Pay attention to the other hand

At first glance, the central government's raking up of the Telengana issue seems to be an act of monumental stupidity: what was the need for the resolution, when a simple face-saving promise to set up a commission to study the issue in detail (and bury it quietly) would have sufficed? Three things:

1. Food prices are up by about 20%


2. Uncomfortable questions are being raised about how the intelligence agencies have dropped the ball on the David Headley affair


3. The 123 nuclear deal is close to fruition, with the government, going by past form, likely to give the American negotiators what they want.

Can you say 'diversion'?