If you're interested in Greek tragedy - or the Shakespearean version, for that matter - you've probably already identified the incredible similarity between Army Chief General VK Singh, on the one hand, and Oedipus and Agamemnon or Coriolanus and Lear, on the other. Each of the last four gentlemen was the cause of his own fall.
Karan Thapar writes.
The cartoon suggests that Ambedkar is a laggard who Nehru had to goad to get a move on.
Karan Thapar writes.
Just because you know how to speak it you don't necessarily know how to write English.
Karan Thapar writes.
If presidents, vice-presidents and PMs have such entitlements why not extend them to speakers as well? Karan Thapar writes.
None of us can quarrel with the vicissitudes of fate but I shall miss Abhishek Manu Singhvi. So too, I predict, will the Congress, writes
Karan Thapar.
I've only met Mamata Banerjee once. It was nearly 11 years ago in 2001. However, that single experience could hold the key to understanding her wayward behaviour today.
The express story relies on slender, if not impro-bable, detail. How can the movement of two units, totalling at the most 1,400 soldiers, presage a coup?
Karan Thapar writes.
King Freddy used to be the most intelligent but also the laziest person I've met. He'd spend all day lounging on a rickety sofa in his study. But his essays were always alpha plus. Karan Thapar writes.
Every now and then Pertie says something that takes me by surprise. So you can imagine how I felt when last week he rang to talk about politicians.
Karan Thapar writes.
The first thing you notice about Downing Street is the unobtrusive security. When I arrived last Friday to interview David Cameron I was convinced getting in would take ages. So I turned up way ahead of time. In fact, it took barely a minute.
Karan Thapar writes.
I've begun to dread phone calls from Pertie. He has an uncanny knack of raising awkward subjects on which his invariably turns out to be the right view. I'm usually on the losing side. Last week was no different.
Karan Thapar writes.
Justice Katju is going to end up as the TN Seshan of modern times. He will attract the same admiration but also, very similarly, raise quite a few hackles and irritate.
Karan Thapar writes.
Let’s start with the Salman Khurshid affair before we delve deeper. There’s a core question many forgot to ask while several overlooked the answer given by the Election Commission. How serious was his original lapse and did it merit censure? Karan Thapar writes.
I've deliberately waited a week because I want to be confident of my opinions before I share them with you. After all, the issues raised by the army chief's age controversy concern an institution I hold in enormous esteem, writes
Karan Thapar.
It was admittedly a casual comment but it stayed with me all week and made me think deeply. Sanjaya Baru said there is one man who, more than any other, deserves the Bharat Ratna but, he fears, might never get it: Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Karan Thapar writes.