We have all heard the story of the Prodigal Son. The one who left home, squandered everything, and came back smelling of pigs and regret. And we love the part where the father runs out to meet him, hugs him, puts a ring on his finger and throws a grand…
Invoking Draconian Laws..!
There was a time when the phrase “innocent until proven guilty” echoed through every courtroom and classroom. It was not just a legal principle but the very foundation of justice. Today, that pillar trembles. For what we see around us is a steady erosion of that simple truth, replaced by…
A Time to Prepare..!
Whenever someone talks about their articles being rejected by newspapers or magazines, I tell them that I call this a God given time, the time to prepare for bigger opportunities. I have lived long enough to know that rejection is not the end of the road; it is often the…
Jungle Raj and Bihar..!
Again and again, I hear the term “jungle raj” being tossed about like a rotten tomato at a fair, hurled by those in power at the previous rulers of Bihar. Apparently, during Lalu’s time, it was jungle raj — lawlessness, chaos, crime, and the collapse of governance. But forgive me…
Stampedes and the Police..!
It happens again. People gather to celebrate, to pray, to watch, or to cheer, and before the sun sets, screams fill the air, sandals lie scattered, and bodies are heaped together. Another stampede. Another tragedy. And yes, another round of blame. The organisers are blamed, the party in power is…
My Harmonica and Our Country..!
My wife gifted me a harmonica for my birthday. Not because she thought I needed a new hobby, but because she had not heard me play for a long time. I had a few harmonicas already, but they had been lent out to my grandchildren, who, after producing sounds that…
Your 127 Runs..!
Yesterday, I wrote about Jemima Rodrigues and her unbeaten hundred and twenty-seven runs that took India to the World Cup final. The column drew a flood of responses, and nearly every reader spoke about how humble she was, how touching it was to see a young player publicly thank her…
Batting for God..!
Was watching the interview of Jemima Rodrigues who with an unbeaten 127 runs against the mighty Australians, steered the Indian women’s cricket team into the World Cup final. There she stood, tears cruising down her tired face, and instead of boasting about her shots or her timing, she kept repeating…
You, Me, and Police Encounters..!
Fifteen thousand encounters since 2017! Can you imagine that? Fifteen thousand men and women shot dead in so-called “encounters,” and two hundred and fifty six “hardened criminals” eliminated in just one state. I say “hardened criminals” in quotes because what seems truly hardened today is not the criminal, but the…
Political Leaders and Their Pics..!
Every morning I open the newspaper, and what greets me? The smiling, smirking, sneering faces of our political leaders. I go for a walk, and there they are on giant billboards. They are there in advertisements for roads, in government schemes, even on electricity bills. Sometimes I wonder whether I…
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.