Friday, January 16, 2026

How Obama pushed Biden to drop out of the presidential race

By
Gopal Misra
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The timely advice of former President Barack Obama may have rescued the Democratic Party’s  fortunes, which were facing a steep decline. But in the coming days, the Democrats might have to weave their poll campaign with fresh ideas. by Gopal Misra

Joe Biden

Finally, President Joe Biden, an octogenarian, called it a day on July 21 announcing that he was not seeking a second term.

For the Democrats, the day ushered in with a sigh of relief that the old patriarch had finally decided he would not be in the presidential election fray anymore. According to some knowledgeable sources, it was not easy to persuade the old man to quit the race for the White House. The credit goes to the party’s idealogue, Barack Obama, who already had served two terms as the US President, for ending the current political impasse.

Biden’s brief announcement of not contesting the presidential poll was also accompanied by a historical announcement endorsing the candidature of Kamala Harris, an Indian-African, for the Presidency. It is hoped that her name would be finalized at the party’s convention scheduled in the first week of August.

Kamala Harris

Biden’s initiative in endorsing his Vice-President, Kamala Harris, a brilliant lawyer, blended with the Indian genius accompanied by the Jamaican dynamism, for the world’s most powerful office is historical. She is a first coloured woman of Indian-African bloodline, contesting for the most powerful presidency on the earth.

It is being stated that the timely advice of Obama, perhaps, has rescued the party’s fortunes, which were facing a steep decline. Apart from advising Biden to quit, he also might have asked the outgoing President to endorse Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee for the presidency.

A meticulous strategy

During his tenure in the White House, Biden has been adhering to the political strategy of his mentor, Obama, that the Democrats should have a strong base among the black and coloured people. The Biden Administration has not only appointed  the Air Force chief, Gen Charles Brown, a Black, to lead the world’s most powerful Air Force, but also made Ketanji Brown Jack, a well-known Black woman jurist, a Supreme Court judge. He is also credited for appointing as many as 35 federal judges.

However, the Democrats have also to serve the interests of the corporate world, especially the manufacturers of weapons and ammunition. Since Trump’s peace talks have antagonized the defence-industrial complex, the Democrats are keen to rope them in for strengthening their political base, perhaps, with huge funds.

The support of the Biden Administration to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Israel with the state-of-the art weapons is likely to be a big agenda during the election campaign. It is going to be a challenging task before the Democrats to maintain a balance between their social engineering for votes as well as their efforts for keeping intimate ties with the weapon manufacturers. They are confident that their agenda of social engineering would checkmate Trump’s growing popularity. And the profits of the war industry would retain the strength of the American dollar in the global economy.

Another significant difference between the Republicans and Democrats is that the Republicans are keen that the American companies should revive their manufacturing base in the country. On the other hand, Democrats are keen to retain China as the manufacturing destination due to the availability of cheap skilled labor for manufacturing their products .The successive US administrations have been compensating their workforce by the unemployment allowances.

Trump’s belated decision

During the third week of July, Donald Trump surprised everyone by announcing J.D.Vance, once his strong critic, as his Vice-Presidential nominee. By winning his critics to his fold, Trump has shown his political maturity in recent weeks. It is also stated that in bringing Vance to support Trump, his wife Usha, a former Democrat, too has played an important role.

Her genius received international recognition, when she spoke at the Republican meeting, where the candidature of Vance for the post of the vice-president’s post was announced.

In the convention, few asked whether Usha, daughter of the Indian parents known for their knowledge, is a practicing Hindu.

It is also being stated that she brought Vance and Trump together as close political allies. Earlier, Vance was quite critical of Trump, but later he realized that the Biden Administration promotes wars, while Trump is keen to keep the US away from unnecessary conflicts. In recent months, the dedication of Vance made him a confidant of Trump. This proximity finally led him to become his running mate for the vice-president’s post.

Meanwhile, the campaign against Trump and Vance, believed to be conspired by a section of the pro-Biden Christian zealots, failed to make the religion an issue in the election campaign. Their efforts to make the marriage of Vance with a Hindu girl without converting to the faith also couldn’t make any headway.

The courage of Vance accompanied by the genius of Usha has finally ended the issue of inter-faith marriage. They have emerged as great supporters of Trump’s march to the White House.

It is hoped that the Democrats would soon be realizing that there are few takers of their communal agenda, though blended with the efforts of a concept of a plural society. There are few takers of the logic that Trump is not a true Christian like Joe Biden, a devout Roman catholic. His decision to not contest for the presidency, however, could also be attributed to the failure of the radical Christians to become a political force helping him in achieving the political goal.

