickly learnt that Operation Lotus has a whole new meaning — most recently exercised in Maharashtra. A beautiful flower, which blossoms amid mud is now being used to promote such muddy values!
After over 50 days of soporific inaction and radio silence, the Union government finally called for a meeting of all political parties in parliament for a discussion on Manipur… Here are some observations from a fly on the wall during the all-party meeting on Manipur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed lawmakers in the United States of America. Here is the speech I wish he had delivered.
Despite such a large-scale breach of data registered with a government platform, the Union Government did what it does best – deny and then underplay the violation. Even as the data continued to be widely accessible, the government said, “The CoWIN portal of the Health Ministry is completely safe with adequate safeguards for data privacy. Furthermore, security measures are in place on the CoWIN portal.” The statement added that the data being circulated was stolen in the past and was not sourced in this week’s breach. An excuse that would only hold good in a class taught at WhatsApp University!
Balasore train collision is a fallout of the low priority given to railway safety by the government May 23, 2023: “The all-around work to transform the railways began only after 2014. Everyone was clueless before this. So how could they even think about high-speed trains?” — The Prime Minister of India. June 3, 2023: 288 families grieve the… Continue reading Odisha train collision: The red flags BJP government ignored
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team boycotted the Opposition. Yes, you read that right. From the time it was conceived, to its execution over the last few years, leading up to the inauguration ceremony – the new parliament building has been an exercise in architectonic narcissism. Or, to put it more simply, ‘The I-Me-Myself Project’.
