tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690995227212267872026-04-14T14:54:44.339+05:30Bringing you news, views and, well, bullshit since 2016Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-64991003671949781562015-09-30T14:46:00.001+05:302015-09-30T23:48:04.939+05:30

In a definite sign of the increasing religious polarisation that India is undergoing right now, a fringe groups has demanded that the government introduce a complete ban on the slaughter of any kind of human being. Ravi Kumar, spokesperson for the action group “Human Hamari Mata Hai” (Humans are Our Mothers) based this outlandish demand on his ancient religious beliefs. “We believe in

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-80534715900302420962014-08-25T16:36:00.000+05:302014-08-26T12:08:58.384+05:30

From our Business Correspondent Love Jihad Inc.’s (LJI) shares slumped more than 7% on Monday after the firm gave a weak forecast that sparked concern about future conversion growth. LJI executives tried to calm analyst concerns during a conference call by arguing that underlying growth is stronger than the top-line guidance suggested. CEO, also confirmed that the firm will be entering new

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-89591604946559972972014-08-11T14:45:00.000+05:302014-08-11T14:45:27.603+05:30

On secularism, as on much else, the BJP seems to have no overall strategic plan. My piece in Scroll.in today.

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-57442987488221068162014-07-04T11:58:00.001+05:302014-07-04T11:58:18.641+05:30

AK Antony last week decried his party's appeasement of Muslims, but Congress policies have never addressed the genuine needs of the community. My piece in Scoll.in today.  

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-382900335747925962014-06-27T00:36:00.000+05:302014-06-27T00:36:01.218+05:30

The Maharashtra government’s attempts at attracting the Muslim vote by promising reservations look rather jaded, especially given how some other states have gone beyond empty words to actually implement Muslim quotas which are working well. An edited version of this piece was first published on Scroll.in After 2 months or so of calm, the word “Muslim” is trending in the media again.

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-13466166977114332592014-06-07T10:45:00.001+05:302014-06-07T10:45:55.398+05:30

I have a piece up on Scroll.in which explores why the BJP is so eager for a UCC but strangely silent and even keen on other religion-based laws.

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-37229980291363689482014-05-22T14:33:00.001+05:302014-05-22T14:33:33.875+05:30

Stop by the bazaar And see the carts laden With plump Alphonsos Tempting me like sin Get home and slice one open Like unwrapping a present Glistening in the rich orange My eyes have a lusty tint Bite into the flesh, yes! With groans and a spasm Pleasure washes over me like waves As I multiple mouth-orgasm “Oh Lord, yes, yes, yes!” I acknowledge the God true But in my thanks, I also include

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-84424913845353620402014-05-08T11:47:00.001+05:302014-05-08T11:47:08.256+05:30

For a decade and a bit now, the English-language Indian media has criticised Modi rather sharply on his role in the 2002 anti-Muslim violence and Modi, in turn, had projected himself as a victim of a nefarious “limousine liberal” plot. In his aborted interview with Karan Thapar, for example, Modi flatly rejected any wrongdoing on his part with respect to 2002 and contended that this

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-87603247533497628612014-04-25T16:25:00.001+05:302014-04-25T16:35:45.590+05:30

This is an excerpt from the diary of Nitin, a 19-year old college student who lives in Bandra, Bombay. It is dated from 24 April, 2014, the day the city went to the polls and might go some way in explaining the city’s abysmal voting percentages. Ok, the day started off in a fairly confusing manner, a sign of things to come. All the newspapers outside my door carried the exact same

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-17794565640003405512014-04-15T20:10:00.001+05:302014-04-15T20:10:40.416+05:30

Arvind Kejriwal is the only major politician in India to sport Western wear in public. What does this tell us about his politics? A couple of days back, Arvind Kejriwal released a video titled “Samvaad - Arvind Kejriwal's message for all Indians”. Not having enough money to advertise on mass media (a fact that Kejriwal mentions in the video himself to gain sympathy) the Aam Aadmi Party

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-3485520410471379392014-04-07T23:46:00.005+05:302014-04-07T23:46:55.769+05:30

The AIUDF has decided to fight the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. Given their success in Assam, this could point to the rise of a similar Muslim formation in Bengal, along the lines of the post-Mandal caste parties of the heartland. [Read my entire piece here]

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-35669567026167056872014-04-07T12:30:00.001+05:302014-04-07T12:30:57.376+05:30

As Ambedkar had warned, Indians have a curious predilection towards bhakti and hero-worship in politics, one that has caused the country much harm. Given Modi’s iron grip within the BJP, we must guard against repeating old mistakes. The last few days have been especially eventful for the always hectic Modi campaign. The BJP disciplined three of its patriarchs, Advani, MM Joshi and Jaswant Singh

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-57567369226593685722014-04-04T10:19:00.000+05:302014-04-04T10:19:10.839+05:30

The UPA, in the past decade, has introduced a new paradigm in India’s development story: the Rights-Based Approach. This article explores the origins of this strategy and evaluates its impact on India.  It would be a bit of an understatement to say that the UPA is in a bad way. Large swathes of public opinion have turned against it, the media uses it as a punching bag and even its own

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-53358235586949136842014-03-25T11:29:00.001+05:302014-03-25T11:30:52.056+05:30

