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Banu Mushtaq
After Booker, A Reality Check On Hindu Gods For Banu Mushtaq As Old Videos Come To Haunt
Karnataka government’s decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dussehra festivities was censured after a video went viral in which she was seen criticising the worship of the Kannada language in the form of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. At the 2023 Jana Sahitya Sammelana, Banu Mushtaq had said the appropriation of Kannada as Goddess Bhuvaneshwari draped in yellow and red, the colours of turmeric and vermilion, was “exclusionary” to people like her (minorities).  BJP state president BY Vijayendra asked Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dussehra only after accepting the Sanatana culture and rituals.  “The Sanatana Dharma includes idol worship and offering prayers to the deity. Do you agree with that?” He also took exception to Siddaramaiah’s decision to invite only Banu Mushtaq and ignore translator Deepa Basthi.  Hindutva proponents asked how Banu Mushtaq agreed to “bow down before Chamundeshwari’s grandeur when “she cannot tolerate Kannada Bhuvaneshwari”.  BJP MP Tejasvi Surya claimed that there was a bigger “game plan” behind having Banu Mushtaq. He felt these were not isolated moves… “The so-called Anti-Communal Task Force, the Hate Speech Bill, the Rohith Vemula Bill pushed at Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on  the dubious Dharmasthala SIT, and now the Congress government’s decision to invite Banu Mushtaq…are  part of a single, well-orchestrated game plan scripted by urban naxals and Marxists, executed with the full enthusiasm of Siddaramaiah government.” On her part, Banu Mushtaq made course corrections. She termed Dussehra a state festival and said referring to Mother Chamundeshwari with love and affection is a part of our culture. “That’s why it is dear to me as well. People call her Mother Chamundeshwari. I respect the people’s sentiment.”
MK_Stalin_008
Tamil Chief Minister Stalin Opts To Skip Ayyappa Event In Kerala Fearing BJP Stir
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has decided to skip the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangamam’ being organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board at Pampa in Kerala as part of its 75th anniversary on September 20. Oddly, he has cited “prior commitments” in his letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, and has deputed two state ministers to participate. The political buzz is that Stalin most likely   excused himself from the event because of the pressure exerted by the BJP. The invitation from Kerala CM had kicked up a political row with the BJP criticising the invitation extended to Stalin. TN BJP president Nainar Nagenthran, in his post on X, wrote that deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, minister TRB Rajaa, former Minister K Ponmudy and DMK treasurer TR Baalu had made “disgraceful remarks” against Hindus. Nagenthran had said if Stalin intends to attend the event, as a first step, he should make the above DMK leaders apologise for their remarks. Besides, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar strongly objected to Stalin’s participation. He demanded that both chief ministers apologise to Hindus “Pinarayi, Stalin and his Deputy Chief Minister son Udhayanidhi Stalin have hurt the sentiments of the Hindus and are trying to sabotage Hindu beliefs. Pinarayi government jailed many Ayyappa devotees and unleashed brutal police attacks against devotees who tried to protect the belief on restriction on women’s entry to Sabarima Ayyappa temple,” Chandrasekhar said in a statement. It is most likely in this backdrop that Stalin has chosen to skip visiting Kerala.
patel birsa atal
Modi Includes Opposition CMs In Panels To Celebrate Patel, Munda & Atal
Can Opposition leaders like Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee or Congress CM Siddaramaiah or AAP CM Bhagwant Mann shun a high-level panel being set up by the Centre to prepare for the centennial birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee? Just because they are politically opposed to PM Modi. Of course, not. The Ministry of Culture has notified three high-level committees for the commemoration of 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Birsa Munda, and the centennial birth anniversary of Vajpayee. PM Modi will chair each committee which as members have several CMs as well as union ministers. The committee for Sardar Patel will have 124 members is top heavy panel and includes former Presidents Pratibha Patil, Ramnath Kovind, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and has 21 CMs, including Opposition CMs Siddaramaiah, Omar Abdullah, Sikhvinder Singh Sukkhu, MK Stalin and Revanth Reddy. The committee also has Patel’s family members Nandini and Diribhai Patel. The committee on Birsa Munda has 118 members, including President Patil and President Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, several cabinet ministers and 20 Governors and L-Gs. The committee also has over 20 CMs, including Opposition CMs Hemant Soren, Pinarayi Vijayan and Revanth Reddy, besides Naidu and Advani. The Committee on Vajpayee has 124 members, and in addition to the former Presidents and Cabinet ministers, Advani and Naidu, 19 Governors and L-Gs and 17 CMs including Mamata Banerjee and Bhagwant Mann, besides Soren and Siddaramaiah. This committee also has as members Ranjan Gogoi, spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Ram Madhav, Suresh Prabhu, Kapil Dev, Azim Premji as well as Advani’s daughter Pratibha Advani.
Raj thackeray_023
Raj Thackeray’s Equidistant Policy Baffles Analysts
Raj Thackeray’s equidistant relationship with political leaders across the political spectrum in Maharashtra continues to baffle political analysts. His meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at the CM’s official residence, followed by his son Amit Thackeray meeting up with senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar the very next day, has been raising eyebrows in political circles. Even after officially joining stage with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, there is no official announcement of the same and Raj continues to hold parleys with Eknath Shinde’s pointsman Uday Samant. Though the first foray of the Thackeray brothers in the BEST credit society has been a cropper, their political strength in the civic polls, cannot be ignored. Incidentally, despite meeting with the CM, Raj continued to be in unison with his cousin Uddhav Thackeray on the issue of raising discrepancies in the electoral rolls that has been strongly flagged by Rahul Gandhi.  The Congress unit from Panvel has found 85,211 duplicate voters in the electoral rolls. Uddhav Thackeray too has asked his cadres to scrutinise the electoral rolls for discrepancies to prevent electoral setbacks. That the brothers are raising the same issue as raised by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi hints at the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) warming up to join the bandwagon of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. At this juncture, Raj Thackeray’s public meet-ups with leaders from both sides is being viewed as pressure tactics to secure a better deal for himself at the bargaining table for the upcoming polls. Though the MVA coalition has decided to fight the forthcoming local self-government elections separately, Raj Thackeray’s oratorical skills, which commands strong public turnouts at election rallies, could serve as a handy tool for both coalitions.
supreme court
For Supreme Court, Dog History Repeats
A docile and law-abiding people, Parsees are always held in high esteem. Their contribution in nation building is unmatched. It is very rare to see a Parsee breaking law. But there was an exception. A municipal action against stray dogs in then Bombay about 200 years ago had so angered the microscopic community that its fury exploded in a terrible riot. The fateful day was 6 July 1832, a holy day for the Parsees. When they ventured out of their houses in the Fort area, civic dog catchers were seen catching the dogs loitering around. About 200 Parsees tried to stop the action but to no avail. Soon, a clash started and two policemen were attacked. The protest spread to other communities. Hindus, Jains and Muslims, too, joined the free for all. Several prominent Parsees were arrested, only to add oil to the fire. Mumbai came to a standstill. Like the present Supreme Court has done, the British authorities were forced to rescind their original decision. Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, the doyen of the local people, demanded an immediate stop to the culling and proposed that stray dogs should be relocated outside the city. The British agreed.  The regulation mandating the killing of stray dogs was withdrawn. The Bombay Dog Riots of 1832 floods many memories about the then Bombay, a city loved by the British and her inhabitants equally. As far as the SC is concerned, the lesson is – history repeats itself.
Sunetra
Ajit Pawar On A Back Foot As Wife Sunetra Is Seen In RSS Meet
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has kept himself and his MLAs away from the RSS but his wife Sunetra presence at a meeting of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti in Delhi has put him on the backfoot. BJP MP and film star Kangana Ranaut had organized the meeting in the national capital by inviting prominent Sevika volunteers. When the pictures of the meeting became viral, the surprising face was that of Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member. Interestingly, in all these years, Sunetra was never seen in a political meeting. Though the RSS says it is a cultural and not a political organization, the detractors of the saffron outfit do not spare a single opportunity to needle its followers. The same sequence was enacted when Sunetra’s picture was seen all around. Ajit’s nephew Rohit Pawar, who is emerging as a powerful figure in grandfather Sharad Pawar’s NCP, was in the forefront of launching the attack. He reminded Ajit that the latter was always claiming to be proceeding on the path led by social reformers like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Shahu Maharaj. The clue was picked by others and finally Ajit Pawar had to quip at a public event to rebut the assault. He said, “I don’t monitor my wife’s movements minute to minute.” On her part, Sunetra said, “I attended the meeting to understand the thinking of those present. I spoke barely two words there. Hence, do not draw any political inferences.”
devendra cpr
Maharashtra Card In Vice-President Election, All Eyes On Fadnavis
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has been given a delicate task for the Vice-President election by being asked to play the ‘Maharashtra Card’ since the NDA’s candidate, CP Radhakrishnan or CPR, will contest as a voter from the state. He became governor of Maharashtra in July 2024 and cast his vote in the subsequent Vidhan Sabha election, hence he has filed his nomination as a voter from the state. This is a fortunate situation for the NDA since the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has used the Maharashtra card twice in the past, defying the NDA fiat. In 2007, the then unified Sena had supported Congress candidate for President, Pratibha Patil, arguing that she belonged to the state. In 2012, Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray had blessed Congress candidate Pranab Mukherjee, who had visited Matoshri to seek the former’s support. Using the analogy, Fadnavis will appeal to the voters, MPs, to elect ‘the candidate from Maharashtra.’  The Uddhav Sena has 9 Lok Sabha and 2 Rajya Sabha members while the NCP led by Sharad Pawar has 8 LS and 2 RS members. Together, both command 21 votes in the V-P election, which seems to become a keen tussle. Hence, the vote bloc from Maharashtra will prove to be crucial. While Fadnavis has been told by Pawar in no uncertain terms that his party will stand by the INDIA Bloc candidate Sudarshan Reddy, the decision of Uddhav is yet to be announced. This became clear after Fadnavis urged him to back the CRP. Looks like Fadnavis will try to wrest some INDIA Bloc votes by using his political skills.
priyanka nadda
Is First-Term MP Priyanka Gandhi Performing Better Than Her Brother Rahul?
Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra takes her role as a lawmaker very seriously. Not only does she articulate problems of her constituency inside the Lok Sabha, she is also known to take up issues of her constituency with Union Ministers. It is being said when she meets Central ministers, it is not for a private tete a tete. She is always taking along a delegation of Kerala MPs. State MPs, one hears, are extremely happy that the Gandhi girl has made it possible for Opposition MPs to have dialogue with the government on state issues. She recently had a meeting with Health Minister and BJP President JP Nadda on issues of Wayanad. She was accompanied by Kerala MPs, mostly from the Congress. Sharing details of her interaction on X, Priyanka requested Nadda to expedite some health projects in Wayanad and to apprise him of the severe difficulties being faced by the local population in the absence of the Medical College in Mananthavady. “We also discussed the need for better healthcare for Wayanad’s tribal population, their specific health issues, pending NHM funds and the need for a specialised trauma centre catering to cases of animal attacks in the area. Along with this all of us also renewed the long-standing request for an AIIMS for Kerala.” On her X timeline, one finds, she has showcased how Wayanad Coffee has received a Special Mention under Category A – Agriculture in the GoI’s ODOP program — the first such recognition for any product from Kerala. This honour celebrates the dedication of Wayanad’s farmers and the unique identity of their GI-tagged Robusta Coffee, a pillar of Wayanad’s economy.  Unlike her brother Rahul who is determined to push even a fake narrative of inflated vote count by the BJP to win 2024 polls, Priyanka seems focussed on governance issues.
Vijay_008
Actor Vijay Plays To The Gallery, But Will It Convert Into Votes For TVK
Even as established parties struggle for superiority among the voters and ideological battle formations, a Johnny-come-lately, just trapezes from his cinema stardom to an iconic leader with solutions to every issue in Tamil Nadu. The second, mega public podium of Vijay in Madurai drew huge crowds that saw National news TV covering it live. At the venue, a 100 feet flagpole to hoist the TVK flag broke and collapsed …superstitious Tamils tut tutted. But Vijay brushed it off and kicked off his super self-projecting show with elan…and arrogance. His ramp walk’s style braved by the fan crowd in 102 degree heat could be seen as his total hold over the audience (fans), notwithstanding fainting kids and adults, first aid in ambulances and the expected melee of crowd behaviour. But what needed to address issues of omission and commission of the incumbent party, quickly turned into an arrogant slugfest. Established superstars Rajini and Kamal were baited, unconcealed. But the Tamil Nadu chief minister addressed as Uncle Stalin raised eyebrows. Is Vijay pointing out his youth or Stalin’s old age? He referred to the AIADMK as MGR’s party and challenged PM Modi and the BJP…in cinematic style with an MGR song. The late Vijayakanth was remembered as my “dear brother”. Even as huge grease drums were placed to prevent the incited crowds to come near him, Vijay cited a Lion’s exclusivity…lions come only to kill and eat the prey. Never to stand and watch. But throughout this harangue, not once did Vijay offer his electorate concrete suggestions. Throwback to Aesop’s Lion and the Mouse parable…invincibility is better underpinned by humility.
Rahul Voter march
Rahul Gandhi Ensures A "Pucca House" For Cong's Tribal Face In Bihar
Even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is moving in Bihar on ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, he is being hailed as ‘compassionate’ and dubbed ‘a leader of the poor and the needy’ after he secretly got a new pucca house built for party member Bhagirath Manjhi, a resident of Gaya in Bihar. Bhagirath Majhi is the son of Dashrath Manjhi, known as the ‘Mountain Man’ for having cut a large mountain block to build a road to his native place, Gehlaur in Gaya, all by himself. As per the Bihar government records, Dashrath had carved a path — 110 m long, 9.1 m wide and 7.7 m deep — through a ridge of hills using only a hammer and chisel. Dashrath completed the daunting task single-handedly with the sole objective of connecting his remote and inaccessible village with the Wazirganj block in Gaya district. Bhagirath Manjhi, considered influential among the local tribals and someone who has an inclination for politics, had joined the Congress in January 2025 in a jolt to the ruling JDU, which he had joined in 2023. On June 6, Rahul visited the mud hut of Bhagirath, sat with the family, shared coconut water and listened to their concerns. Rahul then asked the local leaders to ensure that a brick house was built in place of the mud hut and provided funds for the same. Over the past months, Rahul had been engaging with local icons, marginalised communities and symbolic figures besides holding ‘Save Constitution’ conclaves to regain political ground in Bihar, where assembly elections are due in October-November. Bhagirath Manjhi, who had attended the ‘Save Constitution’ meet in Bodh Gaya, may well get a Congress ticket to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from the Bodh Gaya constituency.
dasara
Modi Govt Pleases Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Dy CM Shivakumar Sings RSS Anthem
Mysuru’s iconic Dasara celebrations are set to soar to new heights this year with an IAF air show planned as part of the festivities. In a major boost, the Modi government approved shifting the annual air show from Bengaluru where it is normally held to Mysuru. An elated Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and extended a formal invitation to him to attend. In a letter addressed to Singh and shared by Siddaramaiah’s office, he said: “It would be a great honour if you could personally grace the occasion. Your august presence will be a source of immense encouragement to the citizens of Karnataka and will further strengthen the bond of respect and admiration that we hold for our Armed Forces.” Dasara 2025, Karnataka’s ‘Naada Habba‘, will be held in Mysuru from September 22 to October 2. The celebrations will feature a blend of traditional and grand events including the Gajapayana (elephant march), extended palace illumination, vibrant cultural programmes, and the majestic Vijayadashami procession, Jamboo Savari. Meanwhile even as Karnataka CM  was only  too happy  with the Centre for being kind to him with its move on IAF air show  and as well as bringing  a law to block leaders with  criminal antecedents from holding office (hopefully implicating DKS), his deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who has been probed by  the ED, surprised his colleagues in the state assembly and flaunted his familiarity with RSS’s signature anthem “Namaste Sada Vatsale“. It wasn’t clear if DKS was sending a desperate message to the Gandhis or trying to reach out to the Centre.
abhishek suvendu
TMC, BJP Sharpen Strategies In Mamata and Suvendu Constituencies
In West Bengal the Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has challenged chief minister Mamata Banerjee once again, stating that he is prepared to contest against her in the next Assembly election, even from Bhabanipur. Referring to the ongoing “special intensive revision of electoral rolls,” Adhikari claimed that several names would be struck off the voter’s list. BJP sources indicated that Adhikari has initiated a survey in Bhabanipur to assess the voter base, booth-level details, and party performance. There is also speculation that he may establish a separate office in the constituency. Meanwhile, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has shifted focus to Nandigram, Adhikari’s constituency. Over the past few weeks, he has held meetings with district-level leadership across several organisational units. Abhishek met leaders from the Barasat and Tamluk districts. According to party sources, Abhishek stated during the discussions that he would convene a separate meeting dedicated to Nandigram. Booth presidents, local leaders, and functionaries of different party wings from the constituency are expected to be part of the deliberations. Though the date of the meeting has not been finalised, the constituency is set to receive additional attention in Trinamool’s electoral preparations. In the 2021 Assembly election, Nandigram witnessed a high-profile contest between Didi and Suvendu, who won by 1,956 votes. The outcome remains under judicial review. Political sparring between the two parties has continued since then, with the TMC describing Adhikari as the “load-shedding Leader of Opposition,” while the BJP refers to Mamata as the “compartmental chief minister.”
monsoon sheh
Modi Reloads Anti-Corruption Battle, Opposition Panics
On the penultimate day of Monsoon Session of the Parliament, PM Narendra Modi once again reloaded his battle against corruption–a theme which had won him the historic mandate for the first time in 2014. It is a battle in which people have always stood with him. Coming on the eve of Bihar elections, it surely helps set the mood for the polls. Home Minister Amit Shah moved the 130th Constitutional Amendment in the Lok Sabha that brought the PM’s office into the ambit of law along with that of CMs, State Ministers and other Ministers. By this amendment Modi was essentially reversing the 39th Constitution Amendment which Indira Gandhi had brought during the Emergency in 1975 to exclude her office from prosecution. Of course, Rahul Gandhi explained it as going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. An entire Opposition saw a BJP design to destabilise their government. The Centre had legitimate worries. Delhi saw 3 AAP leaders reluctant to quit during their jail term — Arvind Kejriwal, Satyender Jain and Manish Sisodia. Then there has been the classic case of Senthil Balaji in TN who the DMK inducted into the cabinet while on bail. Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal attacked Shah. He said, leaders of the BJP are saying that this bill is to bring morality into politics. “Can I ask the Home Minister a question? When he was the home minister of Gujarat, he was arrested. Did he uphold morality at that time?” Quickly rebutting Venugopal, Shah said when the Congress trapped him in a completely fabricated case, he had resigned even before being arrested. “I did not hold any constitutional position and even after being released on bail, until the court fully acquitted me.”
