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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s decision to embark on the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 sometime in January in the run up to Lok Sabha polls, caught party leaders by surprise. By deciding to embark on a journey from the North East — sometime in January — Rahul had clearly decided to keep away from the nitty-gritty of planning and campaigning for the 2024 elections, party sources said. Either he wants to use the yatra as a face-saver for the 2024 outcome that is expected to go in favour of the BJP. Or he is merely shirking his responsibilities towards the party as its star campaigner. Party leaders are also surprised by the manner in which he has decided to latch on to slogans against “unemployment” and “inflation”– slogans raised by those who breached Parliament security. Why is a senior Congress leader like Rahul Gandhi giving legitimacy to slogans given by two “out of work” young men who trapeze from visitor’s gallery into the Lok Sabha chamber in utter breach of security? Is it because they were echoing Rahul’s charges against the Modi government at a time when it was not finding traction among voters in the North. To make matters worse Rahul even treated security breach in Parliament as a non-issue and wanted the entire focus to be on unemployment instead. In a post, Rahul asked “Where are the jobs? The youths are desperate. We have to focus on this issue and give jobs to the youth.” Party leaders were disappointed that Rahul was in no mood to confront the government on security failure.
These are good times for India’s women cricketers. Not just because of the packed international schedule against their counterparts from England and Australia, but also because of the monetary rewards that come with it. A large group of players who will play across formats (one Test each against England and Australia, three one-day internationals against Australia and six Twenty20 internationals together against England and Australia) will earn Rs 66 lakh! Thanks to Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary who is in the vanguard of giving a fillip to women’s cricket, a pay parity for representing India across all formats was announced two months ago. The women players will receive Rs 15 lakh for a Test match, Rs 6 lakh for an ODI and Rs 3 lakh for a Twenty20 international. Two back-to-back Tests will amount to Rs 30 lakh, the three ODIs Rs 18 lakh and six Twenty20 internationals Rs 18 lakh. The women also get the same daily allowance as men. A few years ago the BCCI introduced the annual retainership cover and recently improved the monthly gratis for past cricketers who had played ODIs. The founding of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) last year turned out to be a big breakthrough that will fast-track the welfare of the distaff — game-wise, money-wise. In all a fantastic space to be in for the present generation and for the youngsters to take up the game as a recreation and thereafter as a career. But there is a lot more to be done at the grassroots and perhaps a revision of the annual retainers too!
This does not operate in an esoteric field. It is engaged in the dairy business. Today, it is a formidable player in Tamil Nadu, in particular, and the South, in general. Yet, this one has a unique record. It remained unaffected by demonetisation or the Covid-19. Much before digitisation became the new normal in the post-Covid world, Chennai-based Hatsun Agro Products Ltd had gone for a cashless transaction model. So much so, the aforesaid extraordinary events did not have any drastic negative impact on its business. Headed by RG Chandramogan, Hatsun was, perhaps, one of the very few companies which largely remained unaffected by demonetisation! Today, this entrepreneur-driven listed company has evolved into a significant name to reckon with in the dairy industry. This over Rs 8000-crore company has several popular brands such as Arun Ice-creams, Arokya Milk, Hatsun Curd, Hatsun Paneer, Hatsun Ghee, Hatsun Dairy Whitener and Ibaco. Its products are exported to 42 countries primarily to America, the Middle East and South Asia. Under a new initiative, Hatsun is eyeing large apartments to facilitate residents buy these brands through vending machines installed in their premises using smart cards supplied by Hatsun. Chandramogan is always on the look-out for markets waiting to be discovered, it appears.
The DMK and its high decibel love for Tamil seems to have bypassed the loyalty of heir-in-waiting Udhayanidhi Stalin. Hardly had the dust and diatribe settled on Udhayanidhi’s interpretation of Sanatana Dharma, he has taken on himself yet another controversial indiscreet challenge. The Tamil Nadu government has sought Rs 5,060 crore relief from the Centre to rehabilitate people affected by Cyclone Michaung. The Centre, after the visit of its two senior ministers, sanctioned Rs 450 crore in two tranches. Irked by this amount, Stalin Jr said, “We did not ask for anybody’s father’s property…just our tax money.” Put off by the tone and tenor of such intemperate words, the Governor of Telangana & Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Tamilisai Soundararajan, took on Stalin Jr and said “Is this Kalaignar’s grandson for real? The Kalaignar we all knew and respected would never use such words. Even ticking off someone would be in chaste Tamil with all the niceties intact.” Adding further she said that any DMK member can ask, is this monolith your grandfather/father’s property that you just walk in and claim as yours? The Governor further warned the young colt, your diatribe on Sanatana Dharma has raised the hackles of many in the I.N.D.I.A front. Udhayanidhi who feels that he is entitled to the last word said “Ok, I shall rephrase my comment. Is this the venerable Governor’s father’s estate?