On the other hand, Vance is quite popular among the white workers in the Midwest. Meanwhile, the deliberate efforts of the Biden Administration to implicate Trump in various legal cases have failed. His popularity has soared. Biden supporters’ efforts to invoke religion and racial issues also couldn’t make any headway.

The Democrats might have to weave their poll campaign with fresh ideas.

The Usha-Vance marriage is not only the valor of Scots with the proven Indian genius, but it also carries the concept of peace and fair play ingrained in Irish blood. India’s much acclaimed labour leader, V.V.Giri, who later became President, was arrested at Dublin for participating in the Irish freedom struggle. Indians are also quite aware of how the British colonialists had used well-built Scots for massacres in India. Thus, the power couple, Vance and Usha, has a formidable partnership of courage and valor accompanied by the Indian genius.

Few were surprised by the recent critical comments of Vance about the U.K. and Germany. He stated that the UK behaves like Islamic jihadists and Germans function as a bunch of idiots.

Democrats might seek their American diaspora to get some political support.

They also hope that the European members of NATO might be asked to share the cost of security, if Trump returns to the White House. Their lobbies might also be working for the Democrats, but these countries are keen to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. They may back Trump for ushering peace in Europe.

They remember how Trump had negotiated peace with the Taliban ending the Afghan War. Trump’s agenda for peace is being reaffirmed by his VP nominee, Vance, who is also a war veteran.

It will not be easy for Kamala to weave a new narrative to justify the support extended by the US-led West to the ongoing conflicts in the world. In spite of his all-inclusive social agenda, it is going to be difficult to bring common people to support conflicts across the continents, at their cost.

Does Budget 2024 beckon hope or will it spell despair?

By
Dr. Anil Singh
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The budget’s impact on national politics could be significant, as even the states governed by the BJP — in addition to those ruled by the INDIA alliance — are piqued by the huge allocations made to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar By Dr. Anil Singh

The first budget of the NDA Government at the Centre under the prime ministerial leadership of Narendra Modi and presented by Finance Minister Sitharaman on July 23, at the outset seems to have drawn a mixed bag of reactions from sections of Indian society. The budget has been hailed by the BJP, the principal constituent of the NDA government, as well as other NDA allies, as paving the way for the progress and development of an advanced India. In contrast, the non-NDA parties, principally the INDIA Alliance partners, have denounced it as a flawed document that holds out very little hope for almost all sectors of Indian society except the ultra-wealthy.

It is reported that the proposed budget has pegged some measures and strategies aimed at boosting economic growth, infrastructure, and social welfare. The budget is anchored to four main areas: agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure. Resource allocations are made across different ministries and departments to help them in the pursuit of their respective needs and objectives. Notably, 3.4 percent of India’s GDP is reserved for infrastructure. It was Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s seventh consecutive budget, and that is a new milestone. BJP followers saw this continuity as providing a stable environment for the continuous execution of policies.

Mixed Reactions

The Budget 2024-25 has attracted different types of reactions from different political groups. The BJP and key NDA partners hailed the Budget as quite visionary, more so for its segment dealing with enhancing productivity and resilience in agriculture, generation of employment, skill development, and services for stimulating economic growth and creating opportunities. Indeed, the attention given within the budget to rural development, infrastructure initiatives, and job creation has been very well-received. The Opposition has termed the budget a political eyewash. It said that the main motto behind it is to appease the two main allies of the BJP—Janata Dal-United and Telugu Desam Party—and the more serious concerns like rising unemployment and inflation have been simply ignored in the budget. Some Opposition leaders have even termed it a “kursi bachao” budget.

The Finance Minister presented a massive budget for Bihar, due to go to Assembly polls next year. He also made provisions in the outlay for a host of infrastructure projects, including expressways and a power plant, heritage corridors, and new airports. Massive support was given to Andhra Pradesh, ruled by the Telugu Desam Party. Only time will tell what the actual impact of the budget will be, and it will depend upon how well it is executed and how the gains are distributed.

The INDIA Alliance has termed the 2024-25 union budget of India unbalanced and biased toward some particular states. The latest agitation in the Parliament yard brought out the sentiments of anger over the thrust in resource allocation and priorities reflected in the budget. It feels the budget unreasonably favors some states at the cost of others and lobbies for redistribution to attend to the needs of various regions. A further illustration is that, according to the alliance, the budget contains very scant provisions for social welfare programs, in particular, education, health, and poverty alleviation. The INDIA Alliance has been continuously working toward impressing upon the recognition of proper inclusive policies for the cause of the marginalized sections of society.

