We expected them to speak about us, the dalits, the untouchables. Because, for us, speaking about Babasaheb without speaking about us, is meaningless. We thought they will speak about the attacks on us. We wanted them to speak about people who still shamelessly call us dogs. We hoped that they will talk about things that will help in the education of our children, jobs for us and an improvement in our overall life. For us, Ambedkar is a struggle and we thought that there will be a talk of our struggles in the parliament. Glued to the TV, we watched and watched and watched.

THE BJP and the Sangh Parivar in Karnataka once again are in the game of disturbing communal harmony in the state. This time around it was on the pretext of opposing the birth anniversary celebrations of 18th century ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. The Congress government in Karnataka has decided to celebrate the Tipu birthday officially from this year onwards and it prepared to conduct official functions throughout the state on November 10.

THIS year, 2015, marks the end of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The end of MDGs should not mean that all the targets set in them are reached. Instead, their place is taken by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

THERE is stench all around us. Dirt piling up, people urinating on the roads and defecating in the open – all these continue to offend our sensibilities. So, suddenly when there came a prime minister who stood upon the ramparts of the Red Fort to address all of us, on the issue confronting all of us, we are all more than happy. Here comes the doer! Come tomorrow, we need not be closing our nostrils when we move around! More than all this, we need not be ashamed of our roads, cities or our country. Particularly, before foreigners. Doer, he is, deliver he will.

THE RSS and dozens of its so-called socio-cultural outfits have become very aggressive in unleashing violence during recent months since the BJP assumed power on its own under the leadership of Narender Modi. In spite of false tall promises and acute anti incumbency against the UPA-2 government, the BJP had got a mere 31 percent of the vote share.