author

Shobha Warrier

Shobha Warrier has extensively covered the Sabarimala issue for Rediff.com. She is the author of His Days with Bapu: Gandhi's Personal Secretary Recalls among several books. You can e-mail the author at shobhaw@rediff.co.in

Stories by Shobha Warrier

'The top-down management of a party stifles ambitious political leaders'

'The top-down management of a party stifles ambitious political leaders'

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2021

'We must encourage ambitious leaders and not stifle them.'

'We were like ostriches burying their heads in the sand'

'We were like ostriches burying their heads in the sand'

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2021

'We behaved as if this disease is not a problem for India.' 'We acted as if it would go away. But it didn't go away; it exploded.'

Mr Modi, please listen to Dr John

Mr Modi, please listen to Dr John

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2021

'What the government should do is to use the vaccine judiciously, not just to prevent a third wave alone, but to stop the number of deaths happening in the interim.'

'Maharaja of Travancore was a living saint'

'Maharaja of Travancore was a living saint'

Rediff.com   29 May 2021

'What a saint he was. What a godly person he was.'

'Government of India should own responsibility of universal vaccination'

'Government of India should own responsibility of universal vaccination'

Rediff.com   29 May 2021

'The vaccine policy should be such that all people should get the vaccine free.'

Cyclones are going to be a regular feature

Cyclones are going to be a regular feature

Rediff.com   26 May 2021

'Each cyclone has its own identity and its own behaviour based on the environmental conditions in the ocean and in the atmosphere.'

Lessons from Cyclone Tauktae

Lessons from Cyclone Tauktae

Rediff.com   26 May 2021

'Storms push a lot of water into land, then there is heavy rainfall due to the cyclone.' 'Along with this, we see the gradual rising of the sea level.' 'We see this during and after the latest Cyclone Tauktae.' 'This kind of overlapping events are increasing and we do not know much about how to tackle them.'

Lessons from Cyclone Tauktae

Lessons from Cyclone Tauktae

Rediff.com   24 May 2021

'Storms push a lot of water into land, then there is heavy rainfall due to the cyclone.' 'Along with this, we see the gradual rising of the sea level.' 'We see this during and after the latest Cyclone Tauktae.' 'This kind of overlapping events are increasing and we do not know much about how to tackle them.'

Is Pinarayi jealous of Shailaja's popularity?

Is Pinarayi jealous of Shailaja's popularity?

Rediff.com   19 May 2021

'Here is a woman who has got widespread appreciation for her work.' 'Social media was full of posts wanting her as the chief ministerial candidate.' 'This kind of popularity did not go well within the party.' 'See, today the party is Pinarayi Vijayan!'

'Our healthcare system has collapsed'

'Our healthcare system has collapsed'

Rediff.com   19 May 2021

'Both the Centre and the states cannot say that they have been taking good care of public health.'

''BJP can't put India under their thumb'

''BJP can't put India under their thumb'

Rediff.com   15 May 2021

'The BJP will not be able to create dictatorship of the kind it is perhaps dreaming of.' 'We have Bengal as the biggest example.'

'When people needed oxygen, RBI gave them Horlicks'

'When people needed oxygen, RBI gave them Horlicks'

Rediff.com   12 May 2021

'Are they assuming that by the end of May or the 15th of June, we will see the end of the pandemic?'

'Our vaccine policy is like temple darshan'

'Our vaccine policy is like temple darshan'

Rediff.com   12 May 2021

'If you pay Rs 1,000, you get a special queue.' 'If you pay Rs 500, there will be another shorter queue.' 'There will be a separate queue for Rs 300.' 'Is this the way you give vaccine to the people?'

'Cases will keep increasing in the next few weeks'

'Cases will keep increasing in the next few weeks'

Rediff.com   10 May 2021

'And that means all of us have to be very careful.'

'Should we wait till 10,000 people die every day to close down?'

'Should we wait till 10,000 people die every day to close down?'

Rediff.com   6 May 2021

'We don't have any more time.' 'We should close down, and vaccinate as many people as possible.'

'Economy can bounce back, but the dead won't come back'

'Economy can bounce back, but the dead won't come back'

Rediff.com   6 May 2021

'Unless some serious steps like complete closedown are taken, it will have disastrous consequences.'

'We may have 5 lakh-10 lakh infections per day and around 5,000 deaths a day by mid-May'

'We may have 5 lakh-10 lakh infections per day and around 5,000 deaths a day by mid-May'

Rediff.com   6 May 2021

'Even with 3 lakh cases a day, we have saturated our resources.' 'It is scary to even think what will happen when the number doubles.'

'India is at the threshold of 1939-40 Germany!'

'India is at the threshold of 1939-40 Germany!'

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2021

'When an individual becomes authoritarian, you can overthrow the individual easily. 'When the system becomes authoritarian, whoever challenges the system will be called a criminal or an anti-national.'

'Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu will challenge BJP'

'Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu will challenge BJP'

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2021

'If Kerala votes back the LDF, if Tamil Nadu brings the DMK and if Bengal votes for the Trinamool, we will project a formidable opposition to the BJP.'

'How can you chain a human being like an animal?'

'How can you chain a human being like an animal?'

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2021

'People ask me from where I get the strength to fight this battle. I really do not know.' 'Perhaps God is giving me the strength as I am fighting for truth.'