The alliance is highly disappointed that the budget has put such strong emphasis on infrastructure projects, particularly in states with impending elections. They further argue that while infrastructure development is one of the main priorities, it cannot be done at the cost of other equally important sectors. INDIA Alliance is highly dissatisfied with the fact that this budget does not at all reflect the urgency to deal with climate change mitigation or Sustainable Development Goals. It demands more robust environmental policies and investments in renewable energy. The INDIA Alliance feels that the budget has miserably failed to address some of the very important issues and calls for a more rounded and comprehensive approach.

Budgetary impact

The effect of the 2024-25 budget, according to the view of many experts, is going to be huge on India’s economy in times to come. A plan for “Viksit Bharat” or “Developed India” focuses on economic growth, infrastructure, and social welfare. It has clear allocations to such important sectors as agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure. Besides, this refurbished personal income tax regime eases the middle class through a reduction in tax rates and an increase in standard deductions for salaried employees and pensioners. The budget doles out Rs 2 lakh crore over five years on employment-related incentives with a special focus on first-time employees, skill development, and support to employers for providing opportunities to 4.1 crore youth.

Besides, the Rs 11.11 lakh crore long-term infrastructure outlay would support economic growth. Other allocations include Rs 2.66 lakh crore for rural development with the thrust on containing rural distress and unemployment. The abolition of the “angel tax” was carried out for all classes of start-up investors. Other sops include a rationalized capital gains tax and slashing customs duty on mobile phones and gold. It also announced financial support to two states—Andhra Pradesh and Bihar—both ruled by allies of the BJP—for infrastructure projects. For Bihar, where Assembly elections are scheduled for the next year, the Centre has lined up investments in expressways, power plants, heritage corridors, and airports. However, fast the economy of India might have grown; the distributive pattern has been lopsided. Such inequalities would be worked out through policies and investment measures for “Inclusive Growth with Employment and Sustainable Development”.

Political fallout

The impact on national politics could be huge because states ruled by the BJP and those not ruled by the BJP are both aggrieved over the allocations made in favour of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. It could also put the BJP-led NDA government in a difficult position in the assembly elections that are expected in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand. Controversial budget allocations, especially in states like Haryana and Maharashtra, could further dent BJP’s influence. Moreover, many a time, questions are raised over the exact allocation of budget funds, like in the case of defence; there are arguments regarding the percentage to be allotted for social programs like health and education.

The budget certainly makes provisions for infrastructure development, but discussions remain on how to identify priority projects. Concerns include effectiveness and transparency in infrastructure spending. Provision for responding to climate change, promotion of renewable energy, and protection of the environment is contested. While many would want more appropriations, others fear a negative economic impact. Moreover, there is foreign aid for other countries, raising debates as to whether appropriations of this nature are necessary or effective in any way. Some critics demand that the aid should be made conditional on certain conditions or other reforms. It should also be noted that, more often than not, these controversies arise because of differences in political ideologies and priority attention. Indeed, with the intrinsic nature of the budget process, convergence can be quite challenging to attain.

(The columnist is Executive Editor of India Ahead news channel.)

ED turns the heat on Hooda, aides ahead of Haryana poll

By
Aayush Goel
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While ED raided the premises of Mahendergarh MLA Rao Dan Singh and his son, what dealt a major blow to former CM Hooda is the arrest of Surender Panwar, Congress MLA from Sonipat, who is his close aide, in a money laundering case linked to illegal mining. A report by Aayush Goel

Bhupinder Singh Hooda

With Haryana assembly elections just a couple of months away, the Congress, beaming with newfound confidence after Lok sabha performance in the state, is seeing red as the Enforcement Directorate launched a crackdown on party MLAs. The targets include former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and legislators and people considered close to him. As ED turns the heat with raids, attachments and arrests, the Congress cries political vendetta while BJP insists there  is nothing political about it. After the attachment of property of M3M builders in a money laundering case listing Hooda as accused, ED raided premises belonging to Hooda’s close associate and Mahendergarh MLA Rao Dan Singh and his son. What however has come as a major blow is the arrest of Surender Panwar, Congress MLA from Sonipat and close aide of Hooda, in a money laundering case linked to illegal mining.

