Overcoming Challenges to Peace

There are usually two sides to a civil conflict and no matter who strikes first, eventually both sides are wounded. Conflict arises in the first place because both sides stick to their stand, yet to resolve the issue, both need to be made to rise above and look at the larger picture. Breakdown of communication is a major cause in escalating the dispute and thus, dialogue is an important tool in resolving it. When I visited Latin America in June this year, we sent a message to meet with the leaders...

Fanaticism: Rational or Irrational

Life is unfathomable but people attempt to fathom it through diverse perspectives. Owing to its broad social, cultural and economic spectrum, nowhere is this diversity of beliefs as pronounced as it is in India.   When everyone is granted freedom of expression by the constitution, dissent is inevitable but violence is no way to express it. Anyone who responds to a dissenting view with violence only shows his cowardice. Noted scholar Prof. M.M Kalburgi from Dharwad was recently assassinated...

A Capital Lesson

The Delhi assembly election has shown that nobody can take people for granted in a democracy. It is refreshing to see a record voting turnout and a near unanimous result. AAP did a commendable job of getting rid of the baggage from last year and reconnecting with the voters. BJP, on the other hand, was complacent from a string of victories and paid the price. Congress, with this performance, has shown once again that it continues to live in its own world, completely unwilling to make any effort...