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Last week, as Congress leaders protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s so-called “anti-Ambedkar” remark in Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi joined his party MPs in a blue T-shirt, giving up his trademark white polo T-shirt. His sister Priyanka also twinned with him wearing a blue sari. Clearly the Gandhi siblings opted to go for a very visual protest against Shah’s remarks. The choice of the colour of clothes of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) — usually spotted donning plain white T-shirts raised eyebrows. The colour blue has been associated with Dalit politics since 1942, when Dr BR Ambedkar established the Scheduled Castes Federation to campaign for the rights of the Dalit community. The body adopted a blue flag featuring Ashok Chakra. The flag was later retained by the Republican Party of India (RPI), founded by Ambedkar in 1956. Over time, blue became very closely associated with Dalit identity and activism. Even political parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party and the ASP, which champions Dalit welfare, embraced blue colour in their branding. As the Gandhi siblings lead the protest, it was the choice of colour of their clothes that caught everyone’s attention!
The Winter Session which saw a two-day discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution and introduction of One Nation One Election (ONOE) Bill has come to a close. It brought out sharp divisions over discussions and bills at least in two political parties — the Congress and DMK. In the Congress, if a first term MP Priyanka Vadra was seen opening the discussion on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, for some reason senior leader and eminent lawyer P Chidambaram did not get an opportunity to have his say about the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. In the DMK, there was a clear division of views between the DMK parliamentary party leader TR Baalu and deputy leader Kanimozhi. While Baalu endorsed the government’s offer to refer the Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, Kanimozhi seemed completely surprised by his stand and insisted that her party was opposed to the Bill and demanded its withdrawal.”DMK has consistently opposed the entire Bill. We do not accept that there can be ONOE because it is against the Constitution. It is against federal rights and it is against the will of the people. People choose state governments for 5 years, I don’t think you can take that right away from the people and give it to the EC to decide how many years governments can last or not. So, this is completely against the state, against federalism” said Kanimozhi. While her stand reflects TN assembly resolution passed in February against ONOE Bill this year, the media is awash with reports about how her late father Kalaignar M Karunanidhi had highlighted the benefits of simultaneous polls in his autobiography Nenjuku Neethi. Incidentally, Karunanidhi had advanced state polls to 1971 to coincide with LS polls.
The Thursday (Dec 19) visit of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLAs to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur has become a hot political topic though there are other reasons, too, for intense politicking. Firstly, the MLAs belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar did not join the event. Secondly, those disgruntled due to their non-inclusion in the council of ministers have started expressing their anger openly. Like earlier two occasions, Ajit Pawar and most of his followers distanced themselves from the visit organized by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The presence of former CM Eknath Shinde and his MLAs proved to be another highlight. However, the discontent brewing within Mahayuti on other counts is now becoming more vocal. Political heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal was the first to articulate it. His open criticism of Ajit Pawar surprised many since he had stayed by the side of Pawar all through. Now, there are reports that some of Bhujbal’s supporters want him to join the BJP to end his political wilderness. So far, Bhujbal has maintained that he is with the NCP (Ajit). The other notable leader to become the subject of political speculation is the legislative council’s deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. Her detractors, mainly the recent Sena (UBT) entrant Sushama Andhare, have started hinting at Gorhe’s plans to go with the BJP. Gorhe, too, has not reacted to the talk. Ajit’s sudden disappearance for two days from the winter session only added grist to the grapevine. His explanation that he was down with a throat infection is hardly swallowed. More murmurs are expected to be heard once Fadnavis announces the allocation of the portfolios.
The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has started preparing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, expected to take place early next year. This will be the fight for political survival for Thackeray because the Sena has been in power in India’s richest civic body since 1985. Taking stock of the situation, other political parties, too, have begun their planning. The picture this time will be fundamentally different since the BJP has emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly election. Its estrangement with the Sena (UBT), which split in 2022 owing to Eknath Shinde’s decision to walk out of it, will be a major factor in the coming election in which the Congress will be an insignificant player, given its lacklustre performance in Mumbai and the state as a whole. Equally exasperating is the condition of the state Congress committee as its president Nana Patole is perceived as an ineffective leader by the rank and file. The BMC’s last election saw the Sena winning 84 seats in the 227-member house while the BJP had captured 82. Owing to the alliance ethics, the BJP had made no effort to bag the mayoralty of the financial capital of India. However, the BJP is not prepared to take any chance this time and a decision about its Mumbai president is likely to be taken soon. Sitting chief Ashish Shelar is among the hopefuls though his inclusion in the council of ministers could be a decisive factor in the final choice.
This was to happen one day or the other with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) putting its foot down saying it will not send its national teams to India for any signature event of the ICC, like the World Cups in the two formats in men, women and the juniors. This was the PCB’s riposte to the long-standing BCCI position — citing security concerns — that it will not send its team across the border for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and that it will play only at a neutral venue. For three World Test Championship (WTC) the two nations have taken themselves off the Future Tours Programme (FTP). The cricketers of the two countries may enjoy good relationships when they lock horns in neutral country venues and have fans across the border, but the Indian government has been steadfast in denying permission to the BCCI. The latest communication from the ICC has confirmed that in the 2024-2027 cycle all ICC events given to India and Pakistan, the matches featuring the two countries will be held at a neutral country chosen by the host country; in the Champions Trophy case the PCB is the host. What all this means is the elimination of high security arrangements that India had to do when Pakistan played last year’s World Cup matches in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata. It took hard bargaining by the PCB with the ICC — with Jay Shah in Chair since December 1, 2024 — for it to agree to a hybrid model in order to ensure that it remains the host in a neutral country venue as well and where India will play and this country is said to be the United Arab Emirates.
The massive success of Pushpa 2, has reignited the debate over screen allocation in West Bengal’s single-screen theatres. While the blockbuster continues to dominate the box office, its stronghold has created challenges for four Bengali films— Khadaan, Shontaan, Chaalchitro, and 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane—which targeted Christmas Day for their releases. The overlap has sparked a heated controversy over securing adequate slots in single-screen theatres, which remain a key audience base for Bengali cinema. Single-screen theatres across Bengal are grappling with the balancing act of accommodating these films while catering to the massive demand for Pushpa 2. Tollywood’s Christmas lineup has been significantly impacted, with producer-actor Dev expressing frustration on social media. He alleged that Khadan’s shows and advance bookings were disrupted due to the overwhelming presence of Pushpa 2. Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Theatre, reported dividing slots among the films: Khadaan (two shows), Chaalchitro (one), 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane (one), and Pushpa 2 (one). However, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s Shontaan was left out entirely, sparking outrage from its director Raj Chakraborty, who criticized the lack of consistent support for Bengali cinema. A distributor, speaking anonymously, blamed the simultaneous release of multiple Bengali films during the festive season, suggesting a lack of coordination among producers. He pointed to Bollywood’s strategy of staggering releases as a model Tollywood could emulate. Star Theatre owner Joydeep Mukherjee called for better planning within the Bengali film industry to avoid internal competition. Interestingly, allegations have resurfaced about Shontaan‘s producer, pressuring hall owners to prioritize its films. This history has led some distributors to side with independent producers in the current clash.
Sunday’s swearing in of 33 (16:9:8 ratio for BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP respectively) mostly young cabinet ministers in CM Devendra Fadnavis’ 3.0 government was not followed up by expected portfolio allocations even late Thursday (Dec 19). The unrelenting clamour for one specific portfolio by a senior BJP minister-in-waiting (in apparent conflict of interest), aspiration to improve upon earlier performance in power sector by another are in the open awaiting the Maha Chanakya to coolly decide upon. Scribes housed at the state government ‘Suyog’ facility within the Family court premises near Vidhan Bhavan enjoy the Nagpur chill over familial evenings at ‘Sneh Bojans’ hosted by these as-yet ‘Anamika’ ministers. DCM Eknath Shinde’s camp brews hostility from left out veteran MLAs and cherry-picking ministers-in-waiting who threaten boiling point anytime soon. This is unlike the chill that has set upon the near deserted NCP office at Vidhan Bhavan sans activity, notwithstanding the bustling beehive of activity right outside and within the state legislature that is hosting its winter session. It is probably the first time in Maharashtra’s political history for such an ongoing legislature session without specifically assigned ministers manning questions on the floor of the state assembly and council while responding to public interest issues of state. For now, all portfolios rest with CM Fadnavis. NCP veteran Chhagan Bhujbal, Sena’s Tanaji Sawant complain vociferously from out in the cold even as some BJP MLAs rue their bad luck despite winning big in Mumbai city where the richest civic body will face the hustings very soon.