MKStalin
Tamil MPs Support For CPR Likely, Stalin Unlikely To Repeat His Father’s Mistake
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin was apparently livid on learning that a section of his party leaders had begun to project the Vice-President election as a “Centre Vs DMK battle”. He was particularly shocked to find out that party’s Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva had thrown his hat in the ring by offering to be Opposition Veep candidate. This DMK leader known to often break into Mohammed Rafi songs fancied he could win some popular rating among MPs. The main concern was that DMK votes do not go to Tamil candidates offered by the NDA – CP Radhakrishnan (CPR). Siva’s soundbite was all over Tamil news channels. This at a time when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had reached out to Stalin seeking his support for CPR. It is being said Stalin gave an earful to Siva. DMK’s hyperactivity made TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee oppose a Tamil candidate; she wondered why everyone was mollycoddling the DMK when TMC was a larger party with 28 Lok Sabha MPs than DMK’s 22. That’s why the Opposition opted for pro-left Justice Surendra Reddy. A pro Left judge, his appeal could be among those ideologically backing him, not culturally. The YSRCP which is outside the NDA has already extended support to CPR. More Opposition votes are likely to cross over or abstain. As for Stalin, he is still struggling to cope with the charge about how his father Karunanidhi had not helped a Tamil president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam get a second term as Sonia Gandhi was opposed to it. In all probability Stalin who enjoys a good equation with CPR may not repeat his father’s mistake. Meanwhile CPR who is in Delhi is not staying in Maharashtra Sadan though he continues to be Maharashtra Governor. He is staying at the residence of Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, his campaign manager for the elections.
devendra fadnavis_006
300-Acre Education Hub To Come Up In Third Mumbai
The successful redevelopment of the first phase of the Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) or famously known as BDD chawls, with keys being handed over to 556 of the over 15,000 residents, marks a significant beginning for Asia’s largest urban redevelopment project in the housing sector of Mumbai. The journey of the 556 residents from 160 sq ft to 500 sq ft houses, has been marked with much political churning with the chawl residents being historically divided into various community specific groups like Maharashtrians, Dalits and even Telugu residents. Spread over 92 acres in Worli, Naigaum and Sewri, the 206 three-storied chawls housing about 15,593 residential and 960 commercial units will now be housed in 68 buildings of minimum 19-34 storied. The project will be subsidized thanks to eight sale component buildings of 41-66 plus storied plush buildings. Incidentally, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has been battling charges of the Marathi-manoos, the native man, being displaced out of Mumbai, urged the BDD residents to not sell their flats and safeguard it for their future generation akin to family gold. On the same day, while addressing a builder’s body, Fadnavis lamented how despites sops being offered to developers, they had not helped in making housing affordable for the common man. He wondered why projects kept lagging behind schedule at a time when the world had technology to build 80-storied buildings within 120 days. Meanwhile, in another major leap, after developing Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, the Maharashtra government is planning to develop an education hub termed third Mumbai. Spread over 300 acres, the educational hub, close to the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport has plans to host 14 foreign varsities with residential facilities for one lakh students.
kabutarkhana
Symbol Of Peace Is Reason For Political Brickbats In Maharashtra
A pigeon, or a white dove, is a widely recognized symbol of peace. This symbolism is rooted in various cultural and religious contexts, particularly in the story of Noah’s dove in the Bible. Nonetheless, the issue of feeding these birds in open public places has created unprecedented heat in Maharashtra politics for over a fortnight. The clash between the two sides has been showing alarming indications since some of those reacting on social media are seen to be using their language indiscriminately. At the core of the controversy is a fiat by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC whereby feeding of the pigeons in public places called ‘Kabutarkhana’ has been prohibited. Those flouting the ban are liable for penal action. Mumbai High Court has endorsed the BMC’s decision till further orders. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has advised both camps to exercise restraint so that an amicable solution can be found. However, even mundane issues are seen to be painted with linguistic and community shades. Pigeons have been an integral part of Mumbai life and countless references to their existence in the metropolis are found in historical records. However, there are valid concerns since many medical experts have opined that the habitation of the pigeons causes serious health problems, occasionally fatal. The pro-feeding proponents argue that the findings are open to challenge. All said and done, passions have inflamed on both sides, some bird lovers feeding them in defiance of the ban and accepting to pay the fine.  
jagdeep dhankar
As Opposition Pins Hope On Dhankhar, Govt Quietly Makes Up With Him
At a time when a section of the Opposition leaders such as Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Manoj Jha and Jairam Ramesh were all keen that former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar should take on the Modi government for forcing him out of office and were hoping that he would possibly be propped up as a candidate for the September 9 Veep election. On his part, Dhankhar has played wisely and remained out of reach for the Opposition leaders. A seemingly worried Kapil Sibal posted on X seeking the whereabouts of Dhankhar and made it clear that only Home Minister Amit Shah should know; Dhankhar himself did not fall for the Opposition bait. He has played by his ear and instincts. According to well-informed Jaipur journos, the political buzz is that PM Modi and Dhankhar have already reached a deal. They probably had a meeting. Though the contours of the Modi-Dhankhar agreement are not clear, the government has been making arrangements to please the Jat leader from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.  The Rajya Sabha secretariat last week appointed Kaustubh Sudhakar Bhalekar, who had been Dhankhar’s senior PS, as the private secretary to the former VP. Sources said there are about 20 people who Dhankhar had brought in along with him in the secretariat. There are issues about regularising their services. With nominations closing for Vice-President next week, it remains to be who will be the Opposition candidate for V-P contest.
Radhakrishnan
BJP Picks Maha Guv Radhakrishnan As V-P Candidate; Puts DMK In A Spot?
In a surprise pick the BJP-led NDA announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the Vice-Presidential election to be held next month. He would be the second leader from Tamil Nadu after President R Venkataraman to preside over the Rajya Sabha as its chairman. His elevation would be significant as it would come on the eve of Tamil Nadu assembly elections next year.  Radhakrishnan belongs to the dominant Gounder community just as AIADMK chief Edapadi K Palaniswami and former TN BJP chief K Annamalai. The candidate choice could pose a problem for the DMK which has 29 Lok Sabha MPs and 10 Rajya Sabha MPs. It surely can’t be seen voting against a Tamil candidate and may have to back the NDA choice. He is known to enjoy good equation with the DMK. In 1999, he got the DMK to join Vajpayee-led NDA government.. It may be recalled that  Jharkhand Mukti Morcha had voted for President Droupadi Murmu in 2022 because she was the first tribal candidate for presidency even though she was NDA’s choice. Radhakrishan’s announcement was made at the end of the BJP parliamentary board meeting, which was attended by top party leaders, including PM Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah. Radhakrishnan’s choice for the high office is interesting as it comes a year after he was sworn in as Maharashtra Governor on July 31, 2024. Before serving as Maharashtra Governor, he served as the Governor of Jharkhand for nearly one and a half years. Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur in TN, the Maharashtra Governor has been a member of the RSS and served as the State Executive Committee Member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1974.
acharya Vinai Manoj
Vice-President Front-Runners: Arya Samaj Educator, Corporate Honcho, Terror Dissipator!
