Indholdsfortegnelse for February 29, 2016 i India Today

The mysterious 57-day break taken by Rahul Gandhi from February to April last year seems to have done some good. Since his return, the reluctant prince has jumped into the political fray with uncharacteristic gusto. Wherever there is a photo-op or a sound bite to be given, he inevitably shows up. He is on social media, which he shied away from even during the 2014 campaign. He is connecting with students on his relentless campus tour of India to win back the youth that had gravitated to Narendra Modi in the last general election. He is lending his voice to every issue, be it land acquisition, jobs, poverty, corruption, beef ban, caste wars, intolerance or award wapasi. His aggression, which started with the “suit-boot ki sarkar” refrain, is paying off,…

On Sept 14, 2015, weakened ripples of the billion-year-old black hole collision reached the Earth, in the form of a "chirp" that moved the LIGO laser beams a trillionth of a cm. We were prepared. More than a billion years ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived a pair of black holes. They were not of the ordinary garden variety, ones that stroll around the spiral arms, guzzle gas and emit X-ray jets. These were literal heavyweights, each one almost 30 times the mass of our Sun. Apparently, there was attraction at first sight, except that black holes cannot be seen. Their masses, according to Albert Einstein’s century-old theory of gravitation, created a dent in the fabric of Space around them, making each black hole migrate in the…

George W. Bush had a story of redemption. After years of hard drinking, he became a born-again Christian, which gave him the strength and clarity to become a two-term President of the United States. Rahul Gandhi may soon have his own narrative. A year after the devastating defeat of the Congress in the 2014 general election, he took a two-month-long sabbatical in Southeast Asia doing Vipassana meditation, among other things, and came back not just rejuvenated, but reborn. That rebirth was not before he relived the karma of the Congress loss by interacting with over 500 party workers to understand what went wrong. The answers were tough, likened to “a perfect storm”. In the 10-year Congress-led UPA rule, the government had made many mistakes. The economy had slowed down because…

If India must be won in the states, it can also be lost in the states. For a Narendra Modi government that is fast losing popularity in some key areas and hitting a plateau in some others after the dizzying heights of 2014, the new ideological battleground is turning out to be college campuses, and the principal political challenge is coming from the states. The 2016 India Today-Karvy Insights Mood of the Nation (MOTN) poll highlights the disconnect between the Centre and the states in no uncertain terms. The three most popular chief ministers across the land are all who have strongly opposed Modi and his policies over the course of the last year. Arvind Kejriwal, credited with bringing the Modi juggernaut to a grinding halt by taking him headon…

1 EASE OF BUSINESS In 2015, a Centre-World Bank ease-of-bus ine ss state survey put Jharkhand in No. 3 spot 2 MINIMUM GOVERNMENT Prunes govt dep a r t m e nts, bringing number down to 31 from 43 in order to stop overlapping 3 LABOUR REFORMS Labour laws relaxed; no labour licence to employ up to 40 contract labour, sta. of 20 for factories 4 ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE 61 o.cials caught so far accepting bribes; 8 DA cases on and 15 o.cers charged with misuse of power 5 MAOISTS ON BACKFOOT Jharkhand registers lowest ever Maoist-related incidents in 2015; no attacks on pol ice stations…

His exploits may have cast a shadow over his “divine” powers, but Asaram Bapu seems to have lost none of his clout. The man has been behind bars in Jodhpur since August 2013 but that does not appear to be proving any hindrance for his machinations. Of the 10 witnesses in the two rape cases against the godman in Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, three have been bumped off, one has been missing for the last three months, and a fifth lives in perpetual fear for his life, having been attacked in his own home, purportedly by Asaram’s henchmen at his behest. The perception that the police too is going slow in investigating these attacks, if they are at all, is firming up suspicion in the minds of the surviving witnesses that…