The events outside Parliament House that led to injuries to two BJP MPs was best summed up by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in her X post. She explained how “During the INDI Alliance’s protest inside Parliament premises today, Rahul Gandhi had forcefully pushed an MP, causing a domino effect that injured 2 BJP MPs –Pratap Sarangi (Balasore, Odisha) and Mukesh Rajput (Farrukhabad, UP)” Both the MPs are now hospitalised as they have sustained head injuries. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was surprised that the Congress had so far not even bothered to say sorry. “I was wondering what was the purpose of Kharge-Rahul Gandhi’s presser, if they can’t say sorry. Our Nagaland MP, a tribal woman leader Phangnon Konyak had voiced discomfort that was caused to her by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.” She has written a letter to the RS Chairman. Adding further he said, “We feel Rahul simply does not deserve to be the LoP. When the Opposition is holding a protest, we usually take another gate. What was the need for Rahul Gandhi to wade into the area where BJP MPs were standing? He should simply quit as LoP.” BJP MPs including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police station in connection with the scuffle between Opposition and NDA MPs. It is learnt that security forces repeatedly requested the Congress MP to use an alternative path, specifically arranged for a peaceful entry into Parliament. However, Rahul Gandhi declined the request. BJP’s Thakur said “The kind of attitude Rahul Gandhi has, he thinks he is above the law.” Responding to the allegations, Rahul said BJP MPs were trying to stop him and were threatening him “
Home Minister Amit Shah whose intervention in discussions on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution sparked off a row and seemed to have majorly united the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge charged him of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar.. He accused his rivals of being “anti-Ambedkar” and “anti-Constitution”, and “spreading lies”. In his concluding remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Shah sarcastically said, “It has become the fashion to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar…’ If they (the opposition) took God’s name so many times, they will get a place in heaven.” At a Press Conference, he charged the Congress of distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha saying the Congress had put out an edited version of his speech. “I come from a party which follows the ideals of Ambedkar,” asserted Shah.” Rebuffing calls for his resignation by Kharge, Shah made it clear that he had no intention of stepping down. “Kharge is asking for my resignation. If that will make him feel happy, then I’ll give it. But the Congress has to sit in the opposition for at least 15 more years. “In an unusual move — perhaps underlining the impact of the Opposition’s attack on this issue — PM Modi and senior ministers rallied behind Shah. “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!” said PM Modi. Amidst this, PM Modi and Shah met Rahul Gandhi and Kharge to appoint the next NHRC chief. TMC leader Derek O’Brien has moved a privilege notice against Shah in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar.
Ravichandran Ashwin was adroit in bowling the carom or knuckle ball or the doosra, but on Wednesday afternoon, Brisbane time, the nonconformist off-spinner of 13 years in the big league of the game deployed the “bombshell” to bring an end to his illustrious career. At the conclusion of the rain-marred third Test at the Gabba, the finger spinner with a few sobriquets, “scientist” being the most used among the media, Ashwin sitting beside his beleaguered captain, Rohit Sharma, matter of fact said: Today (Wednesday, December 18) was his last day as an international cricketer across formats and that he will be seen in action in club cricket, meaning IPL etc. The seasoned campaigner, starting his Test career in November 2011, was capped 106 times, and he missed 25 Tests after his debut; he featured in 61 wins, 47@home and 14 overseas. He read the writing on the wall about him losing the primacy as the No 1 spinner of the team in flannels after Washington Sundar was chosen for the first Test in Perth. Then being dropped to bring in Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane convinced him that his time was up…to hang up his boots. The home series against New Zealand that India lost 3-0 was a bitter pill to swallow for him. His numbers — 765 wickets in the three formats, including 537 wickets in Tests alone speaks of his right to be called a legend. It was a bold, practical call to take a bow while not in the field and that was an unhappy part that Indian cricket could not give one of its icons a fitting farewell. Ashwin has perhaps shown the way for a few more to bid adieu, sooner than later! They are over the hill, indeed.
Feisty 47-year-old investment banker turned TMC MP, Mahua Moitra was taken by surprise when her party boss and, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, ticked her off for her brand of politics. Moitra nodded meekly as Didi dressed her down in public, apparently for writing to SEBI chairman alleging irregularities by brand Adani Power when it delisted. The letter, came just days after the Mamata-Gautam Adani meet in Kolkata, a prelude to the business summit planned in January 2022 so, Didi naturally blew her top. Moitra’s letter to SEBI was the proverbial last straw. Sources say Moitra’s solo style of politicking finds her out of team TMC’s favour. Her negative local politics over seat distributions and rumour mongering on TMC corruption in Nadia (where elections are scheduled) sparked off the party chief’s ire. And Mamta said “Mahua, let me give you a clear message here. I don’t see who is in whose favour or against. I don’t believe in the politics of putting on a show on YouTube, paper, digital etc. This kind of politics cannot sustain for long. And it is not right to expect that one person will stay at one post forever.” Question doing the rounds now is: Will Moitra quit after her public humiliation?
PM Narendra Modi’s complete endorsement of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he calls ‘Karmayogi’, was clear and evident over the last several weeks during his frequent trips to Uttar Pradesh, ahead of assembly elections slated next year. Modi has good reason to be happy with the manner Yogi has executed and delivered projects very close to his heart, in particular, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, well within the scheduled timelines. Returning the compliment Yogi compared the PM to Ahilyabhai Holkar and Raja Ranjit Singh who had contributed similarly and restored the temple. At the inauguration ceremony of the corridor, Yogi was at the PM’s side all the time at various stages of the ceremony. Several other BJP leaders, including chief ministers, attended the ceremony but no one accompanied the PM. Significantly, a month ago Yogi’s twitter handle shared a picture of PM Modi during a stroll with his hand on Yogi’s shoulder. The picture, snapped up at the UP Raj Bhawan captured Modi in deep conversation with Yogi. The PM was in Lucknow attending the DGPs conference when the CM called up on him. Buzz is, the idea to share the Modi-Yogi picture of camaraderie had emanated from the PMO.
Justice Krishnaswamy Chandru is in the limelight after the critically acclaimed movie Jai Bhim, based on the human rights abuse case that he handled to expose police brutality in Tamil Nadu, is not popular with the judges of the Andhra Pradesh high court at the moment. A division bench of the AP high court was up in arms about comments made by the outspoken retired judge who is championing public causes in his speeches these days. Speaking at an event in Andhra recently, Justice Chandru had said, “We need judges who will protect the rights of the people. Now, what do we see in AP? Today, an elected government is fighting for survival not from rivals, not from political rivals or mass movements, but from the judiciary itself!’’ He had gone on to say that the judiciary, whose duty is to defend the rights of the people, “is doing something different, which is not expected.” The AP HC chief justice blamed the celebrity without naming him, saying remarks made against the judiciary were just to be in the limelight. Why should a judge from another state come to Andhra and make comments on the functioning of the court, the CJ asked. He explained that contempt of court proceedings are not being contemplated now in consideration of the judge’s contribution to the judiciary in the past.
An all males association in Andra Pradesh has petitioned a court to ban an item song-and-dance in the just released trilingual movie, Pushpa. This is a first in India’s male dominated misogynistic society. Samantha, who recently divorced, openly flaunts her assets, and dances to a raunchy rap song crooned by Andrea with lyrics by Vivekh. The gist of the in-your-face song: “When the lights are off, who cares if the catch is skinny, winny, winsome, wholesome or just plain?” The song has turned on a macho challenge (read bristled some male egos). Samantha is rumoured to have earned Rs 1.5 crore for the item song and returned good value for money, her attire and gyrating causing temperatures to sky rocket. Yes, Samantha ki jawani will jingle cash registers for the movie at the box office. Sentimental Rajesh Khanna said it right famously, “Pushpa I hate tears!” Producers of Pushpa are laughing all the way to the bank. An estimated million people saw the gyrating dance and have already drooled. What is the sought ban set to achieve? Surely more clicks of the mouse.
