“Some people had said that there will be a bloodbath in Bengal. But in the year that our government has been in power, no blood has been spilt…The people will throw out those trying to create unrest in the state.”
Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister, at a public rally commemorating the first anniversary of the Trinamul Congress government (May 14)
“Black people and foreigners from Asia and elsewhere in the third world who make up the bulk of migrant workers are often turned away from the city’s smarter venues.”
The Economist on pervasive racial intolerance in Lebanon (May 26)
“Ambedkar is not easily accepted as a leader of the country. Cartoons like this can be interpreted as insulting.”
Gail Omvedt, sociologist and rights activist, on the ‘objectionable’ Ambedkar cartoon in NCERT’s class XI political science textbook (Outlook, May 28)
“If we take ‘hunger day’ seriously, every Indian who feeds more than twice a day, wasting food and critiquing food entitlements should feel contrite and join the campaign for a universal entitlement through the PDS.”
Social activists Aruna Roy and Neha Saigal on providing food security to all Indians (The Hindu, May 30)
“Yes, we have killed the enemies of the CPM. We have shot, stabbed and beaten them to death.”
M.M. Mani, CPM leader, on political killings by his party (The Times of India, May 30)
“The new IIT selection rules is part of government’s ‘Can’t make new A-grade institutions’. Let’s destroy what we have policy.”
Author Chetan Bhagat’s tweet on the announcement of a combined engineering entrance test for admission into all Central government institutions including the IITs (May 30)
Certain controversies were created… certain controversies erupted… I would like to be remembered as a soldier, as somebody who has tried to uphold what the Army stands for.
Chief of the Army Staff General V.K.Singh a day before his retirement (May 30)