Around twelve years ago, we, imitating Anna Hazare, wore boat shaped hats upside down, waved the Indian tri-colour, organized candlelight vigils, sat outside the houses of MPs and ministers, screamed our lungs out with slogans against corruption, and felt good as a government relented and decided to introduce a bill against…
Robert Clements is a journalist and newspaper columnist. With an estimated 6 million readership, his column, Bob’s Banter is published in over 30 newspapers and magazines in nearly every state in India, as well as in the top newspapers of Bangladesh, London and Dubai and is also translated into Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
Vajpayee and India Shining..!
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and NDA leaders paid floral tributes to the former prime minister and Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 5th death anniversary at Sadaiv Atal’ memorial two days ago, I hoped there were others from the opposition also who did…
A Nation, Happy Together..!
As we go through times in our nation, where some are happy and others aren’t and some feel they deserve more happiness than others because of their religion or riches, have we ever thought that happiness is something that should be shared? An anthropologist studying the habits and customs of…
Technology Wins Against You and Me..!
One of our leading English dailies had an interesting quote once. It said that “Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than at each other…” How True! Try visiting a friend. You may land up standing at his doorstep furiously ringing the doorbell. You do hear the…
Imbalance on Independence Day..!
I stood with the rest of the gathering, at attention as the strains of Jana Gana Mana ended, and the National Flag was hoisted. I watched as those around me walked away for their light refreshments, , and then heard voices around me, “It’s not balanced!” “Yes sadly it isn’t!”…
Freedom from the Past..!
And as we proudly hoist the flag today, imagine our surprise and consternation if the flag doesn’t rise, “Hey,” we shout, “Come on, we are hoisting you up. Fly free!” “I can’t!” says the flag. “And why not?” we ask, huffing and puffing to pull the rope that holds the flag,…
Are You Scorpio, Gemini or Taurus?
“What sign are you?” “Like in road signs? Halt and go? Stop and Proceed? Maximum speed 15 Kmph? Curve ahead? Do not overtake?” “No, no. Star sign? Like Scorpio, Gemini? Taurus?” “What does Scorpio say?” “Determined, dark and dashing!” “Yeah that’s me.” “You’re Scorpio?” “No, determined, dark, dashing and a dreamer.” “You…
Grant Us Peace..!
Was invited by a Jewish family living in Manhattan to share their Shabhat on a Friday, a few years ago and as I watched the four candles being lit, two for the couple, my two friends and the smaller ones for their two children, I saw in their eyes, and…
Not Just Overloading A Lift..!
In a shopping mall in Mumbai seventeen people got stuck in a lift for five full hours! They cried, shouted, screamed for help and to top it all had an infant with them who started panicking and didn’t stop bawling. The seventeen when rescued later with the help of a…
A Future Governor..!
The members of the social club appeared a disgruntled lot as their President conducted their weekly meeting. A bespectacled man, normally very quiet, but today greatly agitated, rose from his traditional place near the door, his face pale and manner perturbed, “Mr President,” he said, and his voice quivered with…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.