No one expected the second coming of Hindutva to be all hunky dory and a model of Gandhian restraint. Indeed, there were myriad voices across the political spectrum, including many within the BJP, who repeatedly warned against the hazards of a diverse democracy electing a polarizing figure like Modi ignoring his eventful past. But not even his numerous critics expected the party to turn sour so soon. Perhaps no other leader in history has managed to polarize and divide his people along a million identities in such a short time as he has. He has been in power barely a year and half and he has split the country down in the middle, with people who have co-existed in peace for centuries thirsting for each other’s blood
AIJAZ ZAKA SYED
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]hah Rukh Khan may not be the finest actor of his generation but he is certainly one of the most loved ones. Some years ago, Time magazine called him the biggest movie star in the world, ahead of Will Smith and Tom Cruise. Across the Middle East and in countries around the world where Hindi is little understood, I’ve run into people whose faces would light up at my Indian connection. “Shah Rukh Khan!” would be the mantra to strike instant connection with comp