‘I have full faith in your sense of justice’
By Vijay Darda | 05-07-2016 My dear brothers and sisters of Yavatmal, The management of Yavatmal Public School immediately suspended the two monsters who committed an extreme atrocity against the minor girls of the school. The matter was reported to the police authorities as soon as all the information became available. Everyone has taken serious […]
Understanding neighbours & friends
By Vijay Darda | 07-06-2016 I have met and interacted with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on several occasions and can take the liberty of calling him a friend. He is a professional diplomat – warm knowledgeable, friendly yet firm and persuasive. It was at a dinner for the visiting delegates of […]
The foreign policy disarray
By Vijay Darda | 19-04-2016 A lot of our energy is usually expended in deliberating over our troubles with Pakistan and China whenever attention is focused on foreign policy affairs. This is quite natural because bulk of our security and strategic challenges emerge from Islamabad and Beijing. The fact is that these two countries […]
Not by doubting everyone’s patriotism
By Vijay Darda | 11-04-2016 It is a given that every Indian is a patriotic citizen. No one has to pass any test of patriotism. That is simply an anathema. It is like being asked to prove your loyalty to your parents. Of course, there are ways and means prescribed in the law and […]
No way to fight terror
By Vijay Darda | 04-04-2016 Sometime in January this year at an international event, Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif told his audience: “Pakistan has paid a very heavy price in terms of lives. There is a huge economic loss also. But our resolve to fight against terrorism is getting stronger every day. ” Prime […]
As Mother Teresa becomes Saint
By Vijay Darda | 21-03-2016 When we think of Mother Teresa our mind almost compulsively also recalls Princess Diana. Though we know that physically there is no comparison between the two. The Princess was tall, elegant and simply charming, Mother was short hunched and perhaps born old. We remember her wrinkled hands in prayer […]
Redeem the Padma awards
By Vijay Darda | 01-02-2016 Right at the outset, let me make a statement. I am not among those who believe that the Padma awards or for that matter all the honours should be abolished. On the contrary, I have a firm belief in the inspiring value of these honours and strongly believe that […]
An avoidable Dalit atrocity
By Vijay Darda | 25-01-2016 Atrocities on Dalits are not an unusual occurrence in our society. There was the incident when two dalit children were burnt to death when their family was attacked by their upper caste rivals near Faridabad. There is that infamous Khairlanji incident that shocked the collective conscience of the society […]
Comrade who worked out a President
By Vijay Darda | 04-01-2016 For most Nagpurians and the rest of us in Maharashtra, from the 60s onwards Comrade Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan was a loser. He would lose election after election, but was still the CPI candidate. Yet, he is the only comrade who worked out a President of India. Roll back to […]
Sushmaji in Islamabad is fine, but why?
By Vijay Darda | 14-12-2015 The good news first. Our external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has travelled to Pakistan. She is the first foreign minister from India to go to Islamabad after the long forgotten S M Krishna in September 2012. Better news still awaits us when in nine months Prime Minister Narendra Modi […]