Anti- Narrow Pants..!
A few weeks ago, in a moment of generosity I still consider Nobel Prize worthy, I offered someone close to me, a pair of black pants. I seem to have collected quite a few over time. Black trousers multiply in cupboards. They have secret meetings at night and reproduce. He…
No Safety in Parliament?
I read the news and blinked twice. Then I rubbed my glasses. Then I read it again. The Prime Minister was advised not to attend Parliament because the Speaker could not guarantee his safety inside the House. I nearly spilt my morning coffee. Not because of terrorists. Not because of…
Your Simple Lie Detector..!
One of the toughest challenges today is not traffic, pollution, or even rising blood pressure. It is figuring out whether the government is speaking the truth or performing for the national stage. Every morning, newspapers announce spectacular achievements. Television anchors shout even louder ones. We are told we have signed…
Unfurling and Hoisting the Flag..!
There is a brand-new national pastime that has quietly overtaken cricket, it is the sacred art of correcting someone who says the wrong word on the wrong day. “You do not hoist the flag on Republic Day,” someone declares importantly.“You unfurl it.” Another voice booms back.“And on Independence Day you…
From Politicians to Statesmen..!
Winning elections is exhilarating. Slogans work, crowds cheer, numbers add up, and victory music is played. It is a moment when every politician feels ten feet tall and slightly immortal. But once the fireworks fade and the garlands wilt, something far more serious quietly takes the stage. Power has been…
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.