The BJP has zeroed in on the rightly suitable candidate to serve India’s next Vice Presidentship, scheduled meeting of NDA allies for consensus come Monday. Erstwhile V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar’s bitter experience ensures Modi won’t repeat same mistake, leading to selection of a hardcore BJP loyalist this time round, just like President Draupadi Murmu’s candidature for the Indian Presidency was finalized. Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat was called to New Delhi on August 16 highlighting his name as the most likely choice of PM Modi. However, Lt Governors of Delhi – Vinai Kumar Saxena – Jammu & Kashmir – Manoj Sinha – also find serious consideration, according to BJP sources. Devvrat held governorship since 2019 in his current post, also served as Arya Samaj Pracharak and principal of Gurukul in Haryana till 2015, before his first appointment as governor of Himachal Pradesh, de facto Chancellor of Universities in the state and then in 2019, in Gujarat as well. Saxena was appointed Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor in 2022 becoming the first corporate sector honcho appointed to the gubernatorial post. His three decades of corporate experience include chair of Khadi & Village Industries Commission between 2015 and 2022. Lt Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, is in zone of consideration for elevation considering his able tenure in erstwhile terror infested state unbundled into Union territories alongside repeal of article 370 from the forehead state of India. While the next V-P being a hardcore BJP loyalist is near certainty, PM Modi is known to keep his cards close to his chest.
prakash pathak
Former RSS Pracharak Returns Freedom Fighter Certificate In Protest Against Corruption
PM Narendra Modi, RSS Pracharak himself, commemorated the organization’s centenary year during his Independence Day speech from Red Fort even as 80-year-old former RSS Pracharak Prakash Pathak returned the freedom fighter certificate issued in June 2025 in disgust over rampant corruption in Maharashtra. The certificate signed by CM Devendra Fadnavis was given to him for 18 months imprisonment during the “Emergency”. Pathak had eschewed celibacy, become householder, participated in public life as elected municipal councillor in Latur municipal council and then corporation. When BJP assumed power in 2014, Fadnavis installed as CM, he thought justice would be done with the corrupt booked for pillaging Latur’s public funds. Associated with ABVP, he repeatedly cited Latur’s goings to Fadnavis through 50 communications and last year brought to notice non-recovery of Rs 350 crore from errant contractors, civic officials. Says he, “Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office forwarded my communication seeking SIT to probe gross irregularities to Maharashtra CM who ignores repeatedly reiterated state government auditors’ reports.” Last year Pathak threatened self-immolation just like a ABVP woman student did in Orissa just recently. Says Pathak, “I returned the certificate issued to me in June 2025 bearing the signature of CM Fadnavis. I am not broken by the failure of the executive and legislature as the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court on August 1 admitted my PIL proving that one pillar of democracy is still alive and kicking.” Justices Manish Pitale and YG Khobragade of HC’s Aurangabad bench directed Pathak to deposit Rs 5 lakh by September 2, 2025, to register the PIL.
Priyanka gandhi_016
Why Rahul Gandhi Chose a Street Protest Over Meeting EC Officials
It is now clear why Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was more keen on street protests than keeping his appointment with the Election Commission of India on August 11 to discuss Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. In its communication to the Congress leader, the EC had said it cannot host more than 30 people. The Congress was asked to send a list of Opposition leaders who would like to interact with the EC. Jairam Ramesh had even confirmed the appointment and EC officials were waiting for details to make arrangements to receive them. However, now one hears Rahul suddenly changed his mind and decided that the Opposition must go en masse, demonstrate its street power rather than go for a sombre interaction with the EC. Rahul’s street move took both the Opposition leaders and EC by surprise. It is learnt that the Congress found it difficult to pick 30 Opposition leaders as there were too many factions in every party. For instance, when the Congress began drawing up the list, each party claimed that they wanted to send in at least 12 leaders as part of a team to meet the EC. For instance factionalism was quite apparent in DMK which has 22 Lok Sabha MPs; half its members owed allegiance to Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi and the other half to TN Deputy CM Udhyanidhi Stalin. It was then that Rahul dropped plans of meeting the EC officials. He was only too happy to hit the streets as it created a media buzz. Also, a dinner hosted by Mallikarjun Kharge in a 5-star hotel saw 300 MPs turn up. His conversation veered around to how the Modi government was now over ! Only the SC verdict banning street dogs in Delhi-NCR clouded the Opposition celebrations!
justice verma
Lok Sabha Moves To Impeach Justice Verma, Prosecutor Who Fixed Jayalalithaa Named In Panel
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has announced a three-member panel to investigate the allegations of corruption against Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Verma. The panel includes Supreme Court judge Justice Arvind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Maninder Mohan Srivastava, and Karnataka High Court senior advocate BV Acharya. Inclusion of Acharya is of particular interest; he was the public prosecutor in Tamil Nadu CM late Jayalalithaa’s corruption case and is credited with taking the case to its logical conclusion. The panel will submit a report on the allegations against Justice Verma soon. Justice Verma has been at the heart of the storm after unaccounted cash was found at his home.  Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informed the House that he had received a motion for the impeachment of  Justice Verma by BJP MP Ravishankar Prasad as well as leaders of the Opposition and leaders of the alliance of the ruling party on July 21. Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar had resigned after he made an abortive attempt to take up a Opposition-sponsored motion in the Rajya Sabha to impeach Justice Verma.   
modi lula
Trump’s Tariff Tantrum Spurs India-Brazil-Argentina Football League
PM Narendra Modi always converts adversity into opportunity! Come December, he will take a shot at converting tariff penalties @50% into penalty corners instead – He along with three countries Brazil and Argentina, all slapped with high tariffs by Trump, will kick off an Indian Football League. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli will lead teams at Wankhede for this Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing in the league will be the international stars including Lionel Messi, Neymar – representing Argentina, Brazil respectively and, even Europe. The tariff strikes by the U.S. president upon the three nations has birthed this new found sporting spirit between PM Modi, Presidents Javier Milei and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, for trade deals alongside sharp passes of football scaled up to IPL standards based out of India. Cricket boasts a limited number of 20 odd playing nations, the IPL football league will enjoy options from over 155 football playing nations. Modi’s plan to land penalty kicks upon Trump also offers the Latin American nations included in Trump’s foul tariff hit list, massive infrastructure/ stadiums for the football premier league while retaining their national pride. Unlike their football clubs/players being poached by oil rich Middle East nations, the IPL deal offers lucrative contracts for football stars maintaining their  status with millions in contracts, merchandise, telecast rights and more to be made, say sources. Modi will thus provide gainful tournaments on scale for Indian footballers also who would benefit from international exposure in the sport in their own backyards to throw up international Indian stars just like IPL cricket has done. Good money for youth with huge filip to their countries’ economies to boot. Goooooaaaaaaaalllllll! 
delhi cci
Constitution Club Poll: OBC, Dalit MPs To Vote For Affordability
Looks like there is going to be a high-profile electoral contest within the “elite” Constitution Club of India, as two senior BJP leaders and former Union ministers, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Sanjeev Kumar Balyan are facing each other for the post of Secretary. The club which has about 1200 members mainly consisting of MPs and existing ex-MPs is sharply divided on how Rudy has made the club so unaffordable for ordinary MPs. A section of the BJP is backing Jat leader and former Muzaffarnagar MP Sanjeev Balyan as Rudy has revamped the club beyond anyone’s affordability. The general buzz is that it has been made so exclusive that only “the corrupt and commission agents can afford the place”. “We have to replace Rudy and reclaim the Club that was founded in 1947 by President Dr S Radhakrishnan. If MPs cannot afford to step in, why should those who run it be there?”, asked Dr Sonkar Shastri, BJP Dalit leader. He pointed out that the rates charged in the restaurant were simply unaffordable for any retired MP. “On a monthly pension of Rs 31,000, I cannot possibly have a meal of Rs 900. When a meal in the Parliament canteen is Rs 70 or Rs 50 at our BJP office”. Dr Shastri is mobilising support of OBC and Dalit MPs in support of Balyan. So is Godda MP Nishikant Dubey. With voting set on August12, the wager is Rudy is likely to find going tough. A seasoned parliamentarian and trained commercial pilot, Rudy has previously been elected unopposed. On the other hand, Balyan’s connection with western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana leaders seems to be working in his favour. Some MPs are also helping him garner votes from southern states. 
ladki bahin
Has Rollout Of Ladki Bahin Scheme Hurt Maharashtra’s Social Sector Spending?