Star children and their “entitled“ film status debate has been done to death but still rages on even after the disaster that The Archies and the omnibus “heirlooms” turned out to be. Abhishek Bachchan is a special star heir, and entered the film firmament with a heft very few have — Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan for parents. It couldn’t get better than this. But in 23 years, 50 films under his belt the 47-year old star has had more flops than box office rockets except the Dhoom franchises, Bunty aur Babli, Bol Bachchan and Housefull. The recent critically acclaimed sports drama Ghoomer directed by R Balki did not do well. The latest buzz is that Abhishek is in talks with South production powerhouse AGS Movies to be signed up for Thani Oruvan2 — the 2015 hit which is still remembered not so much for hero Jayam Ravi but more for the mark left by Arvind Swami, the suave and intense villain. Arvind Swami is dead at close of the film. So when AGS announced Thani Oruvan 2, people wondered who would fill the villain’s menace, suave and intense. Nayanthara remains unchanged for the new story directed by Mohan Raja (Ravi’s brother). Can Abhishek take on the role played by Arvind Swami? Even born heirs get challenged to fill the shoes of the mighty. The dare only gets more daring.
For several days, the issue of the age of political leadership rocked Trinamool Congress. The party which is reportedly divided between Mamata front and Abhishek front found a smart way to move an end to this discussion. During the foundation day celebration of the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress senior Trinamool leader and MP, Sudip Banerjee said that the senior leadership feels that the party must address workers as “Under the leadership of Mamata and commandership of Abhishek.” Echoing similar lines, veteran TMC leader and minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay has observed that he would rather like to portray Mamata as the driving force behind the party and Abhishek as the emerging leader of the party. Incidentally, Didi recently during a party programme made it clear that the ‘new’ has to pay respect to the ‘old’ and the ‘old’ has to bring the ‘new’ closer. Significantly, post this unexpected debate, Abhishek for the first time stated that party workers need to derive inspiration from veterans and yet it’s important to consider work efficiency and productivity after a certain age hence there should be a retirement age in politics. Incidentally, 10 out 23 of its Lok Sabha MPs are aged over 65 years, with many party seniors feeling the heat of their age as contestants in next year’s Lok Sabha polls swirl through the party ranks.
The Maratha reservation agitation issue has helped chief minister Eknath Shinde get one-up over his deputy and predecessor Devendra Fadnavis. Shinde’s political acumen has helped him win favour with Maratha leader Manoj Jarage Patil, who publicly proclaims that Shinde could be the only person who can make reservations for Marathas possible. Patil though reserves his ire against Fadnavis for creating unrest by ‘poisoning’ the minds of Maratha leaders and has even advised the BJP to expel him from the party and the state. Jarange is upset at Fadnavis for propping up Chhagan Bhujbal for challenging and consolidating the Other Backward Class (OBC) community against him. Jarange and Bhujbal have been involved in a bitter war of words that has stretched to personal lows. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s shift in stance that the Maratha community cannot be granted blanket reservation, has also upset Jarange, who claims that it was an assurance given to get him to withdraw from his 17-day hunger fast on the issue. Police cases against Jarange’s supporters for stone throwing against policemen, has further fuelled anger against Fadnavis, since he holds the home portfolio. While tendering his resignation, state backward class commission member BL Killarikar had claimed that Shinde was ready to conduct a large-scale survey of communities, but was opposed by Fadnavis. The Opposition believes that both the Maratha and OBC agitations are state-sponsored to divert attention from genuine issues affecting the state.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray’s protest march against the government’s decision to entrust the redevelopment of Dharavi, the largest slum of Asia, to the controversial Adani Group has been highlighted more for the fireworks between the protagonists and detractors of Adani than forcing the authorities from taking any concrete action. The redevelopment of the project worth thousands of crores of rupees had been pending for decades. During Uddhav’s chief ministership, too, the plan to redevelop Dharavi was hanging fire. While Uddhav made several demands while leading the protest in Mumbai on Saturday (Dec 16), his opponents trapped him by demanding to know what steps he had taken during his tenure for Dharavi. Some went to the extent of alleging that the tacit intent of the march was quite different and was linked with Uddhav’s new residence, Matoshree-II, at nearby Kala Nagar in Bandra East. The present plan which Adani will implement envisages giving units of 500 sq ft each to the eligible slum dwellers. Earlier, units of 400 sq ft were offered. Uddhav has demanded units of 750 sq ft. The oft-repeated charge that the Union government was bent upon separating Mumbai from Maharashtra was once again heard and the BJP’s expected response that no such conspiracy is hatching has followed. The fate of the beneficiaries will depend upon the turns the state politics takes as changing sides is becoming a commonplace activity in Maharashtra.
Karti Chidambaram has a healthy contempt for the powers that be and the central investigating agencies. He has probably set a record for being the most searched Indian with the ED constantly after him. In the latest episode, Karti countered them by asking for time since they were only on a fishing expedition and that he had to get his documents ready to satisfy them. He has greater ambitions within the Congress and would rather see them fulfilled. For starters, he would like to head the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee which has a veteran politician holding the post of President now but there is reason to believe he is out of touch with the changing scenario in which traditional media houses are being overtaken by the social media channels as purveyors of news. If the TNCC, once famous for felicity in flipping between the DMK and AIADMK despite the Centre having toppled both the governments of M Karunanidhi and MG Ramachandran and bringing in President’s Rule. Currently with the DMK in the ruling alliance with a prominent position and commanding eight MPs in the Lok Sabha, the Congress is hoping to lean on the Dravidian party for more seats in the 2024 polls. Expect a promotion any time soon for Karti Chidambaram to head TNCC and drive the bargaining for seats.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.