Karan Thapar

Should the death penalty be abolished? My answer is a clear and unequivocal yes. I come to that conclusion both in terms of practical concerns as well as moral principles. Are there any grounds for claiming the death penalty is an effective deterrent? Karan Thapar writes.

Rarely have I written in praise of politicians, so today is certainly an exception. However, the truth is I feel I have to support Omar Abdullah’s comments on the hanging of Afzal Guru. Karan Thapar writes.

The truth is we've become an intolerant people. When we don't like a film we stop its screening. When we disapprove of a book we ban it. When we disagree with someone's speech we censor it. Karan Thapar writes.

We whipped up passions when we should have helped audiences realise the LoC is a tough place, where brutal actions often happen and both sides retaliate in equally gruesome ways. When tempers cool and time lends perspective, our audience won’t forgive us for half-truths. Karan Thapar writes.

It may sound flippant but, actually, it's the truth - you'd be hard pressed to think of more silly and objectionable things to say about rape than those expressed by some of our worthies. Karan Thapar writes.

Zareer Masani’s book Macaulay presents a portrait of a man we know little about but owe a lot to, writes Karan Thapar.

Although he was unaware of it, my first moment of what I think of as fame - if you'll permit a little blowing of the old trumpet! - was because of Pandit Ravi Shankar. It happened in January 1977. Karan Thapar writes.

Rape doesn’t happen because politicians won’t strengthen the law and are insensitive to the victims. Rape doesn’t happen because the courts are slow in meting out justice or the legal process humiliates the victims. Rape happens because men rape, writes Karan Thapar.

Sometimes the media don’t think before they ask questions. That was the case, last week when they debated: ‘Are the Australian radio jockeys to blame for the death of the Indian nurse Jacintha Saldanha?’ Karan Thapar writes.

I can’t claim I had anything of value to say but Inder Gujral treated me as if I was a well-informed adult, writes Karan Thapar.

Section 66A of the Information Technology Act is a bludgeon. It offends against the concept of the beauty of the law. It’s crude. It degrades whoever drafted it, writes Karan Thapar.

Patience and consideration makes Aung San Suu Kyi so different. She has the capacity to make ordinary people feel special, writes Karan Thapar.

Is Gen VK Singh, a former army chief, justified in demanding the immediate dissolution of Parliament and, separately, threatening to gherao it or is this a lapse of judgement? Karan Thapar writes.

There's one question that's dominated the last week. It's been asked again and again. Equally significantly, it's been put by a wide range of people. "Do you believe Salman Khurshid?" My answer is simple and blunt: yes. Karan Thapar writes.

If it makes you think I’m speaking on robert Vadra’s behalf, or defending him, should that deter me? If it does I’m not a devil’s advocate, writes Karan Thapar.