While the Maharashtra government aspires to be a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the ground reality reflects a different scenario. Anandacha Shidha, a ration kit at Rs 100 for its 265.2 lakh ration card holders in state, costing exchequer Rs 350-400 crore per annum, has been discontinued this Ganesh festival citing lack of resources. Food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister Chhagan Bhujbal attributed the cut to the strain caused by the Rs 45,000 crore Ladki Bahin Yojana. A minor diversion of Rs 20-30 crore could have been handled but such a huge allocation was bound to strain other schemes, he explained. The Food & Civil supplies ministry received budgetary allocation of Rs 526 crore in the 2025-26 budget. The ministry’s other major flagship scheme, Shiv Bhojan thali, where a lunch thali is made available for Rs 10 and which costs exchequer Rs 140 crore annually, though continues for now, could be curtailed. About 3.97 crore thalis were disbursed from 1884 Shiv bhojan centers till November 2024. Social spendings have also registered a dip in recent years. Three departments — Social Justice and Special Assistance, Tribal Development & Food, and Civil Supplies — registered a 8.36% cut or Rs 4,476,93 lakh lesser than allocated spending in the 2023-24 budget. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured that the Rs 1,500 Ladki Bahin Yojana will not be discontinued. The BJP had promised to increase it to Rs 2100 in its election manifesto. Analysts have been warning of Maharashtra falling in a debt trap with debts crossing the Rs 10-lakh crore mark leading to a per capita debt of Rs 72,761.
chatrapati sambhaji
Windfall Of Rs 2000 Crore Overnight For A Driver In Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar
Those with feeble memories or who do not believe in miracles or a windfall can approach a car driver in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Maharashtra. Reportedly, Javed Shaikh, driver of Shiv Sena MP Sandipan Bhumre has become owner of a land parcel whose market valuation is said to be around Rs 2,000 crore. Shaikh is the beneficiary of a ‘gift’ of three acres of land in the city. The donors are the family of the famous Nawab Salar Jung of Hyderabad. But the government valuation is different. When the news hit headlines, the local Economic Offences Wing asked the state revenue department to evaluate the land plot. Even as Shaikh is dealing with a notice issued by the Income-tax department, the revenue authorities have reportedly informed EOW that the value of the land as per government’s calculations is over Rs 241 crore.  Had there been a purchase agreement, the state government could have earned around Rs 17 crore by way of stamp duty and registration. However, as the land has been transferred in the name of Shaikh through a legal document called ‘Hibaanama’ (Gift Deed), no payment to the government is involved. Shaikh has asked for more time to appear before I-T authorities, whispers in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar suggest. Meanwhile Bhumre, a staunch follower of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, has pleaded unawareness about the whole affair. 
Rajanna
Karnataka Minister Rajanna Forced To Quit For Questioning Rahul’s “Vote Chori” Campaign
On a day when Rahul Gandhi led a Opposition charge against the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar, KN Rajanna, ST/Dalit minister in Karnataka was forced to resign for criticising his “vote theft” charge in Mahadevapura assembly segment.  Rajanna, a close aide of chief minister Siddaramaiah was forced to quit to strengthen Rahul’s battle against SIR in Bihar. Or so it seems. However, it is not clear if making a ST/Dalit leader– he belongs to the Valmiki community — is a politically wise move ahead of Bihar polls. Rajanna had questioned Rahul’s charge that the EC “colluded” with the BJP to allow more than one lakh bogus votes in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency. Rajanna pointed out that objections were invited after draft electoral rolls were prepared under our government. “What were we doing then? Shouldn’t we have checked the draft electoral rolls”. It is being said Rahul’s “vote chori” bogey in Mahadevapura assembly segment that falls in Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat had simply also caught CM by surprise. He didn’t expect his deputy CM DK Shivkumar (DKS) to raise the issue of “vote chori” in Mahadevapura — which mainly has a floating population of I-T employees. The CM had assumed deputy CM as Karnataka PCC chief would have known better and expected him to flag the issue of vote chori in Bangalore Rural (Lok Sabha) from where his brother DK Suresh had lost. DKS, it is learnt, deliberately picked up Mahadevpura seat to earn brownie points with the Gandhis and help him become CM by year-end. It must be said CM Siddaramaiah was seen warmly receiving PM Modi at the Bengaluru airport over the weekend.
S ramadoss
Father-Son Dispute Persists; Vivid Analogies Highlight PMK Gathering
Colourful analogies were the highlight of the general council meeting of PMK, the party of the Vanniyars. The ongoing fight for control of the party between father and son Dr Ramadoss and Anbumani proved so exasperating that not even a high court judge could bring about a reconciliation. The meeting in Mahabalipuram went ahead to elect Anbumani as president for three years and Vadivel Ravanan and Thilagabama as general secretary and treasurer for another year.  “In temples, sometimes the deity gets angry, and we perform rituals to please them. Here, the problem is not with the deity, but with the priests,” Anbumani said while referring to intermediaries who were preventing a patch up in the party’s first family. The dispute arose principally over the choice of alliance, with the son preferring the BJP-led NDA in the LS polls of 2024 while Dr Ramadoss wanted to go with AIADMK.  Since AIADMK will lead the BJP and others in the AIADMK+ coalition into the assembly polls, there should be no reason for father and son to fight now. Of course, the choice rests with the PMK on whether to align with Vijay’s TVK, the new player on the block. The issue might boil down to money as the fund flow for the polls will be in the hands of Anbumani if he is accepted as the president of the party and not with Dr Ramadoss who was the founder and chief patron of the party. Anbumani still respects his dad and is hoping he will come around to be united again but it is something that the “deity” will have to decide. Meanwhile, the DMK is happy to see confusion reign in any party that opposes it.
AP SIngh
IAF Chief Says 6 Pak Jets Downed In Op Sindoor, Will Cong Zip Up Now?
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh’s statement about how the Indian Air Force (IAF) took down six Pakistan Air Force aircraft during Operation Sindoor should hopefully be the last word for those, particularly the Congress who have been doubting our military operations against Pakistan. “We have at least five fighters confirmed killed and one large aircraft which could be an ELINT aircraft or an AEW&C aircraft which was taken out from a distance of about 300 km, which is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about.” This is the first time a senior officer of the armed force had officially confirmed bringing down Pakistan air assets. Air Chief Marshal also credited the political leadership for giving the forces the full freedom to plan and execute the attacks. “A key reason for success was the presence of political will. There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us….” said Air Chief Marshal Singh. LoP Rahul Gandhi and his deputy Gaurav Gogoi had questioned in the Parliament why PM Modi suddenly stopped Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10. Without realising that Op Sindoor was a high-tech war fought with sophisticated indigenously developed missile systems such as Akash and the Brahmos, Gogoi had even sought to know why our aircrafts had not entered Pak air space. It was inconceivable for Congress leaders that Pak targets could be taken without crossing the border. That’s why Air Chief Marshal Singh recalled that it  had been difficult to convince people about India’s Balakot attack(2019) without evidence. He shared “before and after” satellite images of the terror targets that were struck during the May 7 attack.
usa india
U.S. Emissaries In Delhi To Resolve Tariff Tug-Of-War?
PM Narendra Modi’s terse responses to President Donald Trump’s incessant tariffs tantrums (complaints former wasn’t dialling him up) now witnesses secret backroom parleys by the latter to pre-empt his own tariff deadline. Scheduled U.S. delegation visit come August 25 notwithstanding, American officials are already parked at New Delhi trying to salvage a negotiated outcome to ink an official trade agreement according to sources. Trump’s ‘Washington sanctions’ met deadpan reactions this side of the global south and the ‘been there done that’ attitude borne out of India’s legacy of past precedents. Then PM, Indira Gandhi steered India through global sanctions imposed at U.S. behest over our nuclear proliferation stance notwithstanding the world boycotting India. BJP PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee withstood American pressures to join global nuclear club with Pokhran aplomb. India’s requisition for U.S. cryogenic engines was similarly stalled so the country developed indigenous space launch capabilities providing more tech savvy, cheaper space launch expertise today. Trade tariffs @ 25% and identical penal sanctions won’t budge Modi to bend India like Beckham. Modi’s silent stance ensures sudden choreographed escalations over racial tensions in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia, UK don’t precipitate. Silent Modi has ramped up Indian responses with Russian President Vladimir Putin confirming to visit India. Russian intelligence cited security concerns to reschedule intended visit as an honoured guest of India in August itself. Modi will meet China President Xi Jinping next even as India’s second naval base INS Jatayu set up on Minicoy, the largest among Lakshadweep’s many islands, afforded it needed naval heft in the Indian Ocean region.
Rahul Uddhav
Insult To Uddhav Is Maharashtra’s Humiliation, Says Shinde Sena
Politics in Maharashtra, nowadays, is dominated by unexpected happenings. The latest to test this phenomenon is Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and his spokesman Sanjay Raut. The incident concerned is an INDIA bloc meet in New Delhi on Thursday.  Attended by about a hundred top opposition personalities, Uddhav, his son Aaditya and Raut were seen sitting in the last row at the venue, which was Rahul Gandhi’s residence. As soon as the clips of the meet were flashed by TV channels, detractors of Uddhav and his Sena were overjoyed. Seizing the opportunity to throw barbs at the adversary, they demeaned Uddhav for gulping such ‘an insult to Maharashtra’ by agreeing to sit in such an insignificant place. A silent protest was held in Mumbai to ‘apologise’ to Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray in front of his statue for his son’s meek acceptance of this humiliation. Significantly, just a few hours ago, Uddhav had declared in the national capital that no third party would be involved in his Sena’s alliance with cousin Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for the coming local body elections. Uddhav’s announcement is interpreted as a signal to the Congress party that it should not depend on the Sena (UBT) for the show of strength. Given the way politics in Delhi is played, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Sena has lost no time in capitalising on the incident. A retaliation by Uddhav is on the cards.
