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Setting the Record Straight: A Response to Misplaced Diagnosis of BJP’s 2024 Mandate

Today morning I came across a published piece by a seasoned political commentator who goes on to overimplify his analyss of the 2024 Lok Sabha election by observing: " Though the BJP won the third parliamentary election last year and created a record of installing Narendra Modi as the first non-Congress PM to be sworn in for the third time in a row, the public anger was indeed felt. The shockingly low number of LS seats won in 2024 was a jolt to Modi and Amit Shah, the chief strategist, personally. Shah's alleged rivalry with Yogi resulted in humiliating show of the party in the largest State." While some commentators are quick to interpret the reduced tally of BJP seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a sign of public anger or internal discord, such assessments are both superficial and misleading. I hold a different view rooted in ground realities and a broader civilizational lens. The dip in numbers must be seen in the context of an unholy alliance of political oppor...

My Guitar, My Love

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  Lyrics and composition:  Lalit Shastri Vocals : Eles Genre:  Soulful Acoustic / Folk-Pop Ballad Duration:  3:16 Rating:  ★★★★☆ (4.6/5)   Click & Play - My Guitar, My Love A Love Letter in Song: Where Strings Speak and Silence Sings In a world saturated with synthetic hooks and overproduced pop, “My Guitar, My Love” arrives like a breath of raw, heartfelt air. Written and composed by Lalit Shastri , the track is an evocative acoustic ballad that transforms a guitar from a musical instrument into a living, breathing embodiment of love, sensuality, and companionship. This is not just a song—it’s a conversation between soul and string.  Lyrics That Seduce the Silence Shastri’s lyricism is both poetic and intimate. Lines like “She moans in tones both sweet and wild / A lover’s voice, untamed, beguiled” are rich with double meaning—merging the tactile act of playing music with the emotional intimacy of human connection. The refrain “She’s my guita...

Love the Fact You Are Alive

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A soulful acoustic tribute to the little things that make life beautiful. "Love the Fact You Are Alive" by Lalit Shastri  invites you to slow down and celebrate the joy in everyday moments—with birdsong, street dogs, butterflies, and drifting clouds. Let it warm your heart. "Love the Fact You Are Alive" is a heartfelt acoustic gem that celebrates life in its purest, most joyful form. With gentle strumming and warm, organic vocals, the song walks us through the beauty of ordinary moments—grass sprouting, birds singing, and a faithful street dog resting after a day's work. The lyrics carry the innocence of wonder and the depth of reflection, wrapped in a soothing melody that feels both personal and universal. What stands out is the sincerity in voice—it doesn’t perform the words, it lives them. The musical arrangement supports the poetry gracefully, never overwhelming the listener, but allowing space for every image to bloom. The change to “clouds that drift and...

The Shortest Stint

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Lalit Shastri Early one morning, just as I was about to leave for my walk, a car pulled up at my front gate. It wasn’t the time for visitors, but as I approached, I recognized a friend from the Industry Department. After exchanging greetings, I led him into the drawing room, where he wasted no time in getting to the point. The early morning visitor informed me that his boss, XYZ, had been in New Delhi for several days, awaiting his appointment as CMD of Air India. The PMO had cleared his appointment, but the Civil Aviation Minister was sitting on the file, delaying the process. He explained that a senior journalist, known for covering the aviation sector, was also a close confidant of the Minister. That day, the Minister was scheduled to address a press conference, and if the journalist could raise the issue, it might put enough pressure to expedite the appointment. "What do you expect me to do?" I asked. He urged me to contact the journalist and request him to intervene. Rig...

Congress diehards pushing Chomsky centric narrative to paint entire media with the same brush

 Lalit Shastri Congress diehards clinging precariously to the party, that’s going down a never-ending slide at a fast pace election after election and its leadership that couldn’t be more unpopular are trying every trick possible to build a tilted narrative to somehow revive their party’s shattered image and prospects without realizing that the majority of the Indian population is now too wary of the Congress leadership and their sectarian and communal politics. The latest in terms of a narrative from the Congress side is the futile bid to touch a chord with  the opinion makers across India by using Noam Chomsky as an intellectual and author of “How the World Works” to criticise the media at large using Chomsky to give a call for heightened media literacy and vigilance.   The thought being thats being forward very subtly through the social media is that breaking free of constraints requires expanding the spectrum of acceptable thought, questioning entrenched assumptions, ...

Memoir: Remembering My Dear Friend, Nasir Mirza

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The author is on extreme left. Second from left is Nawabzada Nasir Mirza, who left for the heavenly abode on 3rd Dec. 2014.  He was the youngest Prince of Bhopal State and grandson of erstwhile Nawab of Bhopal H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan and son of Nawabzadi Qamar-i-Taj Dulhan Rabia Sultan Begum Sahiba, the youngest daughter of H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan (1916–2001) and Late Agha Mohammad Nadir.  I still vividly remember the warmth and kindness of Nawabzada Nasir Mirza, my dear friend who left us for his heavenly abode on December 3, 2014. He was a man of noble lineage and an even nobler spirit, the youngest Prince of Bhopal State and the grandson of the illustrious Nawab of Bhopal, H.H. Sir Hamidullah Khan. His mother, Nawabzadi Qamar-i-Taj Dulhan Rabia Sultan Begum Sahiba, was the youngest daughter of Sir Hamidullah Khan. Rabia Sultan Nasir carried forward the legacy of his family with quiet dignity. His mother’s eldest sister, Abida Sultan, the heiress apparent to the title of...

A Call for Peace, Inclusion, and Sustainability on my Birthday

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Lalit Shastri As a global society, we must strive for peaceful coexistence and embrace the spirit of inclusivity. Our shared future depends on our collective responsibility to protect the environment, preserve wildlife, and safeguard the delicate balance of our ecosystems, including our rivers and forests. It is time we shun violence, extremism, and division in all its forms, fostering unity over discord. We envision a socio-economic order where equity, transparency, and accountability reign, ensuring that skill and merit are valued over privilege, exploitation and denial of equal opportunity to all due to the quota or reservation system. Also, corruption has no place in a society where every individual is dedicated to the common good, working for the advancement of humanity and securing a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.  Together, we can build a world where compassion, justice with fairness, and progress guide our actions—creating a legacy that honors bo...