Deepender Hooda

Bhupinder Hooda’s son and Congress’s Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, who is leading the popular ‘Haryana Maange Hisab’ campaign says the raids stem from questions he is asking. “The BJP has got scared of the questions the Congress is asking during our ongoing campaign. Rather than replying to the 15 questions about the BJP’s misgovernance we have asked them, it is misusing investigative agencies against opposition leaders. Central investigative agencies, the ED, and the CBI should stop working like cells of the BJP”, he says. On the other hand, Chief Minister Nayab Saini refutes allegations of any vendetta, saying ED’s action is ‘non-political’. “It’s an action by an independent investigative agency,” he says. The ED raids are bound to impact the forthcoming Haryana elections as it will on one hand put Congress under a corruption scanner, on the other it will create a deficit of winnable candidates for the party.

The cases

First-time MLA Panwar runs mining businesses in Haryana and Rajasthan. In January this year, the ED had conducted a 36-hour raid on his Sonipat residence as part of the money laundering probe. The ED alleges that he was involved in a Rs 25-crore money laundering case. Other than ED’s case filed in January 2024, Panwar has seven other money laundering cases registered against him. Prior to Panwar’s arrest, ED raided the properties of Rao Dan Singh.

Dan Singh is a four-time MLA from Mahendragarh and was fielded for Lok Sabha from the same constituency and lost. Allocation of ticket to him cost Congress Tosham MLA Kiran Choudhary and her daughter Shruti, who have shifted to BJP now. Dan Singh has properties in five cities, including Mahendragarh and Gurugram. These were searched for over 14 hours. Various documents, bank details and property-related papers were seized. The ED, in its statement, highlighted that in addition to getting cash, they had got papers of 32 ‘benaami’ land holdings and flats from these properties. Speculations about the impending arrest of Daan Singh’s son and him are rife.

Even Bhupinder Hooda couldn’t escape ED’s heat. Though no direct action has been initiated against him, the ED attached properties linked to M3M India Infrastructures Private Limited, valued at Rs 300 crore and spread over 88.29 acres in Gurugram’s Bas Hariya village, in an alleged money laundering case. This was in connection with a case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation alleging corruption involving Hooda, the then chief minister, and others.

Prior to this action, Sikandar Singh, son of another Congress MLA, Dharm Singh Chhokkar, from the Samalkha seat in Panipat, was arrested by ED on May 1 in a money laundering case related to fraud involving homebuyers’ money. Sikandar is alleged to have collected Rs 360 crore from 1,497 people in exchange for the promise of homes in Sector 68, Gurugram. However, the firm failed to deliver the houses. An FIR was lodged against his firm in Gurugram under charges of fraud and forgery. In July 2023, Chhokkar’s residence was also raided. Chhokkar’s anticipatory bail plea in this case was rejected by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Congress cries foul

The Congress has alleged that the BJP government led by Narendra Modi is ‘misusing’ the central agency to target opposition leaders ahead of elections. “It is in Amit Shah’s fitrat (nature). Wherever he goes in the country, ED and CBI follow. All that has transpired over the past few days is the result of Shah trying to suppress the Opposition’s voice ahead of elections,” Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan highlighted how the action was timed after Amit Shah’s visit on July 16 in Mahendergarh. He said that BJP may try to target Hooda as well owing to his growing popularity ahead of assembly elections.

Sanjay Sharma, state spokesperson of the BJP while dubbing the ED action ‘apolitical’, said that  the party had not interfered at any level in the operations of the ED. “Does a thief ever say he is a thief? The Congress thinks that the BJP government controls the CBI and ED, the way it did when it was in power. BJP doesn’t believe in doing that. The BJP government has given complete freedom to central agencies to act against offenders. If the Congress leaders think they are being unduly targeted, they should let the truth come out and have the BJP government defamed for misuse of agencies. But they know the truth and this is the reason they are crying foul,” said Sharma.

The ED’s probe details

 Leaving nothing to speculation or imagination, the ED has been issuing detailed statements for their action in Haryana. According to a media statement issued by the agency in the Panwar case, they arrested him after raids at 20 premises in Faridabad, Sonipat, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Chandigarh and Mohali in January this year.  Following the same, a case was registered against Panwar and his associate, former MLA Dilbag Singh. Dilbag, a relative of Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Chautala, was a two-time MLA from Yamunanagar in 2009 and 2014.

During January raids, the ED had seized Rs 5.29 crore in cash, gold valued at approximately Rs 1.89 crore, two vehicles, various electronic devices, documents related to investments in India and abroad, and other incriminating materials, five illegal firearms, several cartridges and rounds of ammunition, and 138 bottles of liquor (exceeding permissible legal limits) from Dilbag’s premises. Dilbag was arrested in January itself while Panwar was nabbed in July.