The Pune-based Maritime Research Centre (MRC) has achieved a milestone by submitting an interim report on a proposed national capacity- and capability-building policy to bring about effective Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA). This is a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach to bring all the stakeholders in UDA together, feels the founder-director of MRC, Dr (Cdr) Arnab Das, who presented it to NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant in Delhi last week. Kant is understood to have appreciated MRA’s continued efforts in taking the UDA framework forward. The project had started with a presentation to the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar and four Advisors. Cdr Das also had the opportunity to meet Milinda Moragoda, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, and brief him on the UDA framework and its importance for Indo-Sri Lanka relationships. The increasing maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region lead to higher noise levels, affecting marine species that use sound for multiple biologically critical functions like foraging, navigation, communication and finding mates. The sensing of the undersea domain for threats, resources and activities, making sense of the data generated for security strategies, conservation plans and resource utilisation plans are vital; and the MRC is keen to play a major role in this critical national and regional initiative.
Paris, the fashion city of France and Europe is on an overdrive to get ready for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The organising committee on Monday (Dec 13) announced that the 777 km long river Seine will be the iconic place where the Opening Ceremony will be held with athletes to take a 6 km boat ride as part of a spectacular show. Paris 2024 took the International Olympic Committee into confidence before making the news public. The Paris 2024 Chief, a three-time Olympian Tony Estanguet feels that there will be 10 times more spectators at an open setting than a stadium setting. The organizing committee expects over 600,000 people to watch the Ceremony in the capital city. Athletes will travel in 170 boats starting from the Pont d’Austerlitz, to the bridge located close to the French national library. The Eiffel Tower is close by Estanguet said: The 6 km route would allow for full immersion into Paris, with landmarks including the Notre-Dame Cathedral. He also revealed that Paris 2024 would look to implement ideas used during their previous Olympic Day celebrations, where sporting events have been held within the French capital. It has been reported that no security obstacles have been identified so far and that the Opening Ceremony is scheduled to take place on July 26 in 2024.
Word is out already that Virat Kohli is ready to step down as Test captain at the end of the tour of South Africa. He is disappointed at the way things have turned out as he was stripped of the ODI captaincy, which he wished to retain. He had given up the T20 captaincy of his own volition but without realising that was signal enough for the selectors to split the captaincy and empower Rohit Sharma with the white ball captaincy. The aura around Kohli was lost after India was wiped out of the T20 World Cup after losing to Pakistan and New Zealand. He was no more the Kohli who was in command along with Ravi Shastri when taking India into the World Test championship. Losing that was bad enough and the abandoning of the England Test series meant he could not even claim victory there though India was leading 2-1. This is a judgment call by the selectors. Kohli just can’t read the white ball game quickly enough to make a difference in fast-paced games when mental agility is called for. The laidback Test match format might be more his cup of tea but in a world moving on to the instant delights of T20 there is no patience left. Kohli’s reign was great in some ways, but it has ended with no ICC trophies in the bag.
Ajinkya Rahane seems to be the biggest loser in the churning carried out by the selection committee in a ruthless manner. He has been removed as vice-captain of the Test team that he actually led in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand. The roll of the dice finally did not favour him after an ordinary effort with bat at the Green Park. He is already out of the white-ball cricket for India and his inability to get the big knocks after a Test match winning century at Melbourne last year has cost him dear. He cannot afford another poor show in the first Test against South Africa at Centurion from December 26. Both Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have won the vote of confidence from the selection committee, coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Virat Kohli. Both have a lot to vindicate in the three Test series in South Africa. Once Kohli made way for Sharma to take control of the reins of the Twenty20 team, the selection committee in Chetan Sharma, Chairman and his colleagues, Sunil Joshi, Abey Kuruvilla, Debashish Mohanty and Harvinder Singh have now completed the process of a single captain for white-ball cricket. This has been the biggest move after they revived the white-ball career of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, sent to the doghouse by the team management after the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to visit Coonoor after the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is being much appreciated in Delhi by PM Narendra Modi and his ministers. He took a flight to Coimbatore from Chennai and drove to Coonoor. Besides paying homage to Rawat, Stalin also stayed back overseeing arrangements to transport bodies to Delhi. Stalin’s actions were prompted by a phone call from NSA Ajit Doval to Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu. The NSA had asked Babu to secure the area for investigations. Babu rushed to the site. Soon, Stalin wanted State Chief Secy V Irai Anbu to be at the site. By evening, Stalin was there at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, meeting with military officials and directing local officials. Stalin’s conduct is in sharp contrast to what his father M Karunanidhi did as CM in 1990 when he had refused to receive the IPKF in Chennai even as it was pulled out from Sri Lanka by then PM VP Singh exactly as he sought. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also spotted in Wellington. As for bidding hero’s farewell to Gen Rawat and his men in Tamil Nadu, and mobilizing a rousing public line-up outside Sulur air base, credit must go to state BJP unit headed by a former IPS officer K Annamalai.
The question uppermost in everybody’s mind is: who will be the next Chief of Defence Staff following the untimely demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. PM Narendra Modi had picked Gen Rawat for CDS post on January 1, 2020 — because he was blunt, outspoken and a man of integrity. Rawat was liked as he was not afraid of speaking his mind when it came to military reforms and the defence of the country. He was a fighter and a nationalist to the core. Modi noticed his qualities after he, as Dimapur Corps Commander, supervised a strike against NSCN (K) insurgents across the Indo-Myanmar border by Special Forces in June 2015. Prior to that he performed exceptionally as the 19 Division commander in the Uri sector against the Pakistanis. On December 17, 2016, Modi appointed Rawat as India’s 27th Chief of Army Staff after superseding the then Eastern and Southern Army Commanders on grounds of merit, track record and vision. Modi saw Rawat’s role as a military commander when he took on the Chinese PLA at Doklam Plateau on the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in June 2017. He stopped the PLA from building a road to the Jhampheri Ridge, which would have made India vulnerable in the Siliguri corridor. So Modi wants the next CDS to be someone like Rawat! Who can it be?
Talk about big fat Indian weddings…the scale and spending on these “events” is humongous, even for everyday vanilla mortals. Imagine the scale, splendour, spending, secrecy, stardust for THE wedding of 2021…yes, Sheela ki Jawani fame Katrina Kaif and Surgical Strike Stud Vicky Kaushal got royally hitched on December 9 at Hotel Six Senses, Fort Berbara, Rajasthan in stunning Sabyasachi outfits. Katrina arrived at the mandap in a traditional red outfit, in a Doli like the Royal families of yore, the coy bride sporting dozens of bangles, and special mehendi (said to be of a unique variety from Tamil Nadu). He in pristine white. A very select gathering of exclusive members from family and friends were present. Believe it or not, the layer of secrecy was actually planned, to keep the festivities top secret exclusive. And now we hear rumours of a killer OTT on the verge of signing a Rs 100 crore deal on the dotted mehendi lines for exclusive streaming rights! Box office showing on this scale…oooh, the streamer and fans are already high on anticipation. This is a new money spinner for our desis, apparently in vogue in Hollywood. Whatever the videsis can do, we can do better…..more colour, extravagance, scale on for 4 days, exotic visuals, song and dance. Katrina and Kaushal surely hit the mother lode with this sweet super star deal.
In September there was a strong buzz that the 72-year old Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who had retired from Rajya Sabha (RS) as the Leader Of Opposition on February 15, 2021 might re-enter RS from Tamil Nadu. But, come the D Day and Azad’s name was missing. Now comes the real story from an insider. Apparently, Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief MK Stalin at the behest of Azad called up the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and said they are willing to support Azad to RS from TN. This telephone call from Stalin to Sonia seems to have irked her. Apparently, she did not like the way the suggestion to elect Azad came from Stalin. Generally, it is the other way round. Since then the chasm between Azad and Gandhis have widened. In between Azad, part of G 23, had thawed the ice. All that is history. He has been kept in the waiting mode. Now, the latest buzz is that Azad might do a Captain Amarinder Singh, form a party in Jammu & Kashmir and BJP may support him. It may be recalled that Azad enjoys a very good rapport with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the latter even broke down while talking at Azad’s farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha. If Azad sets up his own party it will be a win-win situation for both Azad and BJP.