Feluda@50 Edited by Boria Majumdar HarperCollins Pages 216 Price Rs 299 Nostalgia is a comforting but insurmountable exaggeration. The beauty of Bengal, or Kolkata, continues to be sustained best by the intense championing of its icons— from Rabi Thakur to the rosogulla, football clubs to Flury’s—mostly by bicultural Bengalis across the globe. The ones I meet in present-day Kolkata, on the other hand, usually sound despondent about most things. Because I guess they live in Bengal. Bengal does not reside in their imagination alone. It is with slight trepidation therefore that I began reading Feluda@50, ‘curated and edited by Boria Majumdar’. Especially as Majumdar starts off reasoning out his own fondness, and of Bengalis in general, for Satyajit Ray’s supersleuth Feluda. The argument being that the famous resident of Rajani…

TAKE IT OR TRASH IT POISON CABINET The English edition— published by Jaico— has sold over a lakh copies in the last 10 yrs. There are a dozen regional editions besides, as also streetside pirated editions HITLER IN BOLLYWOOD Think of Asrani as jailor in Sholay (1975); Mithun Chakrabortystarrer Hitler (1998) or Rakesh Ranjan Kumar’s 2011 Gandhi to Hitler HEIL THE NAMESAKE The 2013 Meghalaya assembly polls threw up one Adolf lu Hitler R. Marak. The 58-year-old Congress candidate made the headlines, but lost the poll. Why does Adolf Hitler stare at us from every corner and still have the power to stir up controversies? He is, after all, one of the most hated figu res in recent history, who held Indians in deep contempt. Yet to many in India,…

From sailing on yachts across countries to trekking up glaciers and living in glass igloos, she’s done it all. And now Dolly Kushwaha, 47, is helping young and adventurous Indian travellers live her experiences. “Travel is a spiritual experience; it’s a stress buster and enriches you. It makes you more tolerant and enriches you,” says the founder of De Opulence, a two year-old luxury travel consultancy. The travel bug bit early on. Daughter of an army man, she moved towns every two years, exploring new places. “Those long train journeys in first class cabins, watching the scenery was fascinating,” she recalls. After 18 years in government service—a decade in the army and eight years with the Reserve Bank of India—she set up De Opulence in 2014. “The travel I sell…

FEBRUARY 15, 2016 India’s reaction in anticipation of Budget 2016 “It will be difficult for the Modi government to fix the economy unless it takes the Opposition along with it and sheds its recalcitrant attitude.” VIJAI PANT, Hempur An Abysmal Reality With reference to your story (The Dalits: Still Untouchables), reservations can never be a solution to a homogeneous, egalitarian society. And that’s exactly why our founding fathers had kept the provision for reservations in jobs for only 10 years. However, it has continued to exist merely beca use over the course of time, it has become a handy tool to garner votes. In reality, however, it has only fragmented Indian society. By continuing with it in educational institutions, this seed of hat red has now been sown in the…

THE SELFIE-LESS... Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have made the selfie a part of his political repertoire but Congress national president Sonia Gandhi clearly hates the reverse swing of the phone camera. At an iftar party last April, she physically prevented a Congressman from taking a selfie with her. On a February 12 visit to Anand Bhavan, the Nehrus’ ancestral home in Allahabad, the Congressmen were mortified when she declared, “No Modi-style selfies,” admonishing local leaders, including MLA Anugrah Narayan Singh and others, who requested her for a picture. She opted for an old-fashioned group photograph instead. TRAVEL ADVISORY FROM HARYANA While Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar briefly toyed with the idea of permitting foreigners their beef steak, ahead of his grand investor summit in Gurgaon this March, Anil…

As democratically-elected governments the world over break for a pit-stop in the middle of the political race, they almost always encounter a familiar bugbear. It’s called the mid-term blues. The Narendra Modiled NDA government is no exception. The 2016 INDIA TODAY-Karvy Insights MOTN poll reveals that as the prime minister slides from his pole position of 57 per cent in 2014, Rahul steadily gains in popularity ratings. And rapidly so: from 8 per cent to 22 per cent in the last six months. Modi still retains the lead at 40 per cent but if the present anti-incumbency trend continues, then there is no saying which way the political tide will turn in the future. What explains the rise of Rahul? And the dislodging of the NDA from its comfortable 2014…