Rahul Sonia
Rahul Gandhi Plays Host At His House Warming Party, Sonia & Priyanka Look On
Bungalow No 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, is the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s new official address. With voter fraud as the main menu of the house warming, Rahul played the host at his new residence on August 7 evening. His mother Sonia and Priyanka let him have all the spotlight and attention. He was seen interacting with all guests. Congress allies like Dr Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and UBT Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi were among the guests.   He made a PowerPoint presentation to top opposition leaders on the “vote theft” in Karnataka — the one that he had done for the press earlier. Rahul claimed that internal surveys conducted by the Congress had projected wins in 16 of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats, but the party ended up winning only 9. He used this discrepancy to allege “definite voter fraud,” once again pointing fingers at the Election Commission. Experts feel this line of reasoning is deeply flawed. Internal polls are neither transparent nor independently verified, and often reflect the optimism of campaign teams more than ground realities. If internal polls were a foolproof benchmark for electoral outcomes, then by that logic, the BJP should have cried foul for not crossing the 400-seat mark it had projected. He questioned how the BJP, despite completing two terms at the Centre, managed to secure a third consecutive win. “Anti-incumbency hits every party in every democracy,” he said, suggesting that the absence of such sentiment pointed to manipulation. The absence of anti-incumbency is not proof of fraud. Voters re-elect governments when they perceive stability, delivery, and leadership, particularly in the absence of a compelling alternative. India has seen this before under leaders like Nehru and Indira Gandhi, just as Germany did under Angela Merkel.
revanth reddy
Revanth’s Attack On Modi Follows PM’s Advice To Telangana CM To Earn Congress’ Trust?
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s controversial remarks about eliminating anyone whether rich or in any position,” if he comes against Rahul Gandhi’s command or rule”, Telangana is going to write his death order. His remarks had gone viral as he was seen to be taking on PM Narendra Modi on behalf of Rahul Gandhi. Telangana Congress leaders are however now convinced that Reddy, who had initially been in BJP, was perhaps indulging only in a mock fight or noora kushti to please the Gandhis and earn their trust. Apparently, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi conveyed to Telangana Congress leaders visiting him that Revanth Reddy speaking strongly against PM Modi and attacking him served a purpose. Perhaps, he was doing it with PM Modi’s blessings. “Unless you attack me, the Congress leadership will not trust you,” Modi had advised CM sometime back. It may be noted that CM Reddy’s remarks were made at a Congress protest rally held to push for President’s assent to the bill passed by the Telangana government to ensure 42% reservation for OBCs in local governance. It was seen as a strong message being sent across to PM Modi. However, within hours after Revanth Reddy’s warning, Telangana CMO clarified that the CM had used only a figurative political expression such as — mithi mein mila denge — to emphasise state’s strong resolve to defeat “anti-democratic forces” through “democratic means”.
mamata
Mamata Reshuffles Delhi Team to End Infighting, Focus On 2026 Polls
In a significant political shake-up, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has appointed her nephew and party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, as the leader of the TMC Parliamentary Committee. He replaces veteran leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay who has been ailing for some time now. The move comes as Mamata appears to brace for anti-incumbency ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections after three terms in office. Simultaneously, Mamata replaced senior advocate and Sreerampore MP Kalyan Banerjee as Chief Whip with Barasat MP Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. Birbhum MP Shatabdi Roy has been promoted as Deputy Leader of the party in Parliament. The reshuffle underscores the TMC’s need for stability and strategic leadership at the national level as Parliament becomes a key platform for the Opposition to confront the BJP. Sources say Kalyan’s removal stems from his inability to contain a prolonged feud with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra. At a recent internal meeting, Mamata expressed anger over some MPs damaging the party’s image, sharply criticising Kalyan for poor coordination and for not stepping up during the absence of leaders like Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Saugata Roy. An incensed Kalyan tendered his resignation and questioned Mamata’s understanding of Parliament’s workings. Despite Abhishek urging him to remain quiet until the INDIA bloc dinner hosted by Rahul Gandhi on August 7, Kalyan continued to attack both Mamata and Mahua publicly. While Mamata initially resisted accepting his resignation, persistent defiance left her and Abhishek with no choice. The overhaul also signals Abhishek’s growing influence and a generational shift within the TMC, long marked by tension between the old and new guards.
seating
Soon, No More ‘Back Benchers’ In Kerala Classrooms
“The best brains of the nation may be found on the last benches of the classroom”. This was former President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam’s take on students dubbed as backbenchers for lagging behind in academic and co-curricular activities. Kerala, which has made advanced strides in the education and health sector, however has a different take on the backbencher concept. General Education Minister, V Sivankutty has pointed out that being branded a ‘backbencher’ could impact a student’s confidence level. The state government is considering a proposal to change the seating arrangement in classrooms from the conventional row system to U-shaped model.  A committee of experts is being constituted to suggest the best seating pattern for the state’s education system. Interestingly, the Minister has derived his inspiration from a Malayalam movie Sthanarthi Sreekuttan  in which a school student proposes a change in the conventional seating pattern after being humiliated for being a backbencher. A section of academics has welcomed the proposal as it would enable the teacher to give equal attention to all students. According to J Prasad, former director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training, the semi-circular seating arrangement has been informally implemented in schools where classrooms have been built according to latest infrastructure standards. The general take is that such seating arrangements will ensure that teachers have direct eye contact, proximity towards students and two-way engagement, making the classroom sessions more vibrant. However, there is a contrarian view too. Some academicians are asking how superficial changes to classroom seating could improve the teaching-learning process? There is no scientific study to establish the efficacy of a semi-circular seating arrangement, says Prof Amruth G Kumar, Department of Education, Central University of Kerala.
modi_tariff
As Trump Tariff War Escalates, Modi Basks In "Modi Is India" Moment
Has the U.S. President Donald Trump’s punitive tariff war with India pushed PM Narendra Modi to have his sort of “Indira is India” or rather “Modi is India” moment! Well, almost unwittingly yes. A day after U.S. President imposed another 25% levy on India taking the total to 50 %, making it among the highest imposed by the U.S. on any country for buying Russia oil, PM Modi gave a veiled response to President Trump’s tariff threats on India, saying that India will “never compromise” on interest of its farmers. “For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers,” he said. India has been under the U.S. pressure to open its market to dairy products. New Delhi was particularly resisting U.S. dairy products because milk is secured from meat-fed bovine. “I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” he said, ‘his words were so much like the late PM Indira Gandhi. Meanwhile NSA Ajit Doval who interacted with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow amidst U.S. tariff tantrums announced that Putin would visit India later this month. Interestingly, business leaders rallied behind the government. Anand Mahindra felt Trump’s tariff threat could unleash “unintended consequences”. He wondered, “Just as the 1991 forex reserves crisis triggered liberalisation, can today’s global ‘Manthan’ over tariffs yield some ‘Amrit’ for us? Shouldn’t India seize this moment to shape a virtuous consequence for itself?” Modi’s robust stand against U.S. tariff must have surely surprised Rahul Gandhi who had jibed him about his hands being tied because of cases against Adani in the U.S.
Chain
1,500 CCTVs Scanned: Delhi Police Recover Snatched Gold Chain Of TN Cong MP Within 48 Hrs
A much-relieved Delhi Police posted on X   that “the case of snatching of a chain” of Congress MP from Mayiladuthurai Sudha Ramakrishnan (R Sudha) has been solved. “The accused has been arrested and the chain has been recovered.” The police had cracked the case within 48 hours. The chain snatching was posed as a political challenge to Union Home Minister Amit Shah who recently emerged as India’s longest serving home minister (2258 days) — outdoing LK Advani’s (2,256 days) record. Shah must have surely got the whip cracking on the Delhi Police to deliver as the embattled Congress MP dragged his office into her travails. It is being said the police scanned 1500 CCTVs and over 200 people quizzed to zero in on the alleged chain snatcher.  It almost seems like a throwback to what happened in October last year when French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou was robbed of his mobile phone in Chandni Chowk. Delhi Police had managed to recover it after making a few arrests. The gold chain was snatched on August 4 from Congress MP by a bike-borne snatcher in the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri. The MP was on a morning walk with fellow lawmaker, DMK’s Rajathi Salma, near the Polish Embassy. She also wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who oversees law and order in Delhi, and said her chain was snatched by “a man wearing a full helmet” on a scooter. The MP had raised questions of women security in a high-security zone like Chanakyapuri, which houses embassies and protected institutions.