Sustainable energy is big on the Indian government’s agenda, from harnessing wind for the county’s energy needs to making it the primary source of energy for fishing vessels and the processing of marine products. Meetings with top government functionaries from Dr KV Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor, to Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala demonstrated to wind energy evangelist Dr PKC Bose that the country is striving for excellence through renewable energy. Senator Bose, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of the Bengaluru-based Enercon Windenergy, a subsidiary of Germany’s Enercon Group, was in Delhi recently meeting top echelons of the government. They discussed India’s renewable energy sector — especially wind energy, its immense potential, untapped offshore market, policies and regulatory constraints as well as the challenges ahead. Their talks also covered the entire ecosystem consisting of energy, environment and economy, as well as energy economics – economic development and cost of energy under different market conditions, regulations, taxation and subsidies for renewable energy. The government functionaries, who articulated the relationship between energy, environment and economy for building a sustainable and net zero in India by 2070, gave all assurances to work in this direction. Renewable energy minister RK Singh’s commitment to achieve 100 GW wind energy by 2030 and his assurance of all support to the stakeholders was also ‘highly motivating’.
His surname is Khan yet this 51-year old actor has never been bracketed with the other three Bollywood Khans – SRK, Salman and Aamir. But, today this fourth Khan, Saif Ali Khan, is proving to be the most relevant Khan; he has reinvented himself and adapted to the changing times. He’s the first one to experiment with the OTT platform with Sacred Games. Now, other big stars have followed him. Is there a strategy in what he is doing? Yes. This came to the fore after 2000. Playing character Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai and Langda Tyagi in Omkara won him accolades. Since then he has decided not to insist on playing the lead role but to pick up interesting and challenging roles. Son of actress Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif entered the film industry in 1993 with Parampara, followed by Yeh Dillagi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Post that, nobody touched him in the nineties. In fact, industry insiders were derogatorily commenting about his looks. His patience paid off when romantic comedy Hum Tum proved to be a game-changer. Today, Saif is being offered roles that are meaty. But his latest movie Bunty Aur Babli 2 bombed at the box office. But, nobody seems to mind. Saif has arrived and he has created his own space.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is facing intense pressure from the opposition parties to sack the state’s home minister Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged involvement in sex scandal. The state Assembly continues to be paralysed over this demand. The opposition parties –BJP and Congress– are asking the Chief Minister to meet face-to-face on the floor of the house to discuss the Mishra issue. Patnaik so far is avoiding such a floor show. This hesitation convinces the opposition leaders that Patnaik is shielding the home minister for reasons best known to him. The sex scandal relates to the alleged murder of a school teacher Mamita Meher of Sunshine English Medium School on October 8. Reportedly, Mamita had threatened to expose the sex racket in the school implicating one accused. It is alleged home minister Mishra used to visit the school frequently. Patnaik, meanwhile, has requested the Odisha High Court to appoint a retired District Judge ABS Naidu to monitor the police investigations pertaining to Mamita murder case which will be subject to court scrutiny, investigating the role of Mishra. Opposition leaders are saying since the police force is accountable to the Home Ministry, how can one expect a fair report. Patnaik’s no action against Mishra has surprised the people at large as he is believed to be a no-nonsense CM having sacked ministers for slightest wrong doings in the past.
Made in India is definitely the flavour of choice for many a tech company when the CEO is chosen to lead uber successful tech brands. The podium of honour is filling up regularly, and fast with youthful, young incumbents, Made in India. Parag Agrawal is the latest to join this roll of honour, heading Twitter at 37, an IIT, Bombay alumnus, succeeding co-founder Jack Dorsey surely a class act to follow and build on. While numerous memes and encomiums sprouted thick and fast, Amul‘s celebratory ad garnered super attention. The ad showed Parag at his computer on which perched a Tweety Bird, and the blurb, Wholetweet toast to Agravault. Amul’s topical and buttery creatives are not entirely new to the public. The former Sheriff of Mumbai, late Nana Chudasama and his succinct banners (Above Talk Of The Town) on Marine Drive’s Soona Mahal was literally that in the 70s and 80s –talked about and debated. We Indians have a tolerable sense of humour too, and memes of Parag Agarwal elicited titters about Agrawal Sweets to Agrawal Tweets. Many a Tamilian wit has joked about the Alphabet CEO, Sundar as India’s “pichai” (largesse) to America, Nadella as our Sathya hi Shiv Hai! Another YouTuber takes this more seriously… “Make in India talent and technology to export to the US.” Hold the xsplit vcam torrent flag high guys and girls, India has download game maker studio 2 full crack super talent.
Global air compressor giant Atlas Copco, which has been on a buying spree over the last few years to take over major vacuum companies around the world, has just signed a sale and purchase agreement to buy out a Bengaluru-based company’s pumps business. The Indian arm of the $11-billion Swedish giant will, however, continue to use the latter’s HHV brand – which is a well-established and very strong one in the vacuum business – for the next three years. HHV Pumps was a 30% partner in a joint venture with a group of private individuals who were ex-CEOs of the century-old pumps manufacturer Edwards, which is now part of the Stockholm-headquartered Atlas Copco. Other vacuum pump companies that have been acquired include the 170-year-old Leybold and the comparatively young US-based Brooks Automation, which was established in Chelmsford, Massachusetts in 1978. HHV, founded in 1965 by SV Narasaiah (1924 -2021) as Hind High Vacuum Company Pvt Ltd, got a good deal, while the Swedish giant will gain a big foothold in the Indian market. The sale is expected to be completed in the first week of January 2022.
Fifty-eight-year-old Nana Patole, President, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, is a happy man. Not because his daughter found a suitable alliance and was married off with much fanfare and the ceremony being attended by the Governor Bhagatsingh Koshyari, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) colleagues Balasaheb Thorat (Congress) and Nawab Malik (NCP) among others but because he pulled off a coup of sorts recently. Sources say he got Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw their party candidate in the recently held state’s by-election to the Rajya Sabha necessitated by the demise of Congress MP Rajeev Satav. His earlier stint in BJP probably helped. He left BJP and joined Congress in 2017. Patole, who has earned brownie points with the Gandhis, now faces the real test on December 22, 2021, when BJP will expect a quid pro quo on the issue of 12 suspended BJP MLAs from the Maharashtra legislature. How Patole delivers remains to be seen. The issue of the 12 suspended BJP MLAs will figure majorly in the forthcoming state session and is likely to create fissures within the MVA constituents with Sharad Pawar’s NCP and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena likely to be on opposite sides of the Congress while deciding the fate of the suspended BJP MLAs.
It ain’t for nothing that PM Narenrdra Modi warned on Constitution Day (Nov 26) about family-run parties being the biggest threat to democracy. Mamata Banerjee is no Narendra Modi. The same day she used the forthcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections (set for Dec 19) to strengthen her family stranglehold on Kolkata by declaring her old network of supporters as candidates in the civic polls. She chose to give tickets to relatives and extended families rather than go looking for fresh faces. Ironically, she was doing all this on a suggestion from her strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) to change candidates. The TMC had dropped about 39 candidates in 144 wards. Mamata “misused” PK’s advice to field relatives– including her own sister-law Kajari Banerjee, dropping an influential incumbent Ratan Malakar. Kajari’s candidature so shocked Malakar that he filed papers as an independent. He and yet another councillor, both belonging to Mamata’s Bhowanipore assembly constituency, revolted. As of now PK is at odds with the TMC. Didi has told PK to leave out micro candidate issues to her. PK recently skipped a strategy-meeting on the polls. Meanwhile, the strategist is sending across train loads of young men — affiliated to his I-PAC — to Goa to work for the party. Left to herself, Mamata may be comfortable transferring Bengal voters to Goa. Just to prove a point!
At Bhubaneswar, Odisha, the venue for the 2021 Men’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup played between 16 countries, the expectations were high that the defending champion India would once again walk away with the Cup. After all, it had won the Junior World Cup title in 2016 in Lucknow. But, the winner was Argentina. It displayed maturity, strategy and patience to beat the six-time champion Germany 4-2 to lift the cup after a gap of 16 years. Argentinians, who were shorter in height vis-a-vis German players, overcame that shortcoming by focusing on timely tackles, dodge and block, dribble, and in the process displayed exemplary teamwork. India on the other hand lacked all these qualities from Day One. It lost miserably to France and Germany. In fact, experts point out that India’s conversion ratio, coordination and consistent precision needs great improvement. The blame game is on with fingers pointing towards Hockey India. Not many know that Odisha was chosen as a venue at the last moment in September when two other Indian states declined to host the event. The Naveen Patnaik government pulled all stops out to ensure the event went off smoothly. Even the international coach Graham Reed was brought in just three months before the event. Hope Hockey India is well prepared for the next big event in 2024.