Who in your opinion has been the No. 1 hero in the year 2015? Who in your opinion has been the No. 1 heroine in the year 2015? In January 2015, B-grade film producer Pahlaj Nihalani, better known as a self-appointed cheerleader for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, became head of the Central Board of Film Certification. It has been unhappily ever after since for the world’s biggest film industry. Filmmakers increasingly find their freedom of expression curbed with a chairman who believes his position entitles him to be the moral custodian of the nation. From imposing his rigid diktats through the now purportedly banned list of objectionable/abusive English and Hindi words to his eagerness to come out and defend his arbitrary decisions and spar with filmmakers, Nihalani has become every…

It was May 2015. The flu hunters of the World Health Organisation (WHO) were no longer reporting Ebola in its ‘Disease Outbreak News’, one of the most-accessed web pages on the internet. More familiar diseases were back in its listings: avian influenza, cholera, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Then came a surprise announcement on October 21: “Zika virus (ZKV) infection–Brazil and Colombia.” That was just the beginning. In the next three months, ‘Zika’ became the most-repeated outbreak on the WHO list, appearing 19 times, until the organisation declared it a “public health emergency” of international concern on February 1, 2016. THE NEW SCARE It’s the worst time to confront yet another “public health emergency”. Since 2000, the world has been grappling with a range of mysterious diseases, most of which…

Nov 25, 2015 Rahul Sachan, prime witness in the rape case against Asaram, goes missing. Family and fellow witnesses believe Asaram’s men have got to him. Bodyguard Amit Kumar files a missing complaint 17 days later. Jan 11, 2015 Akhil Gupta, former personal assistant and cook of Asaram, is shot dead in home town Muzaffarnagar, four months after his statement on the rape charge against Asaram in Ahmedabad. Nov 23, 2015 Sachan tells Shajahanpur journalist Narendra Yadav that Janaki, wife of Asaram’s son Narayan Sai, will be talking to the media soon, and exposing the exploits of the father-son duo Sep 23, 2014 Kripal Singh has Asaram on tape telling him to ask Charanvir to withdraw the case in exchange for money. Police are yet to do a voice test…

STAR BUCKS MOVIE Money is certainly no consideration when Akshay Kumar meets Rajinikanth. A whopping Rs 20 crore has gone into creating an elaborate set for Robot 2 in which the two actors will star. The venue is Chennai and the film one of the most expensive to date. LOVE ALL Sourendro-Soumyojit, has collaborated with German artist Stoppok for their video Valentine’s Day-Love Song. Picturised on transgender Lakshmi looking for love and acceptance, the video has received rave applause for its inclusive message. SOUTH BOUND If you are a rising star in the Telugu film industry, it makes sense to move to Hyderabad, right? It’s what Delhi born Rakul Preet Singh has done. She certainly means business, as she prepares to launch a fitness venture with her brother Aman. Dia…

Whether it is the fragrant winter garden or the myriad hues of spring (which is almost knocking on our doors) flowers are a delight. The good news is that regardless of the weather, your space can blossom year-around with floral fabrics, furniture and wall coverings. From teapots with pansies and chairs shaped like a flower to lotus motif cushions and abstract floral wallpaper—go ahead and create your personal indoor garden. However, be forewarned, there are rules when decorating with his popular motif. For instance, small prints in faded pastel hues lend a vintage aura, while a bold floral, in abstract form can take on a modern art vibe. WHAT'S TRENDING “From upholstery fabric and furniture, to wall coverings and cushions, floral motifs are very popular this year especially in conjunction…

The list may not be endless, but the options available can turn any drab and dull space to a one with charm and character. Unlike a few years ago, when the term eco-friendly flooring meant a few expensive, hard-to-get materials, today the market is full of interesting options. As more architects and interior designers are seeking out green options, the end user is spoilt for choice. BAMBOO TURNS LUXE “If there is one material that is truly eco-friendly, it is bamboo,” says Navinder Soin, Director, WOODFLOORSINDIA. Though bamboo is a grass, it has similar characteristics as hardwood. It grows to maturity in five to seven years. “Those who want to ensure that the flooring 100 per cent eco-friendly should ask the manufacturer for LEED and FSC certification as that would…