modi trump
Modi Plays Daddy Cool To Uncle Sam, Trump's Tariff Tantrums
Before Donald Trump’s ‘Tariffs @ 25%’ plus penal fines over Russian oil (another 25%) started impacting India, acute shortages of rice, ‘desi masalas’ have hit the U.S. supermarkets. India won’t export to the U.S. except on its own terms with tacit responses launched including PM Narendra Modi’s strategic alliances with Russia, China, Iran and FTAs with EU/UK already inked dry even as France is next in line. India assiduously rejected Trump’s tantrum to open up her markets allowing American farms/dairy products while refocusing its exports re-spread widely into Europe, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and host of nations open to barter without being U.S. centric. PM Modi’s exhortation to ‘Be Indian, Buy Indian’ aimed at absorbing trade imbalances over reduced U.S. exports will assimilate into Indian consumption rationalizing inflationary trends. Iran has upped the ante against Trump’s trade hegemony tariff plan, assured steady oil supply to long-time friend India. Interestingly, Chinese vessels are India’s resort for Russian oil imports even as oil carriers purchases and indigenous fabrication on scale is ongoing. China’s economy depends on manufacturing/exports and yet, recently sluggish trends have forced its realignment with India, which, on the other hand, ramped up the manufacturing sector with Apple, Samsung, Tesla also emphasizing Modi’s ‘Make (it) in India’ theme. Independence Day, come August 15, may witness Putin’s surprise visit to India after NSA Ajit Doval, MEA S Jaishankar visits to Russia. Modi has built up oil storage, stocked up reserves for 60 days as the Andaman & Nicobar islands have revealed high oil reserves. EU’s shopping spree for Russian gas and gold comes as Uncle Sam prospects Pakistan dry for oil (in Balochistan) where he is in for a nasty surprise welcome as well.
mamata_025
INDIA Bloc Springs Back to Action After Lull, Didi Leads From The Front
Having remained silent and absent from the INDIA Bloc’s public engagements for a while, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has made her stance unmistakably clear — she’s aligned with regional parties in the broader national agenda to defeat the BJP in upcoming assembly elections.  Acting on Mamata’s suggestion, Opposition parties are set to gherao the Election Commission of India’s office in New Delhi on August 8 calling out widespread allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. With elections due this year in Bihar, as well as next year in non-BJP-ruled states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, the issue is rapidly gaining traction as a national political flashpoint. Ahead of the protest, top leaders from the INDIA Bloc will convene in New Delhi on August 7 to finalise the gherao strategy. According to party sources, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will attend the meeting and also dinner hosted by Rahul Gandhi. Discussions may include not only the logistics of the EC gherao but also preparations for the Vice-Presidential election scheduled for August 9.  It may be recalled that on July 21, Didi warned the TMC would not hesitate to gherao the EC if the names of legitimate voters were found to be removed from Bengal’s electoral rolls under the SIR. In effect, Mamata has reasserted her political clout within the INDIA Bloc — not just through participation, but by driving the narrative on what she sees as a fundamental threat to democracy through electoral roll manipulation.
tvk vijay
Keen On Alliance With Actor Vijay’s TVK, TN Cong Lobbies For Dumping DMK
In an interesting twist to politics in Tamil Nadu and Kerala ahead of assembly elections in the two states next year, it is being said a section of Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu are keen on sealing an electoral alliance with popular film star Vijay who has floated Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Party MPs like ManickamTagore are reportedly sending delegations from the state to lobby with the AICC leadership on advantages of dumping its traditional ally, the DMK and opt for a political newbie like actor Vijay’s TVK. While the 2026 election would be actor Vijay’s first political foray into electoral politics, what is giving the Congress’s confidence to invest in him is his popularity rating among the Tamil Nadu youth and his ability to reach out to young and depressed classes. Congress leaders also feel the DMK is not in a good shape and is facing a lot of political headwinds as of now. Of course, a Congress tie-up with TVK is not being pushed by Manickam Tagore alone. It is being said that AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, also feels having a tie-up with the TVK would boost Congress prospects in neighbouring Kerala assembly polls. He feels Vijay’s campaign in Kerala could boost UDF prospects as his films are popular in Kerala too. As of now in TN, AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is an early starter and his campaign tours have begun to draw huge response.  With BJP making right organisational change by appointing Nainar Nagendran to head its state unit, AIADMK-BJP tie-up does pose a strong challenge to the incumbent DMK.
mamata bangla
Delhi Police Kicks Up Bangla Row; Mamata Wades Into It
Delhi Police kicked up a language row when it wanted to proceed against eight Bangladeshi nationals “residing illegally in India”. It made the mistake of seeking help of Banga Bhawan — that houses the West Bengal government’s office in Delhi – to identify texts written in “Bangladeshi” language and wanted it translated. Obviously, Delhi Police dealing with the matter were not aware that Bangladesh and West Bengal were united by Bengali language and there was nothing like” Bangladeshi” language, only Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas. Quickly, seizing upon the language issue, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the premier police agency’s faux pas. She pointed out how the Delhi Police functioned under the direct control of the Union Home Ministry and felt the government was describing Bengali as “Bangladeshi” language! It was left to BJP’s Amit Malviya to defend the Delhi Police. He said, “Nowhere in the Delhi Police letter is Bangla or Bengali described as a ‘Bangladeshi’ language. To claim otherwise and call upon Bengalis to rise against the Centre is deeply irresponsible.” Explaining further he said Delhi Police is absolutely right in referring to the language as Bangladeshi in the context of identifying infiltrators. The term is being used to describe a set of dialects, syntax, and speech patterns that are distinctly different from the Bangla spoken in India. The official language of Bangladesh is not only phonologically different, but also includes dialects like Sylheti that are nearly incomprehensible to Indian Bengalis. There is, in fact, no language called “Bengali” that neatly covers all these variants. “Bengali” denotes ethnicity, not linguistic uniformity. So when the Delhi Police uses “Bangladeshi language,” it is a shorthand for the linguistic markers used to profile illegal immigrants from Bangladesh — not a commentary on Bengali as spoken in West Bengal.
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Pak Army Re-Activates Terror Camp; Operation Sindoor-Part 2 Likely
It is for good reason that the government asserted that Operation Sindoor has only been paused and isn’t over yet. Now that the Parliament has deliberated on the military operations, it is being said that the PMO and Ministry of Defence are assessing the possibilities of Pakistan resorting to misadventure again. Reason: Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir is in Beijing. He has met the Chinese vice-president and foreign minister. Reports have also come about that the Pakistani army has reactivated terror camps that were destroyed by India during Operation Sindoor in both Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. India’s Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan has warned Pakistan to desist from activating terror bases of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen. Terror launch pads and training centres have been set up in Looni, Phutwal, Jamila Post, Umranwali, Chaprar, Chhota Chak and Janglora jungles. Pak Army has installed thermal imaging systems, foliage penetrating radars and satellite surveillance equipment in at least 13 ISI terror launch pads that were closed after Operation Sindoor. These launch pads have been activated in Kel, Dudhniyal, Jura, Leepa Valley, Pachhiban Chaman, Naiyali, Jaknote, Chakati and Nickale. Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar addressed his cadre in Bahawalpur and appealed for funds, while Lashkar commanders are collecting funds by organising rallies. Presently, an impression is being created in Pakistan as if the U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to browbeat India. China has become the protector and guardian of Pakistan. The impoverished nation is also getting loans from multilateral organisations. In such circumstances, one should not be surprised if Gen Asim Munir starts losing his mental balance.  One thing is certain. If Pakistan carries out a misadventure again, it will have to pay a heavy price.  
prez marcos
Philippines President’s India Visit Keenly Watched By Geopolitical Experts
The big news is India and Philippines ties are taking a strategic leap. After a gap of 17 years, the Philippine’s President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, elected in 2022, is on a five-day visit to India. This visit is being dubbed as a landmark diplomatic engagement between Philippines and India. President Marcos India visit coincides with 75th anniversary of Indo-Philippines diplomatic relations, the discussions will revolve around India-Philippine bilateral military defence cooperation particularly BrahMos missiles, training exchanges, regional security, maritime law and shared Indo-Pacific vision and deepening India-Philippine overall relationship with regard to science & technology.  This is because the Philippines is already an integral pillar of New Delhi’s Act East Policy, Vision Mahasagar and the Vision of Indo-Pacific. However, President Marcos’ visit is now being watched with keen interest by geo-political experts. What will be cooked between New Delhi and the Philippines this time? Is it just a symbolic push for further mutual cooperation spread between regional security? The buzz is India would push for Indo-Pacific power dynamics empowering Philippines further through defence cooperation to support New Delhi’s Act East Policy. The Philippine President’s first trip to India is also coinciding with the first planned naval exercise between the two countries in the South China Sea. Ex- Indian Ambassador to Philippines, Amit Dasgupta says India has already secured Philippines trust to become a key dependable pillar in Philippines maritime security by demonstrating its effectiveness in its Brahmos missiles, he indicated that Indian drones could be another attraction for Philippines considering India’s success story at the recent Indo-Pak war. 