Election dates for Punjab assembly elections will be announced a month away; polls are due in February 2022. Yet political jockeying for voter’s attention among key players has peaked. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, his Delhi counterpart and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were spotted carrying their Punjab battle into streets and TV studios of Delhi, much to everyone’s amusement. Channi who performed bhangra on a live TV event, made it known that his potential challenger Kejriwal had no business to venture into Punjab. Simply because the Haryana-born Delhi CM may not know how to dance to a bhangra beat. And how can anyone do Punjab politics without doing bhangra he asked. If this was Channi’s talking point in a TV event, Sidhu cornered Kejriwal by leading a protest of Delhi temporary teachers outside his residence in Delhi. The dharna was to apparently puncture AAP chief’s campaign point in Punjab where he is offering a whole lot of freebies — from offering Rs 1,000 to every woman in a household to free power to ideal government schools. Did Channi and Sidhu coordinate their effort to corner Kejriwal? Of course not. There is still no theme that binds the Congress in Punjab. Channi is found playing his caste card; and it has begun to worry party men.
Akshay Kumar as the patriotic, patronising, platitudes spewing cop carries Sooryavanshi on his six pack, muscle bulging shoulders with so much sincerity that one feels almost guilty for panning this mixed up, pro-establishment homily ridden film. This “terrorist” film heavy on back to back guns, helicopters, chases, RDX, serial blasts , innocents falling like nine pins and Hindu Muslim platitudes spouted with absolute seriousness is so predictable. Mass action entertainer Rohit Shetty has even bunged in the theme song from Hum Hindustani. And the heroine Katrina Kaif would get the same summing up from Khalid Mohammed when he reviewed Darwaza years ago. “Anil Dhawan in and as Darwaza.” Ranveer Singh in a comedy cameo as the pomaded sculpted body Simmba and Ajay Devgun as Singham the serious pose with Akshay, victorious. The movie has racked over Rs 120 crore within a month of its theatre release, when the makers were debating OTT or theatres in 2020. And the icing on the cake, Netflix signed up Rs 100 crore for its December 4 release. Good optics for the BJP trying to change gears and lanes for its ensuing elections narrative. Two straight years of locked down, misery filled rainy days and assorted catastrophes, people of India want some fantasy spectacle. Who knows even such filmy efforts may stitch the great divide or drive the wedge even more deeply.
On Wednesday, December 8, the cricket world will rise to the sights and sounds of the iconic Ashes series, played between the oldest foes in the game, Australia and England. In olden days, the teams sailed by big boats to Australia and England; these days it’s all flying visits. After 144 years of daggers-drawn like contests — the first Test was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Bowl in March 1877 and Australia won it by 45 runs after the home team’s Charles Bannerman scored the first century with a 330-ball 165 with 18 fours — Australia lead with 146 wins (95 at home) from 351 Tests. England has won 110 and 95 have ended in a draw. The last Test was played at The Oval in London in September 2019 and hence after two years and more, Australia with fast bowler captain in Pat Cummins and England with champion batter in Joe Root will lock horns at Brisbane’s Gabba in a bio-bubble secured environment. The two captains pressed a red button around a replica of the Ashes Urn to launch the Vodafone Ashes Series at the Gabba, the 81st in 144 years. The Ashes fever will grip the cricket aficionados for 41 days till the fifth Test that’s scheduled to end on January 18, 2022. Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has predicted a 3-0 win for Australia.
Five years have passed by since the iron lady, Queen of quirk and TN‘s high voltage icon, late J Jayalalithaa died under mysterious circumstances. With all the state machinery and sleuthing strength at its command, this state is still floundering to unravel how and why she died. Claimants to her throne and her party are numerous. Whatever her alleged dark side of corruption, megalomania and unbridled arrogance, Jayalalithaa could not name a successor. On December 5, there were three distinct gatherings wanting to pay homage at her memorial on the Marina Beach, needless to add, each group assuming that they were the true inheritors of her legacy. Knowing the potential for a tinder box confrontation, the DMK government allotted three distinct time slots for each group. The first batch of the conjoined twins EPS and OPS, in different mourning shades of attire paid homage, jostling and elbowing for vantage…optics , optics! Then came the AMMK and Sashikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran and his followers. And finally, Sashikala, shedding copious tears at the graveside of her beloved Akka. The undercurrents to keeping the party intact is well known, with powerful aspirants pressuring EPS and OPS to nurse the party out of the ICU. After “tearful tribute,” the ruling party floated an unofficial survey — Sasikala had the maximum followers! Talk of setting the cat among the pigeons.
DMK leader Kanimozhi has found her voice again. She upbraided the Centre for inequitable distribution of taxes from the central pool while pointing out that the system was blatantly unfair to southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu. Since share of taxes is linked to State population, the progressive southern States, which promoted family planning and controlled the population for five decades from the 1970s, is suffering, she said. This was an unusual outburst as the DMK has been taking the pragmatic line that it will not be openly antagonistic of the Centre. It has told leaders below the top deck to go easy on political criticism and stick to elaborating any charge with facts and figures. Even in Parliament, the DMK, while being very much part of the UPA alliance led by the Congress, has been playing it soft. During the ruckus that saw Congress take on the ruling party in Parliament in the winter session, the DMK was not unduly demonstrative but joined the walkout whenever the alliance required it. Unlike the TRS MPs who were prominent in the well of the House, DMK members were content to stay seated while scoring debating points. Kani’s criticism does of course follow the release of the findings of the national family survey which proves the point about fertility rate and fall in population in the South.
With the Government restoring Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) just ahead of the Winter Session there should not have been much trouble with MPs. Yet unbelievably, the imbroglio over suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs has spilled into the second week. Ideally, such an issue or any issue with the Chair gets sorted within a day or two. However, the Opposition now seems determined to prolong it as it is in no mood to tender an apology for its unruly behaviour on the floor of the House during monsoon session (August 11). “We are not Savarkars to apologise. It is not in our culture to write letters of apology,” says CPI leader Binoy Viswom, echoing an anti-BJP narrative that insults the memory of the freedom fighter revered by millions. His view is shared by a section in the Congress too, including Rahul Gandhi. Chairman M Venkiah Naidu who has held several rounds of meetings with leaders is ready to revoke his order but says MPs have to express regret. Suspended MPs are hoping Naidu will respond to Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement in the House and let them off. And that’s not possible. As for suspended MPs Priyanka Chaturvedi and Shashi Tharoor, in solidarity, quitting from Sansad TV shows, it doesn’t make business or political sense: Their TV shows were after all a professional commitment.
Rumours are flying thick and fast that Udhayanidhi Stalin might be in the running to head the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). It might be a long term plan as elections are only in the 2022 summer but heading a cricket body is a route that many young politicians have been known to take to gain popularity and a bit of national prominence. Remember both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah were presidents of the Gujarat Cricket Association and Shah’s son has gone further to become the all-powerful BCCI secretary. N Srinivasan is not one to give away such a prized post that remains now in his family with his daughter Rupa heading the TNCA. He is very close to the DMK top brass after years-long association with ‘Murasoli’ Maran. But, after years of fighting a losing battle with the Supreme Court, NS had to give up the BCCI presidency, formal ownership of Chennai Super Kings as well as step down from TNCA. To cement his position as South India’s leading cement manufacturer, NS might loosen his grip on TNCA to allow the CM’s son an entry into the glamorous world of cricket with its Bollywood and corporate links. After all, Udhayanidhi’s grandfather M Karunanidhi was a keen cricket fan who never missed a Pongal Test at Chepauk in the old days.
