I visited the Lincoln Zoo in the US today. As I was walking past the cages, I heard a voice, “Indian, are you?” I stopped. The lion was looking straight at me through the thick glass of his enclosure. “Yes,” I replied proudly. He looked at the lioness beside him…
Refusing to Remove Your Cataract..!
Have we all gone blind? Or is it only our young people whose eyes are still open? As students pour onto the streets in protest, we should begin asking what they are seeing that we have chosen to ignore. Since 2014, India has witnessed more than 150 examination paper leaks….
Handling our Youth in Jantar Mantar..!
Every parent knows there comes a moment when raising your voice no longer works. The child grows taller, develops opinions, discovers Google, and suddenly your famous line, “Because I said so,” loses all its magical powers. Unfortunately, some governments never graduate from parenthood. Watching the young protesters gathering at Jantar…
Forcibly Removed from Fasting..!
When news emerged that Sonam Wangchuk, had allegedly been taken forcibly to hospital after his prolonged hunger strike, I found myself reflecting on a strange contradiction in our country, You may go hungry because you have no job. You may stand in ration queues. You may wonder whether your next…
Plead My Cause..!
Whenever people feel cornered, they immediately begin searching for someone powerful to stand up for them. A political party. A famous lawyer. A celebrity. A wealthy businessman. Someone who can speak louder than their opponents. It is rather like the little boy who, after being bullied in school, ran home…
When You are Just a Topic of Discussion…!
The police inspector adjusts his cap and looks at the trembling prisoner. “So you say you’re innocent?” “Yes, sir.” The inspector sighs. “What unfortunate timing.” “Why, sir?” “Because the crowd has already gathered to watch us beat you up.” “But shouldn’t the judge decide we are guilty or innocent first?”…
Parables, Parallels and Preaching..!
A friend once cornered me after a meeting with great determination in his eyes. “Bobby,” he said, “I have a very important message for you.” I looked at my watch. He spoke for twenty minutes. By the end of it I had forgotten what the beginning was, lost track of…
Mere Spectators in Football…!
“Yippee!” screamed my neighbour. I rushed to his house in the middle of the night, thinking the municipality had finally filled the pothole outside while the city slept “Yippee,” he cried again, staring at the television. “Argentina won!” Outside, the pothole continued widening. The street was flooding. A motorcyclist had…
The Umbrella Economy…!
The interview began brilliantly. “So tell us about yourself,” asked the HR manager. “I have a Master’s degree, an MBA, and five years of corporate experience.” “Excellent. Any special skills?” “Yes, sir.” “What are they?” “While holding an umbrella, I can jump over potholes carrying all my office files, and…
Disbelieving the Loot..!
“I don’t believe it!” The gentleman folded his newspaper, which showed that his Ram Mandir trust had been systematically looted, smiled confidently and waved his hand dismissively. “Impossible,” he said. “People are just spreading rumours.” I have noticed something fascinating about us. We do not judge news by the evidence….
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.