Today has two celebrations—Gandhi Jayanti and Dasara—both point us to the same lesson: the fight for freedom and the triumph of good over evil. But before we burst firecrackers or garland Gandhi’s statues, let’s pause and ask a small but piercing question: What did the Mahatma actually fight for? “Freedom!”…
Eight Minutes Late..!
The bus was supposed to arrive at 6:15. It turned up at 6:23. Eight minutes late. Eight minutes in which I transformed from a calm citizen to a pacing tiger outside a zoo cage. I looked at my watch, scowled at the road, and mentally composed angry letters to the…
Behave Like Winners..!
It’s been a strange spectacle, isn’t it? Eleven men in blue who carry the hopes of a billion people on their shoulders, but when they walk the field in the Asian Cup, their behaviour reeks not of victors, but sulking losers. The scoreboard may tell us we’ve won, but the…
A Wet, Marked, Used Bible..!
This morning, while sitting in my little garden, I opened my Bible for my usual quiet time. The birds were chirping, the breeze was gentle, and everything looked perfect for meditation — until a few mischievous drops of rain were blown onto my open pages. I jumped up, hastily closing…
Your Taxes-Our Re-Election Fund..!
Today, as I opened the morning paper, my coffee nearly turned cold. There it was, staring me in the face—Bihari women had each received ten thousand rupees, not from some benevolent businessman, not from a charitable trust, but from our tax money. Ten thousand each! And with a smile added:…
Very ‘Positive’ Talks..!
Today nothing serious okay, just a fictitious tale! Ruby and Jai met in New York. Ruby’s country couldn’t care less what he said; Jai’s country counted each minute he spent with the other man. Finally, Jai returned and announced proudly that the talks were “positive.” Now, how do I know…
Swadeshi and My Maruti 800..!
There’s something about the word Swadeshi that makes the chest swell and the voice quiver with patriotism. We picture Gandhi at his spinning wheel, khadi clothes fluttering, and villagers proudly making salt. Today, the Prime Minister thunders about Swadeshi, and dutifully, like good children of the soil, we nod our…
Visas, Tariffs and Doing Unto Others..!
I sat this morning and saw headline after headline of India and Indians being targeted abroad. In America, Trump’s tariffs, visa upheavals and deportations hit businessmen and students. In England, placards scream against “outsiders.” In Australia and Ireland, fists and words are raised against Indians. And as I watch our…
Prayer Power or Perturbed Pacing..!
Ever stood outside an ICU? If you have, you’ll know the scene. A husband walking up and down like a tiger in a cage, muttering under his breath. A mother wringing her hands, glancing at the closed doors every second. A son staring at his phone but not really seeing…
Birthday Celebrations and Democracy..!
A few days ago, newspapers greeted us with full page ads all trying to outdo each other in wishing the PM on his birthday. We also watched lavish celebrations and wondered whether we were still a democracy—or whether we had quietly slipped into some ancient monarchy. Streets decorated, speeches thundered,…
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.