Cracks have surfaced in the Maharashtra BJP unit as the insiders claim that the Modi-Shah duo is displeased with the functioning of LoP Devendra Fadnavis and state unit chief Chandrakant Patil. Both were in Delhi last week and had separately met home minister Amit Shah. The senior leadership is not happy over state BJP’s failure to effectively project the Centre’s slew of programmes, including 100 crore vaccinations. They were also not happy over leaders issuing new deadlines for the collapse of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government without giving any concrete plans. The message was loud and clear focus on further strengthening the party while communicating about the Centre’s achievements and MVA’s failures to the voters. Mere talk of the fall of the MVA government will not be acceptable. The leadership is also displeased over the neglect of old-timers and party loyalists while giving importance to a select few, especially those who have migrated from Congress and NCP. The appointment of Vinod Tawde, who was denied a ticket in the 2019 assembly election as the General Secretary, and nomination of former minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule for state council election, are important decisions taken by Delhi to checkmate Fadnavis, in particular, with a signal that he will have to change his style of functioning by taking everybody together.
Ever since Abhishek Bachchan entered Bollywood in 2000, critics and viewers have been uncharitably comparing him with his iconic father Amitabh Bachchan. The surname did weigh heavily on him. But, he did not lose heart. He soldiered on and was recognized for his talent in movies like Refugee, Yuva, Zameen and Sarkar. Impressed by his performance, acclaimed director Mani Ratnam cast him in Guru to play the character of Dhirubhai Ambani which won him accolades. But the very next film Raavan bombed big time at the box office and apparently Big B was slightly upset with Mani Ratnam. With not many films offers on hand Abhishek looked at an alternative career; he focused on sports which is doing reasonably well. Then came another opportunity with a movie on stock market scamster Harshad Mehta. Abhishek was banking heavily on Big Bull to boost his sagging acting career. But Pratik Gandhi starrer 10-part OTT series Scam 1992 on a similar subject pre-empted his movie which did not do well. Now, once again Abhishek is hoping that the crime thriller Bob Biswas will boost his filmy career. He was certainly missed in Bunty Aur Babli 2 as Saif Ali Khan had replaced him. Reason insiders say is because of his past relationship with Rani Mukherji and both preferred not to work together. Incidentally, his web series Breathe seems to have done well, it is now into Season 2.
Two ministers stand out in tackling the Opposition on the floor of the House — Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotirditya Scindia. Shekhawat, who piloted the Dam Safety Bill, 2021 in the Rajya Sabha, faced grim reminders that the Bill could be a repeat of Farm Laws. Not only did he stand his ground but reminded the Opposition that as he spoke 42 dams had collapsed because of lack of action on part of lawmakers. The Bill has been hanging fire for a decade. On the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Shekhawat made it clear the idea of limiting the number of member states to 7 on the 21 panel was a proposal drawn from the Standing Committee headed by late Congress leader Tarun Gogoi. It was the Gogoi report that didn’t want more states on the panels. As for Scindia, he effectively tackled Congress and DMK leaders who teased him for speaking only in Hindi. DMK leader TR Baalu wondered why the Civil Aviation Minister who was fluent in English was not speaking the language. Baalu was joined by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. To which Scindia replied: “I would be more than happy to reply in English. I am always available for you Baalu sahab in every language that I know; I am at your service.”
What’s in a name? Everything, some will say. So what, some will argue. At least in the Dravidian land of Tamil Nadu, the name and personality still count. With the business landscape undergoing rapid metamorphosis by the day, the conventional wisdom of placing faith on name and personality, however, is wrought with risk. If proof is required, you have. Take the case of the Shriram group and Star Health, the country’s first private sector stand-alone health insurance company. The Shriram group has long ceased to be a Chennai conglomerate. Known largely for truck financing, Shriram is also known for its chit business. Founded by R Thyagarajan (popularly known as RT), the group has since changed a lot. Today, it is driven from Mumbai by the Piramals. Not many know that the Shriram of today does not really belong to the city of Chennai. Star Health, too, is known by its founder V Jagannathan, an insurance industry veteran. That states such as AP and TN rolled out health cover for the citizens largely due to his connection was well known. Star too has changed. Once the IPO is over, Star will be vastly different. Perhaps the people of Chennai can’t really claim Shriram and Star to be their own!
At 55, J Radhakrishnan looks boyish, sartorially subdued and elegant; easily the poster boy for an IAS officer, mission driven and motivated. As Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary of Health & Family Welfare since 2020 with the previous AIADMK regime, it is easy to see why the DMK dispensation kept him on. Though he seems a bit frosty, his role in coordinating and controlling Covid-19 pandemic has earned him the respect and admiration of both mantrijis and aam aadmi. With no flamboyance in his work, Mr Cool ticks boxes effectively when it comes to challenges Corona has thrown up. No wonder Chief Minister MK Stalin and Health Minister M Subramaniam take his ability for granted and expect him to deliver. The Vax drive in this state had the stamp of system driven efficiency. So, when the new Omicron scare struck it was decided to check all TN airports. It is learnt both mantriji and Babu set off to Madurai airport. As the convoy was pulling out, Radhakrishnan’s car rammed into the airport’s wall, damaging his car. Radhakrishnan just got out of the car, and told the cringing driver, “Anna, don’t worry, we will take care,” a response typical of a man who faces adversities with equanimity. He reported the accident at a local police station, and then drove on to Tiruchirappalli airport. Covid-19, Delta, Omicron…TN is in capable hands.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijay Sardesai was all gung ho about his one-on-one meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He had every reason to be. That is because his trip to Delhi not only established his equations with the Congress high command but also helped him take a swipe at the TMC which had poached his party functionary. In a slap to the TMC, Sardesai snitched an independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar from South Goa backing the TMC and brought him to Delhi. The TMC was naturally livid with Sardesai’s Delhi visit and his pact with the Congress. It took to social media to attack him. Of course, on his return to Panaji, Sardesai found his gains were short-lived. His third MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar had shifted to the BJP. It was felt Salgaonkar, who was a businessman and belonged to North Goa, may have been under pressure to switch to the BJP. At the national level, the BJP has been making new acquisitions. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a close associate of the Badals, joined the party. Belonging to Haryana, Sirsa is a prominent Delhi gurudwara leader.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is in a hurry to finalise the district expansion plans, from the present 13 to 26. He has asked his key Secretaries and MPs to lobby with the Home Ministry to seek approval to go ahead with District Bifurcation plans immediately since there was an earlier directive that bifurcation can be done only after completion of Census 2021. Fortunately for Jagan, because of Covid-19, the census process has not yet started. He is keen to complete the district’s reorganization process before the census begins. And of course, nobody will complain as he enjoys a good rapport with BJP. What is the real objective for pushing and implementing district expansion? Is it to bring administration closer to people? Or is it to empower Zilla Parishad, Panchayati Samiti? The real reason is the need to meet electioneering promises and the potential to get additional funds from the Centre and create employment opportunities. Jagan and his bureaucracy are eyeing the benefits from district specific central government funding, particularly the backward districts which will become growth centres and the opportunity of participation in district specific schemes, creating better service delivery and solving administrative and governance issues. Also, a boom in land prices and new job opportunities are attractive factors, as AP has the second-highest density per district population after West Bengal.
Chennai’s popular boys, Woorkeri Raman and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan aka ‘Siva’ who have played cricket with distinction are set to regale a big cricket audience in the Tamil speaking/ listening world on Sports Channel SONY Ten 4 during the iconic Ashes Test series between Australia and England to get off the ground at the Woollloongabba, Brisbane from December 8. After the opening skirmish at the Gabba that will pitch Pat Cummins’ Aussies against Joe Root’s Englishmen, the series will travel to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. The Ashes has always generated interest among a wider spectrum of the cricket world, and India’s TV channels like Star Sports and SONY pictures are going out of the way to engage former cricketers to bring live action of the game apart from English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Raman was a left-hand bat and slow left-arm spinner and Siva chose the notorious Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet art of leg-spin-googly. After bidding adieu from the game, Raman made his mark in coaching and print-media, and Siva became a spin coach, even as he articulated the nuances of the game in a number of cable television channels in domestic and international cricket. So happy listening to them on SONY Ten 4 from December 8.
Even though Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided not to visit regularly or call up 10 Janpath, she is keen to only meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar and seek his advice for the formation of a possible non-BJP front. She will meet Pawar on Wednesday (Dec 1) at the latter’s Silver Oak residence in Mumbai. Insiders from both parties said Pawar and Banerjee – with friends in various parties – can build up a front to take on BJP in the 2024 elections. However, Pawar has always been insisting that such a front won’t work without Congress. Pawar has already sent feelers to a few Congress leaders who have sent a positive signal but everything depends on the trio in the party – Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka. Mamata is perturbed over Rahul not wishing her immediately after her record victory though Rahul later tweeted. They in turn are upset that TMC kept out of the opposition parties’ meet. It is learned that Pawar may organize a meeting between Mamata and Rahul at his 6 Janpath residence in New Delhi which is the new power centre for opposition unity. A senior Congress leader opines if Pawar is personally involved then Sonia may climb down. Interestingly, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray has declined to meet Didi. Now people are reading between the lines.