“These operations were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of an investigation into large-scale illegal mining of sand, boulders, and gravels in Yamunanagar and nearby districts of Haryana. The case involves Dilbag Singh and Surender Panwar, an MLA, and their associates. The investigation revealed that illegal excavation and sale of minerals (boulders, gravel and sand) were being carried out by screening plant owners and stone crushers in Yamunanagar through illegal transportation of mined minerals without generating the required e-Rawana bills from the Mining Department portal or by presenting fake physical copies of these bills upon inspection”, read the statement.

Similarly, in the case of Dan Singh, raids were conducted under the provisions of PMLA at 16 locations in Delhi, Gurugram (Haryana), Mahendergarh (Haryana) and Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) against a company called Allied Strips Limited, its promoters Gaurav Aggarwal and Mohender Aggarwal, Dan Singh, his son Akshat Singh and their entity, Suncity Projects Private Limited, and others.

An FIR by the CBI accused them of causing wrongful losses of more than Rs. 1392.86 crore to the consortium of banks led by Canara Bank. ED said their modus operandi included siphoning the funds borrowed from banks to other companies in the form of unsecured loans & advances, writing off debts of various debtors, bogus transactions and taking cash in return, which had been invested for buying land and other long-term purposes. In M3M’s case, ED said that it initiated an investigation based on a FIR registered by the CBI under various sections of IPC, 1860, and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against former Chief Minister Hooda, Trilok Chand Gupta, the then director of the Department of Town and Country Planning, R.S. Infrastructure Private Limited, and 14 other colonizer companies.

Can Budget propel India towards its $40T economy goal by 2047?

By
Sumiti Gaba
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The opposition has flayed the government for splurging on the states governed by BJP’s key allies while ignoring those governed by INDIA bloc parties. It also rejected the government’s claim that the Budget has addressed the issues of unemployment and inflation. A report by CA-Sumiti Gaba

On July 23, 2024, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the first Union Budget of the Modi 3.0 government, with a clear emphasis on the pivotal areas of our economy being employment, skilling, MSMEs, and the middle class. However, it failed to impress the opposition parties as the LoP Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi criticized the Union Budget, condemning it as inadequate and lacking in meaningful solutions to critical issues.

The government announced a package of five schemes and initiatives aimed at creating employment, enhancing skills, and providing other opportunities for 41 million youths over the next five years, with a central allocation of Rs 2 lakh crore. Moreover, a provision of INR 1.48 lakh crore has been made for enhancing education, creating employment opportunities, and advancing skilling programs.

The Budget influences a variety of sectors across the economy, impacting everything from infrastructure and healthcare to education and industry. By allocating funds and setting policy priorities, the Budget shapes economic growth, affects public services, and determines the level of support for different industries. This includes directing resources towards improving infrastructure, enhancing healthcare systems, funding educational initiatives, and providing assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises. Additionally, the Budget addresses social welfare programs, aiming to reduce poverty and inequality, and establishes fiscal policies that impact tax rates and government spending. Overall, the Budget plays a crucial role in steering the direction of national economic and social development.

The Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the Union Budget. He argued that the budget failed to address key concerns such as high unemployment and inflation effectively. Gandhi also accused the government of neglecting the challenges faced by states not governed by the ruling NDA and criticized the budget’s overall approach. Meanwhile, the ruling party sees the budget as a strategic initiative that effectively supports key areas of economic development and social welfare, positioning it as a key tool for driving national progress.

The sectoral analysis has been detailed in the following sections, providing a comprehensive overview of how the Budget affects various areas of the economy.

The government’s budget emphasizes infrastructure development to support India’s goal of becoming a $40 trillion economy and transitioning from a developing to a developed nation by 2047. Key initiatives include allocation of Rs 11,11,111 crores for capital expenditure, representing 3.4% of GDP with the establishment of a Rs1000 crore venture capital fund for the space economy, allocation of  Rs11,500 crores for flood control structures in Nepal to mitigate floods affecting Bihar. The other initiative is the introduction of the PM Surya Muft Bijli Ghar Yojana, which aims to install rooftop solar plants for 1 crore households, providing free electricity up to 300 units per month, with Rs 1 trillion allocated for this initiative. All these measures are expected to boost employment, industrial growth, and progress toward Net Zero Emissions by 2070.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2024 outlines a major upgrade for the agriculture sector. Key initiatives being allocation of  Rs 1.52 lakh crore for agriculture and allied sectors, and Rs 2.66 lakh crore for rural development and infrastructure, Phase IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to provide all-weather connectivity to 25,000 rural habitations besides other measures, expected to increase crop transport by 8% land-related reforms to improve administration and planning, incentivized for completion within 3 years and construction of 3 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri AwasYojana, boosting the real estate and allied sectors. The other ingenuities maybe, Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan to improve socio-economic conditions for 5 crore people in 63,000 tribal villages, with promotion of natural farming among 1 crore farmers along with development of a strategy for self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds and creation of large-scale vegetable production clusters to improve supply chains and fair pricing and national cooperation policy to foster cooperative sector growth, accelerating rural economic and employment growth.

