A National Language..!
It may come as a surprise to many, as some leaders clamour for a national language, that both the US and also the UK have no national language. In fact, until the 19th century, the English language was not seen as a unifying force in the UK, as majorities in…
India, You Are Being Watched..!
Yes India, you are being watched by the rest of the world. You are being watched by neighbours, many of whom have never tasted democracy, many who have suffered under military rule and dictatorships! You are being watched by China, who have ruthlessly cracked down on dissidents and protestors, mowing…
My Tomato Ketchup and Dishum-Dishum..!
Last evening as I looked up from my writing, I smiled at the vegetable puff my wife brought me along with my mug of tea. It wasn’t the puff or tea that made me smile but the tomato ketchup poured quite lavishly for me. I love tomato ketchup, and many,…
Unfurling A Balanced Flag..!
I stood at attention as the strains of Jana Gana Mana ended, and the National Flag was unfurled. 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!” said another familiar voice. “Of course it…
Nun Sacked for Owning a Car..!
“What wrong have I committed bishop?” “You own a car!” And that is the wrong a religious body feels an Indian nun has committed. Enough, to sack her! Having sat on a few boards, I see how wrongly we look at necessities and classify them as luxuries. I remember a…
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.