The Importance Of Being Brajesh
The Opposition and the Sangh Parivar launch an attack on the Prime Minister's Office by targeting the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Brajesh Mishra. The Vajpayee camp finds itself fighting a grim political battle to retain credibility even as the Establishment tries to discredit the Tehelka allegations. An analysis.

Supercrat In His Labyrinth
There are 240 secretaries to the Government, but N. K. Singh is always a cut above-in style, networking, and power. The economic policy wizard gets defensive.

The Ways And Means Of Ranjan
Ranjan Bhattacharya's role as nursemaid to Atal Bihari Vajpayee gives the fun-loving foster son-in-law
the image of one who dabbles in government decisions.

Congress' Coalition Flight Grounded
With sceptic constituents, Congress President Sonia Gandhi's
plan to form an alliance just before the assembly elections in five states, may backfire.

Desperately Seeking loopholes
The Bharatiya Janata Party and Samata Party find discrepancies
in the charges levelled against them by Tehelka. But it's just details.

Nursery Of Hate
The week-long violence in Kanpur has cooled down, but the spectre of the Students Islamic Movement of India still looms large. A look at the reach of India's in-house Taliban.

Vroom Service
The four-stroke motorcycle overtakes middle-class India's greatest icon since the valve radio set, as sales of the doughty old scooter stagnate in spite of a spirited fightback.

George Cross
The FIR against Sonia Gandhi's private secretary is a plain corruption issue says the CBI. But, an embarrassed Congress complains of vendetta.

Nothing Official About It
The payment crisis is temporarily stemmed, but clandestine financing ticks like a time bomb.

NEWSNOTES

Voices

"I don't need a certificate of patriotism from the Opposition. I've fought against corruption all my life."
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, prime minister, while addressing a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in Delhi

"Yes, I have not won a single election. But that does not mean I have only a poor understanding of politics."
Pranab Mukherjee, West Bengal Congress president, denying
he had insufficient credentials to be a politician

"My personal view is that it is difficult for a principal secretary to the prime minister to completely keep out of politics."
P.C. Alexander, Maharashtra governor and former principal secretary to the prime minister during Indira Gandhi's tenure

"I believe in fairy tales, I believe in magic. I like weaving fantasies for my audience. I'm a real psycho, crackpot kid."
Ekta Kapoor, creative director, Balaji Telefilms, on what makes her TV serials succeed with Indian viewers

VIS-A-VIS

"The Congress' rejection of a debate in Parliament on the Tehelka expose is akin to Italian fascism."
V.K. Malhotra, BJP Spokesperson

Malhotra is making irresponsible, personal and intemperate remarks about the Congress president."
Ambika Soni, Congress Spokesperson

MetroScape
The Itch For Kitsch
When Kitsch Kitsch Hota Hai opened to an overflowing house at Delhi's India Habitat Centre last week, people didn't quite know what to expect.
more...

Looking Glass


Delhi Exhibition: Unbuilt India-Vision 2001

Delhi Music:
Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival, 2001

Delhi: Showroom
Interiors Espania

The 457-acre estate of the Roerichs near Bangalore is in a pathetic condition. But does anyone care, asks INDIA TODAY's Principal Correspondent Stephen David in Despatches.