The government has outlined several strategies to enhance the manufacturing and service sectors, the growth steps can be taken by launching a comprehensive Internship scheme in top companies to increase employment opportunities, developing investment-ready “plug and play” industrial parks in or near 100 cities, with full infrastructure, in partnership with states and the private sector.

The budget also underscores the importance of the financial and banking sector in driving economic growth and safeguarding assets. With strategies of collateral-free loans for purchasing capital equipment up to Rs 100 crore, followed by in-house credit capability assessment by public sector banks, providing credit to MSMEs during stress periods to prevent NPAs and reducing the turnover threshold to Rs 250 crore. Additionally, Rs 1.5 lakh crore is allocated for long-term interest-free loans to support state infrastructure projects. The Mudra loan limit is increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for successful “Tarun” category entrepreneurs. However, the budget also proposes higher securities transaction tax (STT) on derivatives trading and increased capital gains taxes, potentially discouraging long-term

To enhance its global healthcare security ranking, the government has earmarked Rs 89,287 crore for the development of the healthcare system and Rs 2,143 crore for the PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals. Key measures include exempting customs duty on three cancer drugs and proposing changes to customs duties on medical X-ray equipment, operationalizing the Anusandhan National Research Fund with a financing pool of Rs1 lakh crore for research and innovation, increasing the allocation for biotechnology research and development from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,100 crore.

 The budget’s education & skill development initiatives aim to significantly impact India’s sector. Key measures include, education Loans providing provision of loans up to Rs10 lakh with a 3% annual interest subvention for students not qualifying for existing schemes, enhancing accessibility and affordability of higher education. Internship programs facilitated by top companies, these programs focus on unemployed youth aged 21-24, bridging the gap between academia and employment.

The Opposition has criticized the Budget as a political strategy intended to appease the BJP’s key allies, Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party, while neglecting urgent issues such as high unemployment and inflation. They argue that states governed by non-NDA parties have been overlooked. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram echoed these concerns, by criticizing the budget’s measures. He expressed scepticism about the government’s commitment to addressing inflation and noted that wages have remained stagnant over the past six years.

The BJP, on the other hand, has hailed the Budget 2024, praising its focus on economic growth through significant investments in infrastructure, education, and skill development and highlighting the strategic allocation of funds to impactful sectors like infrastructure and technology. 

Riveting: Vinod Pandey’s latest novel is a gripping political tale

By
Humra Quraishi
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‘Minister’s Mistress’ is a racy read. The plot revolves around the world of politics and all those prime players and characters, who live in a complex scenario. Vinod Pande’s style is simple and direct, and there is an effortless flow to it. With that, this 407 page volume can be read at one go! A book review by Humra Quraishi

BOOK REVIEW

Tile of the book- Minister’s Mistress

Author- Vinod Pande

Publishers – Reindeer Books / Become Shakespeare.com

Pages – 407
Price  –  Rs  399

Vinod Pande, the former civil servant with the British Government and broadcaster with the BBC, quit his job and left London to make Mumbai his base and film making his passion. To this day, his films stand out  – ‘ Ek  Baar  Phir’, ‘Yeh  Nazdeekiyan’, ‘ Sins’  …and many  more full-fledged films and television serials, besides videos for You Tube.

In between it all, he has been writing one novel after another. His latest, just launched novel is:  Minister’s Mistress. And as the title more than relays, the plot revolves around the world of politics and all those prime players and characters, who live in a complex scenario … burdened   or say over-burdened  by varied layers! To quote, “Rajan Mehra and his lady love Mohini have to pack their meagre belongings to be on the run yet again. They are pursued by two forces at the same time. One for their life and the other for their death.”

Just to give you readers a peep  in the build-ups to this novel, here’s some more to the story as it  unfolds, “ It  is in this cloak and dagger situation that emerge the signs of the minister living a  life of  solitude in hiding, with an equally tormented soul at the hands  of  not only her ex-husband  but also the  world at  large. Just as they thought they were secure in their  little world of  anonymity, their utopian  nest is  disrupted…”

The rest of the story ought to be read in the novel itself. It’s a racy  read. Vinod Pande’s style is simple and direct, effortless flow to it. With that, this 407 page volume can be read at one go!