How many recollect Hema Malini was rejected by Kollywood at the very beginning of her career. After Raj Kapoor’s Discovery of the Dream Girl, Bollywood top heroes Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor and others vied to be paired with her. Garam Dharam went on to claim permanent ownership rights. But somewhere this Iyengar beauty who spoke Shudh Tam Bram Tamizh (as Shudh as the Shudh Kent Paani she promotes), must have craved for that mass adulation from her own tribe. The dream is now taking shape in the hands of genius director Bala, he of Tamil hits Nanda and Pitha Magan, too many classy hits with Suriya, in which they are collaborating. Jai Bhim, the gripping chronicle of caste exploitation that has kicked awake the collective conscience of our Teflon nation, Suriya is now a pan Indian name. Bala’s cinematic magic instinct is to work on a casting coup …Surya and Hema as the elderly couple in an under-production movie. Dream Girls are distinct divas too…Bala surely worked on the script to make her role strong and stunning, though Suriya followers were a bit sceptical by this odd pairing. But wait…73-year-old classic, temple sculpture beauties don’t have to be in cold storage mode… given the custom-made script, casting and an icon who breaks barriers in film direction, this movie is bound to be riveting.
Welspun One Logistics Parks, a pan-India integrated fund, development and asset management platform, a part of the $3.5 billion Welspun Group, has signed an MoU with Guidance, the Government of Tamil Nadu’s nodal agency, for investment promotion and single window facilitation. This is towards setting up warehousing facilities across Tamil Nadu. The projects will be executed by Welspun One Logistics Parks and will bring direct investments of around Rs 2,500 crore to the State. Under this MoU, a total of six projects have been proposed in the prime warehousing micro-markets like Hosur, Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur; totalling a development potential of around 8 million sqft, to be built across a span of five years. Considering the tangible social and economic benefits that the investments entail, the state government has assured support in streamlining the approval processes and single-window clearances for Welspun-initiated projects to facilitate the overall ease of doing business. The Welspun group company, in turn, is determined to provide high-impact sustainable warehousing solutions by incorporating green infrastructure and an industry-led technology approach.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition just does not know when it is going to lose the narrative. While the Opposition was planning to box in Modi, the PM caught the Opposition by surprise. First, he announced a roll-back of the three “contentious” farm laws on November 19. And 10 days later, on the first day of Winter Session of Parliament, 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha from Opposition benches were suspended. Congress leaders privately admit that they were completely caught unaware that the Rajya Sabha Chair would penalise members for their unruly behaviour on the last day of Monsoon Session. “By reducing our bench strength, Modi has effectively shifted our goal post, Instead of discussing farmer issues, we are now discussing our issues,” rues Nasir Hussain, a suspended Congress MP from Karnataka. Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu made it clear that there was no question of ignoring what happened on the last day of the Monsoon Session and the House was a continuous one. As for suspension of MPs, he said it could not be ignored that they were from the list of 33 people who had been named for their misconduct on August 11. Members were given an opportunity to explain their conduct and apologise. Instead of apology the Opposition has opted for confrontation with the Chair. No one wins here, only the Chair in Rajya Sabha does.
Lionel Messi won a record seventh Ballon d’Or to add to further his reputation as one of the world’s greatest footballers ever and young German Robert Lewandowski was runner-up. The highly regarded Oscar of football was a prize Messi thoroughly deserved this year after having led Argentina to the Copa America title. Having believed the 2019 prize could be his last, Messi said he was, however, not surprised after Argentina’s victory over Brazil in the final. Messi’s contemporary, long term rival and five-time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo was also the centre of attention. He made public his feud with Pascal Ferre, the editor-in-chief of France Football whose organisation oversees the star-studded ceremony. Ferre had told the New York Times in an interview that Ronaldo’s only remaining ambition was to win more Ballon D’Ors than Messi. Ronaldo contested the claim that he had told Ferre so. He reiterated that his only goals are to do with his country and club and to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers. Ronaldo signed off saying he likes to win for himself and his teams and not win against anyone. He also resented Ferre’s suggestion that Ronaldo did not attend the event because of quarantine rules. He conveyed sportingly his best wishes to the winner.
It is not exactly the House of Windsor with Prince Charles waiting in the wings for a long time to sit on that throne. Worldwide wagers don’t bet on his getting it soon. But hope floats. Compared to this, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son, heir imminent, Secretary of the DMK Youth Wing, cinema star, and MLA is on velvet… royal maroon, with gold trimmings. And why not? How many political dynastic heirs have the good fortune to inherit a whole ideological political party evolved over 70 years, a huge party apparatus, fan following, and be known as one of the wealthiest political scions? On November 27, he turned 44 and his party functionaries went overboard wishing him, sycophantic greetings dripping with Tamil eloquence. Amidst all this cacophony, silently, mother Durga Stalin has been relentlessly demanding Udhayanidhi’s elevation to the cabinet and an open claim to take over from Stalin, who has evaded a snap decision. There are a few other family claimants to TN leadership; Stalin’s elder brother MK Alagiri, whose talent for stirring up trouble is well known, his half-sister K Kanimozhi, an MP with acknowledged ambitions and acumen; late Karunanidhis, other not so well-known sons and their progeny. What if a palace coup were to upset the status quo, after DMK has managed to wrest TN after 10 long years?
Ravichandran Ashwin was in the news right through the course of the last English summer; for the notorious reason of not getting a chance to send down a single ball in the five-Test series against Joe Root’s home team. Blame it on the local conditions, weather and the pitch, Captain Virat Kohli and the think tank did not feel it necessary to think beyond left-arm spinner all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for the only slow spin bowler’s position for four Tests. Ashwin did not figure in the supposedly spin-friendly Oval Test that India won to take 2-1 lead. Ditto with left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who and Ashwin together delivered a two-in-one Test in five days against England at the Motera in February last. Ashwin took 32 and Axar, 27. But they were deemed to be useless in England. Ashwin and Axar were again in the centre stage and even Jadeja, on a pitch at the Green Park, Kanpur that was used well by the New Zealand fast bowlers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson. Ashwin and Axar took six each in the Test and Jadeja, five for spin tally of 17 wickets. Ashwin (419) also went past Harbhajan Singh’s aggregate of 417 Test scalps. Ashwin now needs eight more wickets to touch the 300-wicket mark at home. Leg spinner Anil Kumble has a high of 350 Test wickets at home.
It must be hurting him, but a hyperactive Virat Kohli is unlikely to lose sleep over not having converted much of his seven half centuries in the last 24 months into magical three figure knocks. Often, he has talked about contributing to the team through partnerships. Kohli’s last century (136) was against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in November 2019; the preceding one was a massive unbeaten 254 against South Africa at Gahunje, Pune in October 2019. These two big knocks took his 2019 average to 68 from eight Tests and 11 innings. But Kohli’s average dropped to a career low of 19.33 from three Tests and six innings in 2020, and it is 29.80 so far from nine Tests and 15 innings in 2021. These are the lowest numbers in 10 calendar years. He has averaged 40 plus three times, 50 plus twice, 60 plus once and 75 plus twice. He averaged 22.44 in his first year of Test cricket in 2011. The pundits had predicted that Kohli would break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international (51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs). Until now, Kohli has 27 Test and 43 ODI centuries, which makes his task cut out to surpass Tendulkar’s hundred centuries. His fans would be hoping he gets his 71st century — for himself and India – at the Wankhede on December 3.
