Salman Rushdie on leaders exploiting religion

"...it’s not about religion, it’s about power. We need to expose the ruthlessness and the unscrupulousness of these leaders who are doing this for completely corrupt and venal reasons. Exploiting religion in order to create a political atmosphere that they think will benefit them"

Kudos to Mamata Banerjee

Kudos to Mamata Banerjee for her historic stand against the FDI and other reform push policy of UPA-2. She has walked out of the UPA, and her ministers will resign on Friday.

It seems somewhat surprising and unexpected specially in view of her not-so-good track record of ruling West Bengal for over a year.

You could only expect this move from the Left who claimed - do they claim now - themselves as the champion of the poor and the down trodden. But Mamata has done it, and how well-timed it is!

 Of course, it entails great risk for her personal career as well as the future of her party Trinamul Congress, but it is going to get her a great mileage in terms of her image as a people's leader.

Who, among our politicians, are concerned about the plight of the common man? It's not certainly the triumvirate who rules India now.

So, is Mamata the new messiah?

Unlikely. She lacks the mindset and capability of one.

There is probably a cool and intelligent brain, perhaps of another human being, behind her decision.

Yet she deserves our kudos. Doesn't she?

Teesta Setalvad on Naroda Patiya verdict

One knows there are good people everywhere who are really appreciating what you are doing, but very few want to take on the system themselves and get into trouble. But you can only take on a system when you engage with it, and when you engage with the system, you risk yourself the most. The system works to tire you out; not give you justice. If you have grit and are lucky, you survive. If you are not lucky, you won’t.