What I find fascinating and rather intriguing is Pande’s  awareness of the  world  of  politics and with that of the  political lot!  He seems to know it all, though he is far away from politics. Residing in Mumbai, nestled in the world of creativity, yet that in-depth awareness! Quite obviously he seems a keen observer.

And what one marvels is his ability to carry on with a whole lot of creative work. Today, he is a U- tuber, film maker and a writer! This when he is in his 80s!

Why Supreme Court stepped in to resolve the Kanwar Yatra row?

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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The Supreme Court has stepped in to stop the implementation of directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments mandating food and fruit stall owners en route to the Kanwar Yatra to display their names. Tehelka’s cover story in this issue “Kanwar  Yatra – Yogi govt eats a humble pie” by Mudit Mathur argues why the stand taken by the UP government that it issued the directive to ensure that religious sentiments of Kanwariyas were not hurt ‘even accidentally’, were erroneous. It is worth noting that even the petitioners had toed the same line that our cover story takes, in the Apex Court that the directives would result in discriminatory outcomes, besides negating the secular character of the country. The top Court has issued notices to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.

Long ago, as a reporter with the Indian Express group based at Dehradun in Uttarakhand and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, I observed that over the years, many Muslims and people from other faiths would serve Kanwariyas and trek along with Hindus to take part in Shiva worship during the fortnight-long Kanwar Yatra.

While the ploy to polarise has backfired with the government allies – the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) – slamming the order and the BSP supremo Mayawati calling it ‘unconstitutional’, a tragic incident in the flooded basement of their coaching Centre in Delhi leading to deaths of three UPSC aspirants has become cannon fodder for a political slugfest. It raises a question mark over the accountability, or lack of it.  The Delhi government is accusing the Centre and the latter is returning the compliment. The coaching industry in India, according to some estimates, is worth Rs 58,000 crores and is projected to reach Rs 1.33 lakh crores by 2028, with an annual growth rate of nearly 15%.  Ironically, the tragic incident took place at a time when the Ministry of Education had come up with a set of guidelines for the regulation of coaching centres across the country.  The deaths of these three young people, Shreya Yadav from UP, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nevin Dalvin from Kerala should be a final reminder to the governments that these should not go in vain.

Betwixt the devastating news, some good tidings have come from the Paris Olympics, where Manu Bhaker has scripted history to become the first Indian athlete in post-independence era to win two Olympic medals in a single edition of the Games, as she combined with Sarabjot Singh from Ambala in Haryana to clinch the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze. Both these athletes are from Haryana, a state hitherto known for producing boxers and wrestlers. The good beginning heralds more good news!

Wayanad landslide toll reaches 159, rescue operations continue

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Tehelka WebDesk
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Wayanad:  The death toll in the Wayanad landslide disaster on Wednesday mounted to 159 even as the rescue teams were searching for the missing people.

The official figure for the missing people is 98, the locals fear the number could be more and many continue to search for their near and dear ones,

The worst affected areas include Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Pothukalu. The locals from these areas, who managed to escape, are deeply shattered by the extent of the devastation.

The Army, Air Force, Navy, NDRF, police, Fire Force and locals are all involved in the search and rescue operations.

Areas which were known for their picturesque beauty are now a picture of gloom. Vehicles washed away in floodwaters could be seen stuck in muddy waters and tree trunks. Boulders, which rolled down the hills, hindered the path of rescue workers. There is mud, slush and remains of houses everywhere. The rescue workers could be seen shifting the dead and the injured into ambulances braving heavy rain

In some areas, there were no signs of any houses existing now, which were all bustling with life till Monday-Tuesday night.

The APJ Community Hall at Meppadi is full of people, but the air is heavy with wails and crying. Bodies have been kept for identification in the hall.

Prashob, a young man spotted in the hall, is shattered. Till the other day, he along with his extended family was living happily near Mundakayil.

“I have identified two of my uncles among the bodies that have been placed here. But I have no clue about seven of my other close relatives. I am in touch with people at other centres where bodies are placed and they are sending me pictures, but I have yet to identify any of the other missing relatives, ” said Prashob.

Meanwhile, expert cadaver-smelling trained dogs have now been put into service and have already identified one body at Churalpara.

Meppadi village council president Babu said by the passing hours they are getting sad news of more bodies being recovered.

“We will have to wait till evening to know more details. There was an alert that was given about a probable landslide due to the heavy rain in a few areas. Some people took the warning and moved out, while some did not, ” said Babu.