Why is everybody eyeing the cement industry? N Srinivasan, the vice-chairman and managing director of The India Cements has an interesting take on this. The industry has something “macho” about it. That is an irresistible attraction, he says. To be sure, the cement scene in Tamil Nadu at least heads for some exciting turns. It is a market where the price is holding up – and often heads north – despite excess capacity. Surely, this can’t go unnoticed by enterprising minds. Dalmia and Ultratech have already gotten into action mode. Dalmia is planning grinding units in Coimbatore, Chingleput, and Virudhunagar districts. Well, it already has cement plants at Dalmiapuram in Trichy and Ariyalur. Ultratech, on the other hand, has a grinding unit at Arakkonam and a cement plant in Reddipalayam (acquired from Dharani several summers ago. It is now planning expansion by putting up grinding units at Karur, Tuticorin, and Ranipet. These two have indeed chosen strategic locations for their proposed grinding facilities. Their move is bound to intensify action on the ground. Product innovation and savvy marketing could hold the key for the players in this part of the world to secure their position and expand in a market that is set for intense competition. Surely, CSK and Dhoni could come in handy for India Cements in the unfolding cement turf!
For Andhra Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Telugu state is still at a crossroads. The three capital initiatives — Amaravati-Vishakhapatnam-Kurnool — which is the cornerstone of his political policy has hit roadblocks as hundreds of farmers in Amaravati moved the High Court contesting Jagan’s South African style initiative. He was forced to backtrack. This means Amaravati will be the working capital until the AP government postulates its new comprehensive Bill. For Jagan Mohan Reddy, his massive electoral victory in 2019 has not translated into improved governance, shoring up revenues, attracting big-ticket manufacturing investment, and creating more jobs in the state. Instead, his priority and focus have been to reverse the policies of the previous TDP government-led Chandra Babu Naidu. Reddy, says insiders, are spending more time crushing erstwhile political opponents, targeting non-complying bureaucrats and constitutional functionaries, and continuing populist dole out measures without sufficient financial backup. In the first half of 2021-22, Andhra Pradesh’s revenue deficit soared by 663% while the fiscal deficit was up by 108%. Half of the government earnings has been directed towards freebies schemes, subsidies, bills, salaries, pensions, etc. The writing is on the wall: Andhra Pradesh desperately needs to shore up revenue and attract big-ticket investments to put its economy back on track. Can it?
After Rae Bareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh defected and joined the BJP last week, many wonder if her husband Angad Singh, who is a Congress MLA in Punjab (NawanShahr Assembly Seat) would be spared by the party leadership. It is quite possible that Congress may not renominate Angad as a party candidate. But then, Aditi and Angad may not be the only couple who would be at the receiving end of the party high command’s ire. Last week the Gandhis went all out to embarrass Perneet Kaur, Patiala Lok Sabha MP, and the wife of Capt Amarinder Singh. A show-cause notice was issued to her for publicly stating that she stands with her husband. The notice was issued by Punjab in-charge Harish Choudhary. Normally, notices to MPs are sent out by the AICC. Punjab Congress leaders are amused that the Gandhis should be more worried about Capt Amarinder Singh forming a party than take action against former minister and Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari who went all out to damage the UPA government with his book or Salman Khurshid who posed a lot of problems for the party with his book. In his book, Tewari laid bare how the UPA government had not acted strongly enough post 26/11.
When the late J Jayalalithaa and her mother, actor Sandhya bought this 24,000 sq ft sprawling property in tony Poes Garden in 1967 for Rs 1.32 lakh to build their luxurious home 81, Veda Nilayam, little did they imagine what controversies and intrigues it would churn up. This CM’s residence quickly became the epicentre of TN‘s destiny and the course of its history after her election as the leader of AIADMK and the CM. Her blood relatives, niece Deepa and nephew Deepak, children of JJ’s brother late Jayakumar were overwhelmed by the cunning attempts to usurp all that JJ owned, including her power and mass popularity by imposter claimants who had wormed their way into her bungalow and hijacked her life. Why didn’t Amma leave a will? Edappadi Palanisamy, successor to Jayalalithaa stunned everybody by issuing a government gazette order proclaiming the bungalow as a museum memorial that the public could visit and view. But her niece and nephews had immense faith in the law of the land. In a dramatic move, the Madras High Court has struck down the validity of the government acquisition turning it into a memorial. Jaya’s house would go to her bloodline heirs. Just goes to show many a shady plan of mice and men being torpedoed by law.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has completed two years in office, yet the three alliance partners Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress have to keep reiterating that their government is strong and stable, and BJP won’t be able to carry out Operation Lotus to come back to power. It may be recalled that BJP made several attempts to dethrone the current MVA government but failed miserably. The latest update on this one is Union Minister Narayan Rane’s statement that the MVA government “will fall” by March 2022. Meanwhile, sources say that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, currently recovering from spine operations, has not been able to yoke his MVA cabinet colleagues and leaders who are busy talking to the media to push their agenda. Some bureaucrats and leaders are complaining that Thackeray’s style of functioning is leading to delay in decision making. What is missing is a direct connection that is allowing BJP to attack the government for lack of coordination and delays in the implementation of decisions that have already been cleared by the cabinet. They are also complaining about his overreliance on a few bureaucrats. But, when it comes to his own party Shiv Sena, Thackeray has a firm grip and those talking in the media or leaking stories have been sidelined. But, in the end, everybody is asking how will Sena fare under Thackeray at the BMC polls and state elections? Only time will tell.
The NCP Chief Spokesman and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik continues his tirade against Narcotics Control Bureau vis a vis Sameer Wankhede, widely hailed as an upright officer. Interestingly, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who has been an architect of the MVA government, has openly hailed Malik for his revelations and announced that NCP and MVA government, in general, are prepared to take on BJP and the central probe agencies despite their attempts to corner the MVA leaders. But the real problem facing the MVA government is on the economic front. The coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted the government’s functioning and finances. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will have to swing into action by taking his ministers on board for the revival of the economy and placing a slew of development and welfare projects on a fast track. Ahead of elections to civic and local bodies especially BMC, Thackeray will have to sort out the politically crucial issue of alliance or go solo to take on BJP. The victory in BMC will consolidate Thackeray’s position in MVA and also send a signal to BJP that he is a fighter and there are no chances of a reunion with them.
The recent communal flare up witnessed in Amravati, Malegaon and Aurangabad in Maharashtra over data cooked up online of desecration of a religious place of prayer, should not have occurred, says Maharashtra’s former additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chitkala Zutshi. A senior retired bureaucrat says when actionable intelligence was available it was fairly simple to pre-empt the violence witnessed on November 12-13 this year. Ideally, the State’s cyber intelligence hi-tech department should have sounded the red alert after virulent posts were shared just days before the violence occurred. So, was this a deliberate instance of sitting pretty on hard intelligence? “Nothing new,” says a home department official. Way back in 2004 the Maharashtra’s CM received an intelligence report on the proposed agitation against the Nanar power project in Navi Mumbai. He was advised to speak to the opposition leader so as to tame it down. Did he speak? Nobody knows. But poor Navi Mumbaikars suffered collateral losses after rioters indulged in arson gutting several cars. Ditto the Bhima Koregaon violence erupted on the 200th anniversary year during Devendra Fadnavis’ tenure. Currently under the watch of Maha Vikas Aghadi government it has happened once again. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, has demanded “imposition of a ban on Raza Academy” for its role in recent violence; the institute was earlier accused of leading Mumbai’s Azad Maidan riots on August 11, 2012.
In Maharashtra’s political arena it is raining Rs 100-crore defamation suits. State Transport Minister Anil Parab sought Rs 100-crore damages from BJP leader Kirit Somaiya over allegedly defamatory tweets. This was followed by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife Amruta seeking damages from Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Nawab Malik for tweeting pictures of her with an alleged drug peddler. More followed. Controversial Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede’s father filed a Rs 1.25-crore defamation suit against Malik to stop daily tweets and disclosures against his son and family. Even former Chief Minister and current Revenue Minister Ashok Chavan against whom Somaiya went gun blazing told shortpost.in, “Wild allegations were levelled without consideration for facts. I will consider all legal options at an appropriate time.” This brings to fore why people file defamation suits? Is it to put pressure on the rival camps or the media? Do they yield results? Senior counsel Prakash Devdas says, “Most high profile defamation suits see no logical outcome.” Advocate Apoorv Srivastava says, “Defamation is a retrograde law. Journalists, academics, legislators, and bloggers realize lawsuits are used by corporations, businesses, and public officials to silence, intimidate and control the truth.” Truth is, while criminal defamation suits are fast-tracked, civil cases drag on for nearly 25 years. In most suits, both parties lose interest after the controversy dissipates and amicably settle out of court.
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.