We won freedom in 1947and it wasn't without a fight or without a cost, for the fight took away from our motherland lakhs of brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. It's a cost generations will remember and time shall remind us year after year of this gigantic sacrifice for the love of our nation, a nation called India. It was the great Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who was adept and astute to understand that even after India had attained independence, a lot needed to be done. So he began getting the princely states on board. In this, we saw the perfect modern day use of diplomacy and aggression, those who relented were dealt with an iron hand and eventually brought on board. And so India was free, young and raring to go, for all those who ruled over India could never puncture the indefatigable spirit of the Indian heart. It is said, 'leave politics to the politicians'. However the unfortunate turn...

I vividly remember that prior to the 2004 Lok Sabha elections most so-called 'political pundits' had written off the Congress. The BJP's India Shining campaign according to most had been a success and the elections were seen as a return of the saffron brigade. However, the people of India once again proved to everyone especially the politicians that they are aware, alert and in-touch with the developments and do possess the ability to see through hollow claims. Before the Emergency, the Congress was an unstoppable political force having scaled all political heights imaginable. The Opposition prior to 1976 though present was nothing more than a lonely set of individuals struggling to take on the might of the Congress. There are many who will claim to have an exact reason and explanation on a situation that India faced, which came to be called the 'Emergency'. For a political correspondent I have arrived at the conclusion that the Emergency will be remembered more for the...

I was born in the late seventies when politics was changing at a rather brisk pace, the dominance of the congress was being challenged for the very first time and the Janta government was at the helm of 'mountain politics'. India was getting a taste of its vast political reserves. It is also a fact that at this point the vast army of anti congress brigade was mostly a group of disgruntled congress leaders, those who were not appreciative of Indira Gandhi's style of functioning. Today, some decades later India is still grappling with inherent political lacunae, the public perception of a majority of political leaders is that they are corrupt, unethical, opportunists so on and so forth. Its indeed ironical that for a country which has had leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri leaders who kept top class morals and ethics are increasingly becoming rare and perhaps as many say..."they don't make such leaders anymore"...they are indeed a...

Much has been said and written about Raj Thackeray and his politics. However, the point that needs to be addressed is - can a political leader with a particular inclination hold an entire city or state to ransom? Can he dictate the daily chores of a state as big as Maharashtra and get away with it? Well, he has. Three hours of arrest and a heroic release, making a mockery of all established norms and procedures. As a political reporter, I do understand Raj Thackeray's compulsions, his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is going nowhere and his political career is devoid of any clear future. It is also true that he is more politically sound than his cousin Uddhav. But such are the ways of dynasty politics. Raj Thackeray needs a lot to keep afloat his political career, so desperate measures are needed. Polarizing the society on the basis of religion, caste have been known and India has survived though...