Kuldip Nayar

BETWEEN THE LINES

Veteran Indian journalist, syndicated columnist, human right activist and author. He was appointed High Commissioner to Great Britain in 1990 and nominated to the upper house of Indian Parliament in 1997. He is also the author of 15 books, including "Beyond the Lines” and "India after Nehru."

71 years on, frosty relations continue

It was August 12, 1947, three days before India became free. My father, a practicing doctor, summoned us, the three brothers, and asked what our plans were. I told him that I wanted to stay in Pakistan just as the Muslims would in India.

6y ago

Lynching to nowhere

More gruesome details about the Alwar lynching have come to light. Rakbar Khan, the victim, could have been saved if the police had acted in time. In fact, the force stopped for tea and wasted three and a half hours in reaching the victim to the hospital. He bled to death. If one were to put all the pieces together, one would come to the conclusion that the police delay was deliberate.

6y ago

Can Imran Khan be the man of the people?

The army in Pakistan seems to have devised a way where a particular person is elected even without a valid cause. Imran Khan is a product of such phenomena. Long before the latest elections, his name was tossed around.

6y ago

Dangers to secularism

I recall after the Independence, politician and diplomat Syed Shahabuddin articulated the Muslim point of view. He did not ask for separation but suggested a self-rule for Muslims within the country. Nobody took him seriously, not even the Muslims because the partition had brought misery to both the communities.

6y ago

Rift in India-US relations

An autocrat can really unhinge a democratic system. This is what President Donald Trump is doing. But he is also turning into an imperialist power.

6y ago

A modicum of truth

I feel honoured that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken notice of my criticism. Indeed, he praised me and said: “I respect veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar ji, he fought for freedom during emergency, he maybe a harsh critic of us but I salute him for this.” The prime minister and I are on the same page when it comes to the criticism of the emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister.

6y ago

An apology overdue

Certain dates are so important in a nation's history that they cannot be forgotten.

6y ago

A false step

Pranab Mukherjee is a man of all-political affiliations. He has occupied the highest position as a Congressman and has also floated a political party with a few of his associates in the Congress. But one can call him a self-made man in the political arena. He has accepted the invitation to visit the RSS headquarters at Nagpur to address the cadre.

6y ago
March 12, 2016
March 12, 2016

An incomplete version

One of them is the imposition of the Emergency. Whatever has been published so far does not justify such a step. Was Indira Gandhi's unseating by the Allahabad High Court the real reason or the countrywide demonstrations by opposition parties?

March 6, 2016
March 6, 2016

The unreal Rajya Sabha

Some 80 members of state assemblies have entered the portals of the Rajya Sabha - the upper house - this month.

February 24, 2016
February 24, 2016

Spare the students

Today, religious parties have hijacked the society to reap political gains. The most unfortunate part is that religion has made deep inroads into the universities.

February 15, 2016
February 15, 2016

Symptoms of the disease

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's announcement that he would probe and punish the perpetrators of the Pathankot airbase attack comes as a light in the dark, endless tunnel dividing India and Pakistan.

February 1, 2016
February 1, 2016

Ill-conceived, wrong

With the passage of time, Sheikh sahib became the only liberal voice which could be heard clearly in the midst of Hindu and Muslim challenges and counter-challenges.

January 22, 2016
January 22, 2016

Unimportance of awards

This charge will remain because the selection is done by people who are nominated by the government. You can include the opposition leader in the selection panel, but he or she would be in the minority.

January 14, 2016
January 14, 2016

The question of tolerance

I am not a film buff. But I do watch movies by actors like Aamir Khan because he appears to be a natural actor. Such actors make me...

January 1, 2016
January 1, 2016

Modi takes a leaf out of Vajpayees' book

The best tiding of the year gone by is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impromptu visit to Lahore, while returning from Kabul. It was,

December 12, 2015
December 12, 2015

Keep Britain Out

After all, the two communities lived together for centuries before the British introduced the separate electorate; Hindus exercising their vote only in favour of Hindu candidates and Muslims for the candidates of their own religion.

December 4, 2015
December 4, 2015

Is the ice melting?

Suddenly there was summer. A chance 160-second meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif has melted the ice, which seemed frozen beyond change.