A few weeks ago, I had asked the question:�Why is a �Hindu nation� automatically assumed to be a �fundamentalist, fascist state led by Hindutva fanatics�?
My hypothesis was: A Hindu state can�be the ultimate secular state since respect (not just tolerance or indifference) for all beliefs and religions will be enshrined as part of the constitution – officially
Last week, I chanced upon this article by Husain Haqqani in the IHT: “Tolerance and tradition in Turkey”
In the article Husain talked about radical secularism being as dangerous as religious fanaticism….and explored the concept …

This is a sad story of the North East.
It is a first-person account of how bad things are in the beautiful land of the “seven sisters” – in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other neighbouring states in the North East of India.
Having lived for several years in Assam, I have a very special affinity for the region and great personal interest in the developments there.
Assam, together with its six “sisters” is also a region of great strategic importance and critical to long term stability of our country.
Some of you may …

Most of you must have already read about the clumsy handling of the SethuSamudram affidavit by UPA last week.
But this particular post on the issue caught my eye. In “The Ramayana, the Sethusamudram and Indian Archeology“, Cynical Nerd examines the real intent and motives behind the moves by UPA and ASI. Some excerpts from this superb critique:
EXCERPTS (emphasis mine):
“…The Archeological Survey of India (ASI), under instruction from the political leadership in New Delhi, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court yesterday claiming that there was no historical evidence that Rama …

A recent�article�by Shachi Rairikar commenting on Lalu Yadav’s demand for renaming Patna as Azimabad reminded me of one of my earlier posts about name changes and the question of identity: “Of Bangalore, Bengaluru and Fractured Identities“.
Shachi�lambasts the demand�and instead suggests “renaming Allahabad as Prayag, Ahmedabad as Karnavati and Muzaffarnagar as Laxminagar.”
She writes, “The names Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Muzaffarnagar as well as Azimabad are the grim reminders of the dark oppressive periods of Indian history when the most inhuman atrocities were committed on Hindus. Indians are under no obligation to carry the …

Manoj pointed me to these two links that neatly sum up Pakistan’s schizophrenia with regards India:
1] Pak says no to Chennai-made (Nokia) phones: “The three to four authorised distributors of Nokia in Pakistan have offered their regrets to Nokia as they think that consumers will give a cold response to the Indian product…”…Not just that but�“The (Pakistan) government had not allowed the entry of Indian made mobile phone sets in Pakistan and it may not allow the same in future, the newspaper said…”
2] Ash-Abhishek wedding catches imagination of Pakistanis: “The …

Aditi Goyal from Bharat Uday Mission recently wrote this essay – worth a read.
Some excerpts below:
“About 3 days prior to a national holiday – the independence day of India – I along with my desi phirangs thought of being patriotic and decided that all of us will converse in  Hindi, the national language of India for a week. To hell with a week we hardly could converse in Hindi without using a single English word and formed a new language popularly recognized as “Hinglish”.
…It is indeed astonishing that most of …

Unbelievable…�
�
Is insulting�national symbols the new “cool” amongst celebrities, politicians and national figures (see here�and here)?
…or is it just plain ignorance/genuine mistake(s)?
I wonder whats next?
Comments invited.
*�Hat Tip:� http://tinyurl.com/2r4h9p�mentioned here.
See also: Is this true?
UPDATE: Another photo – this one clearly showing the flag touching the feet**.

** Image Courtesy: http://chirucola.blogspot.com/2007/02/who-hell-is-this-lady.html
Just picked up this apology: http://in.news.yahoo.com/070305/139/6cu4y.html�

Just came across this item from yesterday’s Deccan Herald: “National anthem could make foreigners at Infy uneasy: NRN”
According to this report, the national anthem was not sung during the visit of President Kalam’s recent visit to Infosys campus because even though the company “…had arranged for five people to sing the anthem…we cancelled it as we have foreigners onboard here. They should not be embarrassed while we sing the anthem.”
Extraordinary.
If true, this shows flawed judgement at best (which an unconditional apology might redeem) – but at worst, it is reflective …

In a recent interview for BBC World Service’s Discovery programme, President APJ Abdul Kalam is quoted as saying that:
“…an evolved, enlightened society – based on Indian ideas – can lead to “a peaceful, prosperous and happy planet.”
“It’s a three-dimensional approach, involving education with a value system, religion transforming into spirituality, and the most important, economic development for societal transformation in all the nations,” he explained.
“The global implementation of this three-dimensional approach, in an integrated way, will lead to a peaceful planet yet.”
I could not help noticing echoes of some thoughts …

In his profile, TIME Magazine�s International Newsmaker of the Year, Shri L N Mittal�is quoted as saying,�
 
�Whether I�m Indian or the citizen of another country is irrelevant in this global environment�.
 
I do not know the context in which Shri Mittal said these words but I have mixed feelings about the remark.
 
While globalization (and L N Mittal�s ability to adapt to it is second to none) is of course a fact of our lives today, I do not think it needs to come at the cost of letting go of …