State Revenue Minister K. Rajan presently heading the rescue and relief operation in Wayanad said more and more defence personnel are joining the rescue mission. Bailey bridges have reached Kannur and by afternoon these will be erected in the affected areas, said the Minister.

“Even as we hear the toll increasing, there has been good news of reports from people stating that they are safe, ” said Rajan.

Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, who hails from Kozhikode, visited a few affected areas. When asked if the Centre will declare this a national disaster, Pillai said that has to be done by the Centre and is done after looking into numerous parameters.

Farooq Abdullah warns of war amid rising militancy in Jammu and Kashmir

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Tehelka WebDesk
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National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday expressed concerns about escalating militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, hinting at the potential involvement of Pakistani commandos, given the sophistication of the recent attacks. He apprehended that the situation could lead to war if the situation didn’t improve in Jammu. 

During a press interaction, Abdullah acknowledged the troubling increase in terrorism and the lack of progress in ongoing operations to apprehend the infiltrators. 

“There is no doubt that terrorism is growing and highly trained people are coming. We pray to God that we will be saved from this calamity. We want them (Pakistan) to come to their senses. This will not solve problems but further deteriorate the situation,” he said. 

Abdullah stressed the need for peace between India and Pakistan but warned of the rising impatience among Indian citizens. 

“Instead of peace, there could be an attack. That is what we fear. If it (militant attacks) continues, there will be a time when India will not tolerate this. People of India will want the government to take some steps so that terrorism stops,” he said.

When asked about the possible infiltration of Pakistani commandos, Abdullah remarked, “It could be they are commandos, the way they are attacking. They seem to be highly trained. That is why we see a big danger.”

Vietnam PM reaches Delhi for three-day state visit

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Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi: Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reached New Delhi late on Tuesday evening for a three-day state visit which is expected to further strengthen the age-old ties between the two countries.

“Warm welcome to PM Phạm Minh Chinh of Vietnam as he arrives in New Delhi on a State Visit. India and Vietnam share civilisational links and a longstanding friendship based on mutual trust. The visit will further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, ” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

The Vietnamese PM is scheduled to participate in various programmes and business events on Wednesday. He will receive a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.

On the same day, Pham Minh Chinh will visit the Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and then hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also host a luncheon in honour of the visiting delegation.

Chinh is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the course of his visit.

“India considers Vietnam as a key pillar of its Act East Policy and an important partner in its Indo-Pacific vision, ” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.

India-Vietnam relations have been on the upswing since the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Hanoi in 2016.

PM Modi has maintained Vietnam’s importance as an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and the Indo-Pacific vision, while seeking to enhance the scope of the bilateral relationship – including defence partnership – besides working for expeditious progress on the existing initiatives.

Wayanad landslides: PM Modi speaks with Kerala CM, announces ex-gratia

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday and assured him of all possible Central assistance following the massive landslides in the Wayanad district, in which 19 people have died.

“Distressed by the landslides in parts of Wayanad. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured. Rescue ops are currently underway to assist all those affected. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri @pinarayivijayan and also assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the prevailing situation there, ” PM Modi posted on X.

The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the landslides in parts of Wayanad. The injured would be given Rs 50, 000, said the Prime Minister’s Office in a post on X.

Sources said the Prime Minister also spoke with the two Union Ministers from Kerala, Suresh Gopi and George Kurien, about the situation.

PM Modi has instructed BJP president J.P. Nadda to mobilise party workers in the region to assist with the ongoing relief efforts, the sources also said.

The landslides were reported to have occurred at around 2 a.m.

Kerala Chief Secretary V. Venu told local media, “Around 2 a.m., landslides took place at least two to three times. At this point, few affected areas are cut off. The weather is also adverse for NDRF teams to go to some of these affected areas. Everyone is on alert. We will carry out the rescue in a coordinated manner. We are still ascertaining about how many people are trapped. All options, including airlifting people, are being looked into to ensure rescue work is carried out.”

State Forest Minister A.K.Saseendran, who rushed to the spot said it was a bit early to assess the damages.

“At least 53 people are admitted to a hospital here and six bodies are there. At another hospital, 13 injured are admitted and six bodies are also there. We have started the rescue operations and are waiting for helicopters to arrive. A new ropeway is going to be erected soon and the Army will be building a temporary bridge also to rescue people who are trapped in the area after a bridge was swept away, ” said Saseendran.

A control room has been opened in the wake of the heavy rain and landslides in Wayanad district. The Health Department – National Health Mission has opened a control room – 9656938689 and 8086010833 for emergency assistance.

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