Opinion: 'When Hopes Are Dashed By Foul Politics'...

By TJS George (Guest Writer)

The heroes of modern political tragedy have villainy without the redeeming features of character and catharsis. Unlike Macbeth and Othello, the likes of Om Prakash Chautala and Janardhana Reddy knew that they were not victims but makers of destiny, and that they had the option not to abuse power. Yet, they displayed neither the understanding of Duryodhana nor the discretion of Ravana. They just went power-mad. Thousands of such abusers of power are still at large.

Deodorant Ad On TV Mistaken As 'Bharat Nirman' Ad

By Rupender Sharma / Delhi

A man in his 20’s mistook a deodorant ad running on TV as a Bharat Nirman ad, sources tells this correspondent. “You can’t blame me!” said a visibly embarrassed Rahul Singh, “They were showing such surreal images that made an aam aadmi’s life look so easy and enjoyable; I thought it was one of those Bharat Nirman ads.”

Rahul, who has never been able to impress any girl in his two decades long existence, was impressed when he saw hordes of girls running after a man after the man applied deodorant on his body.

Movie Review: 'Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani' Is 'Worthy' Film

By Niloufer Khan / Mumbai

While watching Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, the biggest question is not whether Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone get together or which anti-ageing cream Madhuri Dixit uses. It’s this: when Sooraj Barjatya saw Karan Johar and Ayan Mukerji’s latest offering, did he grin triumphantly or snort contemptuously? Because with its candy-floss friendships, picturesque settings, flat yet strangely endearing characters and destination wedding, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani fits neatly into the Rajshri Productions stable. In fact, the film could well be this generation’s Hum Aapke Hain Kaun? (complete with Dixit’s blessings).

Why PMO Is Protecting The Uusecured 'Defaulters'?

By Rajinder Puri / New Delhi

Recall the Oil for Food scam probed by the UN appointed Volcker Committee which submitted its report seven years ago.  Natwar Singh was sacked from the cabinet for alleged involvement in that deal after the Justice Pathak Commission probing the deal submitted its report. One would like to refresh the reader’s memory by what appeared in the article "Can Corrupt Politicians Preserve Freedom?" on August 15, 2006.

One wrote: “The Pathak Report most conveniently dovetailed with the political objectives of the Congress.  Natwar Singh "misused" his position but took no money. Therefore he deserved cabinet expulsion but no legal conviction.

'ZOOZOO' ARRESTED FOR SPOT-FIXING IN IPL MATCHES

By Farzaand Ahmed / New Delhi

Almost every entity associated with IPL is coming under scanner for betting and spot-fixing in cricket matches. The latest victim is ZooZoo – the white humanoid character promoting Vodafone telecommunication services.

“This ZooZoo was seen in most IPL matches and we have recovered hundreds of mobile phones from him,” Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar informed, “He (ZooZoo) speaks in a weird way so we are having trouble questioning him, but we hope to get more leads from him.”

ZooZoo is the third weird character – after Sreesanth and Vindoo Dara Singh – who has been arrested in the latest scandal that has shaken the morale of the otherwise corruption-free nation.

IPL-7 WILL BE A MOVIE STARRING 'SACHIN TENDULKAR'

By Jignesh Ahuja / Mumbai

The IPL series will continue despite the recent spot-fixing controversy, confirmed the BCCI. However, IPL 7 will see a small format change so that Sachin Tendulkar is visible even in the next season.

“The current 20-20 league format is very hard to sustain given all the controversy,” a BCCI spokesman told to a newly acquired news website before the morning rush at his tea counter, “We can deliver all the drama and excitement without all this trouble by turning IPL 7 into a scripted movie.”

But writing the script is proving difficult. “We’re trying to make it exciting,” said writer Amit Jain, “but after the spot fixing scandal, drunken celebrities fighting security and late night rave parties, anything we write just seems a bit boring and predictable.”

WILL 'MARUTI' BECOME 'TATA MOTORS' IN GUJARAT?

By Poonam Mondal / Ahmedabad

Narendra Modi’s political strategy may be working wonders for him, but definitely not his business strategy.

According to a report, discontent is brewing in 44 villages covering 126,000 acres of land in the Mandal Becharaji belt, which has been notified as special investment region (SIR).

SIRs are similar to special economic zones, but units established here are not just export-oriented. Apart from commercial and industrial units, such regions can also house residential areas and offer logistic connectivity.

BEYOND CHHT'GARH, NAXALS REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE?

By M H Ahssan / Hyderabad

Ever since last week’s massacre in Chhattisgarh, elements of the intelligentsia have launched ferocious search for The Root Cause of violent Maoism—the Holy Grail of India’s left-liberal discourse on terrorism.  It’s been claimed, again and again, that the conflict is being fuelled by the predatory intrusion of the Indian state into the adivasi heartland—through state terrorism, the dispossession of their land, and the impoverishment of peoples by neo-liberalism.