Cross posted on Tarikh Par Tarikh On Tuesday, Nevile Maxwell, a former journalist with The Times, posted in Delhi, published sections of the Henderson Brooks–Bhagat Report on his personal website. The report was an investigation into the 1962 military debacle and is still classified as ‘Top Secret’ by the Government of India. Maxwell wrote that he was publishing the report on his

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-28426185492090422462014-03-22T14:12:00.000+05:302014-03-22T14:12:22.344+05:30

Opinion polls are projecting huge gains for the BJP in Bihar in 2014 with one survey even predicting a doubling of its vote share. I have a piece up on DNA which uses past voting and demographic data to show why such a windfall is unlikely. Opinion polls are predicting a doubling of the BJP’s vote share in Bihar. Is that possible?

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-80705825885448303992014-03-11T11:37:00.002+05:302014-03-12T14:16:06.044+05:30

There are many signs of the decadence of our society. Signs that point to its slow but inexorable descent into chaos. Markers that warn of losing order, civilisation and all that is good. Of those signs, there is none more obvious, more dire than the very existence of Chicken "Biryani”. BIRYANI! (strides up and down; voice booms); Biryani, ladies and gentleman is a dish which exploits the

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-58003178675647163032014-03-06T12:06:00.000+05:302014-03-06T12:06:35.131+05:30

I recently came across a short debate I had with Mr Sohail Hashmi on Kafila. I found rereading it quite interesting so thought I’d post it up here for posterity. Mr Hashmi, of course, is a writer I much admire and I have, especially, read his writings on the architectural heritage of Delhi with great interest. In this instance he wrote a lovely piece on Faiz, Urdu’s greatest poet of the

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-32907756670663929052014-03-01T12:49:00.001+05:302014-03-01T12:49:27.910+05:30

Cross posted on Tarikh Par Tarikh Relating an incident related to the formation of the Eight Schedule of the Constitution (which contains a list of India’s official languages), Alok Rai says: “Nehru had asked him [M. Satyanarayan] to draw up a list of languages, and he came up with a list of the twelve major regional languages of India. Nehru added a thirteenth, Urdu, before putting the

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-57167747972254426702014-02-24T00:37:00.001+05:302014-02-24T00:37:42.890+05:30

First Published on NewsYaps “If you don't want a man unhappy, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none.” --Captain Beatty, Fahrenheit 451 On the day Wendy Doniger’s The Hindus: An Alternative History was withdrawn by publisher Penguin under pressure from right-wing fundamentalists, it would seem rather apt to recall Ray Bradbury’s

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-44694812238594163872014-02-19T10:04:00.002+05:302014-02-19T10:10:51.607+05:30

The main stick used by Dinanth Batra to silence Wendy Doniger was a law called Section 295 (A) of the IPC. I have a piece up on Scroll.in which goes back to 1920s Lahore and explores the history of how this blasphemy law came about [link]. P.S: Have you checked out Tarikh Par Tarikh?

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-68186099550914944942014-02-14T10:25:00.001+05:302014-02-14T10:25:53.372+05:30

One of the most enduring trends in business is that when an industry matures, it reverses the process of vertical integration. So, when the PC industry was young, a company like IBM did everything: made the processors, RAM, wrote the software and applications and marketed its PCs to consumers. Then deverticalisation happened: Intel took over processor manufacture, Windows made your OS, a whole

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-58161278550317854582014-01-29T13:01:00.001+05:302014-01-29T13:15:50.364+05:30

First published in NewsYaps In a riotously funny scene from recently released comic thriller Dedh Ishqiya, Jaan Mohammad (played by Vijay Raaz) aggressively threatens a very drunk Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) to leave town so that he can win the hand of the beautiful Begum Para (Madhuri Dixit). In a twist typical of the film, fist fights and gun brandishing suddenly give way to poetry, as

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-52166558088622151862014-01-04T01:21:00.000+05:302014-02-12T12:41:16.929+05:30

First published on NewsYaps This New Year and the celebration around it reminds me of some rather contrarian graffiti outside my engineering college in Ranchi from many moons ago. It read, in bold, angry crimson Devanagri letters, “Angrezi saal hataao” (or something to that effect, at any rate). That was all there was: a three-word angry rant. There was no real solution. The protester did

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-10758818653722286032013-12-23T23:40:00.000+05:302014-01-15T12:13:13.214+05:30

First published on NewsYaps In 1916, the Mahatma spoke in Banaras Hindu University on the question of English. He said: “I am hoping that this University will see to it that the youths who come to it will receive their instruction through the medium of their vernaculars. Our languages are the reflection of ourselves, and if you tell me that our languages are too poor to express the best

Shoaib Daniyalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14505444520025822214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1069099522721226787.post-44837465722691635992013-12-23T23:35:00.004+05:302013-12-23T23:38:03.579+05:30

First published on NewsYaps on 20 November 2013 So I’m sitting there, all of 8 years old, listening to the conversation of a gaggle of aunts and uncles at a cousin’s birthday party. The topic revolves around the perfidy of maid servants, always a popular topic at our family gatherings. “And that’s it. She just left. Without any notice, no nothing. And after all that I’d done for her,” an

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