The Petrol Price Relief..!
‘Central government reduces petrol, diesel prices by Rs 2’…. India Today, 14th March There was a burst of crackers downstairs, and thinking they were gunshots I ran to the window. It was my rich neighbour letting loose fireworks around his fancy Mercedes, “What’s the occasion?” I asked. “I’m taking out the…
Police Knock on the Door..!
The most dreaded sound we Indians heard during our freedom struggle during British rule, was of police knocking at our door at midnight, “Who’s it?” we asked, voices fearful. “Police! Open up!” came a British or Anglo-Indian accent. We threw the English out, but suddenly our police are doing the…
Spotting and Killing the Mosquito..!
Since the mosquito menace is spreading and the municipality has asked citizens in the city to spot the mosquito carrying the dreaded dengue, I thought I’d do my bit for the country: “What are you admiring your arm for?” asked my wife. “Sssshhh!” I whispered, “you’ll scare it away.” “Scare…
Truth and the Dream Machine..!
It was a little boy, living in Thumba, near Thiruvananthapuram, which has India’s rocket base who told me he had seen most of the members of a political party climbing into a Time Machine, which would take them back in time. “They said, there was nothing they could do about…
The Budget Make-Up Kit..!
One very common feature at the presentation of the budget is a photo of the finance minister giving final touches to the budget papers. This is something that takes place every year and for the last many years since independence. “As soon as a new finance minister is sworn in…
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.