All stories by Sheela Bhatt
'My father's Rath Yatra changed Indian politics'
Rediff.com5 Aug 2020Just six years after his father's Rath Yatra, the BJP came to power in New Delhi in 1996, points out Jayant Advani.
'Gandhi's Ram is my Ram'
Rediff.com4 Aug 2020'Does a secular nation not believe in its ancestry? The Constitution has a photo of Ram also.'
'Ram is not only for the Hindus, Ram is for everyone'
Rediff.com4 Aug 2020'If the Ram Mandir is made, it is because of the collective strength of our country.'
Revealed: How India launched its war against COVID-19
Rediff.com30 Jul 2020'The lockdown was for both: To flatten the curve or more correctly, delay the rapid spread of COVID outbreak, and to create healthcare infrastructure.'
Answered: When COVID-19 will end
Rediff.com24 Jul 2020'"The end" depends on two things.' 'Either you develop a vaccine which is effective or if you have a drug, you can terminate this infection very quickly.' 'Otherwise, you have to depend on herd immunity.' 'I think it should happen earlier. Far earlier, than we can imagine or achieve 'herd immunity'.'
'We have to be prepared for China trying to take it to the next level'
Rediff.com10 Jul 2020'We should not worry too much about Indian capabilities, both military and otherwise.'
'My worry relates to possibility of social collapse'
Rediff.com6 Jul 2020'The theme of death seems to be a theme about which many of us, raised in Western societies, have almost completely removed from consciousness; it represents a theme that is suddenly and forcefully resurging now.' 'And for some, this is scary and destabilising.'
India-China: 'More dangerous than before'
Rediff.com6 Jul 2020'Why has the peace been kept?' 'Basically because there is a balance.' 'Maybe they think that balance has changed.' 'People can make mistakes. People can miscalculate.' 'If that is the cause, then I think what we have done, matching their build-up, etc, it is giving a good account of ourselves in the face-offs.'
'This Chinese behaviour, aggression and brutality has not been seen for a very long time'
Rediff.com2 Jul 2020'This Chinese behaviour we have not seen for a very long time.' 'This sort of build up on the border, this pattern in Chinese behaviour, and especially the aggression and brutality with which our people were attacked on the 15th of June, this is not something we have seen before.'
'China expects us to behave the way China would!'
Rediff.com30 Jun 2020'And this mirror imaging is the most dangerous thing because it leads to tremendous misunderstandings.'
'Politicians have to stand tall in a crisis'
Rediff.com2 Jun 2020'It is the moment where compassion and empathy must supersede our identity, politics, or our ambitions.'
'Not one rupee has come to states to fight COVID'
Rediff.com31 May 2020'The stimulus packages, sector reliefs, loans etc are coming to industry, but state governments have not got any money from GST, no money from excise, no money from any income source.'
'Under very difficult circumstances, people are going above and beyond the call of duty'
Rediff.com29 May 2020'It has been a phenomenal effort at all levels of the government.' 'People were working 15-16 hour shifts in the central government, in the state governments, in the districts....'
Meet the man who ensured food supply during lockdown
Rediff.com26 May 2020'If the mandis were not working in Delhi, or the onion market in Nashik got affected, or there were disruptions because of unloading or loading in any sector in south India, we intervened.'
COVID-19: 'Modi is the Muqaddar ka Sikandar'
Rediff.com1 May 2020'This pandemic has given him a new platform to perform,' says a member of the government. 'He should feel lucky that he has got an opportunity now to demonstrate to the world his original talent.' 'He needs a visionary script to perform.' Sheela Bhatt reports on the politics of the pandemic.
REVEALED: Government plans for post May 3 India
Rediff.com1 May 2020Nothing is going to dramatically open up on May 3. There will be too many ifs and buts and terms and conditions and guidelines in leading one's life in various zones, reveals Sheela Bhatt.
'Numbers will stabilise around April 25'
Rediff.com22 Apr 2020'...If people follow the lockdown well.'
'We have done our best, far earlier compared to the rest of the world'
Rediff.com22 Apr 2020'On January 17, we had our first meeting with the Cabinet secretary.' 'Different secretaries belonging to different departments attended it.' 'It was only two weeks when China had said there is a new disease.' 'So, we gave the quickest response.'
'Curve may flatten soon because of lockdown effect'
Rediff.com22 Apr 2020'Don't panic. Believe in yourself.' 'This is a preventable illness. Only you can prevent it.'
AIIMS Chief: How India will succeed in COVID-19 fight
Rediff.com21 Apr 2020'The fight against COVID-19 is not a hospital fight.' 'It's a community level fight. 'If your community level measures are good, you can decrease the number of people coming to hospitals, or flatten it.'