BEFORE THE MAKEOVER The three-storeyed haveli is a coalescence of Mughal, Hindu and European styles of architecture. However, before it was restored, it was in ruins. There were many families living in it who had altered its structure. The original roof at the upper level had collapsed, rooms were partitioned into smaller ones (60 in all), thick layers of synthetic paint was found on stone columns, and wooden doors and window frames had rotted. It’s a quagmire of opposites. Spit-stained lanes lead to gorgeous arched doorways, shops bursting at their seams hide spacious courtyards, dust-covered windows reveal shiny interiors, and crumbling buildings give way to new architecture. But then that’s the magic of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, where every street and alley reveals a footnote of history and at…

End Of The Honeymoon For a PM candidate who coined new development slogans and governance acronyms every week on the campaign trail, the numbers have the potential to hurt. It is as if the clock has been put in reverse mode or the wheel is coming a full circle, if clichés can capture the sentiment shift. The reinvention of Narendra Modi from the leader who had to take years of flak for the communal carnage in Gujarat to someone who made that state synonymous with growth, development and progress is one of modern India’s most amazing political turnaround stories. That success was elevated to an entirely new plane when Modi made a national pitch and showcased himself as the man India awaits to undo the story of scandal, sloth and…

69% of the respondents feel Pakistan poses a bigger threat to India than China (19%) or the US (5%). This is a significant rise for the country from 44% in the past year. Should India talk to Pakistan despite the attack on the Pathankot air base? An Indian diplomat likens ties with Pakistan to tackling an armed adversary shooting from behind a civilian hostage; an armed response puts the human shield at risk. This conundrum of India’s Pakistan policy has got exacerbated post-2008 when two civilian governments have held office but not power—they are held hostage by the powerful Pakistan army which has retreated into the barracks but calls the shots on foreign policy. The army also holds the lever on what is the biggest bugbear between the two countries,…

Understanding the Founding Fathers: An Enquiry Into the Indian Republic’s Beginnings by Rajmohan Gandhi Aleph Spotlight Pages 160 Price Rs 299 Rajmohan Gandhi’s book couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Everything we were taught as history is up for review. In the age of instant social media judgements, “prejudice plus five minutes on the internet can reimagine history”, says Gandhi. Jawaharlal Nehru can become a leader who stifled the rise of his contemporaries. Mahatma Gandhi can become Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s little helper. And yes, Subhas Chandra Bose can live forever. But, as Gandhi says in a new book, “History is not a matter of beliefs, no matter how deeply or devoutly held.’’ Gut feelings should not be allowed to banish analyses backed by solid information and context. And…

Somany Ceramics Low on maintenance and durable floors are in demand today. Keeping with this trend is Somany Cermaics' Stone16, a collection of outdoor floor tiles with thickness as high as 16mm (that is double the thickness as compared to an ordinary tile). Available in size 600mm x 600mm, these naturally inspired stone and wood textured tiles are easy-to-lay and have an anti-skid finish. PRICE ₹170 per sq ft; AT www.somanyceramics.com RAK Ceramics The KRATOS series from the Novelties Collection of RAK Ceramics is a range of high-gloss double charged vitrified tiles and slabs. Available in eight striking designs and in a unique size of 800mm x 1,200mm, the technology used for these tiles ensures high durability. PRICE ₹160 per sq ft onwards; AT 1-6, Dheeraj Heritage (junction of Milan…

American author H Jackson Brown Junior may seem like an unlikely icon for IT professionals but Ekta Kamdar, 31 and Purnendu Singh, 31 swear by his famous saying—'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.' “Don’t rush; go for slow paced travelling where you can explore a city on cycle or on foot. This makes you experience many things, understand the culture and the people,” says Kamdar. The couple and co-bloggers who run Shadows Galore do just that—take off to new unexplored destinations and document their travels through travelogues and photographs that inspire others to walk down the path. Kamdar started Shadows Galore as…