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EC Vs Rahul Gandhi: As SIR Loses Traction In Bihar He Moves To Karnataka
On a day the Election Commission of India (EC) published voter rolls in Bihar after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) adhering to its first deadline, it rebuffed charges of the ‘voter theft’ accusations levelled by LoP Rahul Gandhi, saying that the EC “ignores such baseless allegations”. On his part, Rahul claimed that an independent probe by the Opposition had revealed that the EC was allegedly involved in a massive “vote theft” to benefit the ruling BJP. He apparently warned those within the Commission of working against India, and “this is no less than treason. We will find you wherever you are, even if you are retired.” Rahul claimed that the Opposition’s suspicions grew after the results of the Madhya Pradesh and Lok Sabha elections. “Those only deepened after the Maharashtra Assembly polls — especially when we saw that 1 crore new voters had been added to the final voter list. That’s when we launched our own six month investigation”. He claimed his probe had uncovered an “atom bomb”.  If Rahul fancied SIR in Bihar helped him unite the Opposition, he may be up for a shock. SIR is not having much traction in Bihar. Even RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav is not focussing on it. Bihar Congress leaders admit no one wants to hype the SIR bogey as they feel it would put off general category voters. With Bihar SIR protest heading nowhere, one hears that Rahul is planning to take voter theft to Karnataka in the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat where the BJP won by 32,707 votes. He claims thousands of new voters aged “way above 18 years” were enrolled in one seat, a point endorsed by CM Siddaramaiah. Besides, deputy CM DK Shivkumar has not been able to reconcile the loss of Bangalore Rural (Lok Sabha) seat contested by his brother DK Suresh.
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Trump’s Dead Economy Jibe, U.S. Treasury Bonds Face Modi’s Bad Vibes
Donald Trump’s ‘dead economy’ slur upon India/Russia has irked India that officially eschewed interest to purchase the fifth-generation F35 fighter jets. Short Post reported earlier on India’s reluctance to buy the American planes. The U.S. president Trump’s disparaging India talks will adversely impact the U.S. instead. Well-placed sources said, “India’s trade relations with the USA also included wide-ranging exposure to American bond markets for relationship building as indirectly sought by the USA. Trump’s undiplomatic language dissipated this informal American pressure and will evaporate Indian government/private sector spending on American treasury bonds hereon.” Over five years, demand for the U.S. government bonds declined to historically lowest levels (-17%). With foreign governments emulating India’s scaling down of financial spreads in the U.S. bonds and the American Federal Reserve also scaling down its own exposure over rising interest rates, the economic outlook for the Trump government, which raises $2 trillion annually to service its fiscal deficit, appears bleak. India partnered the U.S. economically to encourage her emphasis on exports to the USA. Trump’s belligerent stance repeatedly failed to get India to buckle down over higher tariffs pressures, again put off till August 8, with U.S. dairy and agricultural products imposition upon Indian markets staved off effectively. While concerns linger regarding its pharma and auto sectors India doubled down on indigenous manufacturing that coincidentally is coming of age today. Indian PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ exhortation to Gen ‘Z’ to manufacture semiconductor chips witnessed 20 varieties already past the testing phase, set for launch in six months. Similarly, 48,000 indigenously fabricated Close Quarter Battle) carbine assault rifles developed in collaboration between DRDO and Bharat Forge, set to reach 70,000 units...
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Ahead Of Assembly Polls Mamata Hikes Durga Puja Honorarium By 30%, 45000 Pandals Happy
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced a substantial 30% hike in honorarium for community Durga Puja organisers, raising the amount from Rs 85,000 last year to Rs 1.10 lakh per club. Playing high on Hindutva card, with approximately 45,000 clubs organising community pujas across the state, the move will cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs 495 crore. Didi also urged electricity supply companies to offer an 80% rebate to puja committees on power usage. The announcement, coming just months before the State Assembly elections, sparked sharp criticism from the Opposition parties, which termed the hike a “bribe” by the ruling Trinamool Congress. Emphasising the cultural and emotional significance of Durga Puja in Bengal, the CM urged organisers to prioritise safety and crowd control over competition. She encouraged clubs to deploy more volunteers and maintain separate entry and exit routes in pandals. She also appealed to the puja committees to support returning migrant workers who, she claimed, have faced mistreatment in BJP-ruled states. This year’s Durga Puja festivities will take place in the last week of September, followed by the annual carnival on October 5.
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No More Ministerial Resignations For Now, Insists Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra’s chief minister Devendra Fadnavis whose ministers have been facing much Opposition heat for their resignations, has finally stated that there would be no more resignations coming in from his ministers. Fadnavis, who maintains an impeccable reputation, both with his public acts and deeds, has been much upset with the shenanigans of his coalition ministers and even publicly criticised them for sullying the image of his government. He seems to have been forced to go with them for now. Fadnavis clearly seems to have given in to Ajit Pawar’s alibi that any kind of resignation would have been akin to playing into the hands of the Opposition. In the case of the agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, it was a case of fighting a more personal battle for Ajit Pawar, since the campaign against Kokate was being led by his own nephew Rohit Pawar with whom he does not have a good equation. With the face saver of reshuffle for Kokate, Ajit Pawar scores an ace by not yielding in to the campaign against his ministers and also gains an upper hand over the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP. As regards the ministers of the other coalition partner Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, his personal interventions with the home minister Amit Shah seems to have saved his ministers from Fadnavis’ wrath. Shinde has been rushing to Delhi multiple times including right in the midst of the monsoon assembly session after three of his ministers faced much heat over Sena MLA assaulting canteen staff, and other operating ladies bars. The Opposition has already taken the toll of one minister, Dhananjay Munde, within the first year of Devendra Fadnavis 3.0 term.
OPS MKStalin
TN Political Winds Change Direction As OPS Meets CM Stalin
Former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam has set the political cat among the pigeons. His meetings with chief minister MK Stalin, the first in a morning walk that was said to be coincidental and the second a formal meeting at the CM’s residence, may have opened a whole new avenue before the 2026 polls. There is a likelihood that Stalin will welcome OPS and his rump element from the AIADMK into the DMK+ fold because he believes in all forces joining a larger alliance like the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. In political terms, OPS may have very little to offer in terms of vote catching abilities, but his coming into the alliance would deliver an anti-AIADMK and anti-BJP message that may resonate with voters. Before ‘walking’ towards a DMK embrace just after he was refused a meeting with the PM on his recent visit to TN, OPS flirted with the idea of joining actor-politico Vijay if only to irritate the AIADMK+ combine. What Stalin sees in all this is an opportunity to gather all the forces he can so that he will be in a stronger bargaining position against the VCK, which has of late been showing some signs of hitching its fortunes to Vijay as a rising star. There is a possibility of DMK inviting Dr Ramadoss and his Vanniyar vote base into the fold in case VCK gets too ambitious in seat-sharing. And in all this, Stalin is dealing from a position of strength as he has the state machinery behind him to ward off what little anti-incumbency that may have gathered so far in his 50 months in office.
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Soon, UP Style Gangster Law To Be Implemented In Odisha Amidst Increased Crimes
Surprisingly, under the BJP-led chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the law and order situation in Odisha has been going from bad to worse with rape, mineral theft, bashing up government officers becoming the order of day.  Speculation is rife that the state government is mulling to take a leaf out of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s playbook and implement gangster law. Women safety has become the top priority. Bhabani Shankar Bhoi Talasara,  BJP MLA and Dy speaker in Odisha Assembly has given his suggestion in writing to the government to incorporate UP style gangster law in Odisha. It is learnt that CM Majhi seems inclined to adopt his suggestions. Questions are being asked whether the Majhi government has the guts to copy and implement Yogi’s model of empowering police to contain crime including encounters to contain goonda raj? With the Opposition baying for his blood Majhi has no elbow room and will be forced to implement the law.
mehboob Mohan
ATS Chief Mehboob Mujawar Was Asked To Arrest RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, But He Declined
Former ATS officer Mehboob Mujawar’s sensational disclosure that he had been ordered to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in connection with the Malegaon Bomb blast case has created a no-win situation for the Congress party, which has retreated somewhat from its intransigent stand about the NIA court verdict that has acquitted all seven accused. Mujawar has named then top police boss Parambir Singh though not directly Hemant Karkare, who led the investigation in the initial months. Alarmed by the threat of a Hindu backlash, former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan has declared that the term ‘Saffron Terror’ should be replaced with ‘Sanatan Terror’ by arguing that terror has no religion. Chavan adopted this tactic after former Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde was blamed all around for coining the term Saffron Terror. Similarly, most top Congress leaders have desisted from commenting on the issue. To add to the party’s woes, Mujawar said he had been inducted into the ATS with the object of establishing the blast as an act of saffron terror. Mujawar declined to oblige the brass as arresting Bhagwat would have been much beyond his sphere, he said. Mujawar expressed happiness over the verdict and said he was happy that he, too, had contributed in this direction to a small extent. Mujawar was implicated in several cases but was acquitted in all of them. However, his long police career was destroyed, he lamented.
khushbu sundar
Khushbu Has Mastered The Art Of Surviving And Thriving
Khushbu Sundar is the classic evolutionary survivor. She walked into the DMK and instantly became Kalaignar’s favoured acolyte. Quitting the DMK, she had a brief flirtation with the Congress and a stormy exit in 2020 leading to her entry into the BJP’s power establishment. She remains a high-profile activist and was rewarded with a post in the Women’s Commission. But a leadership status eluded her, despite her avowed talent as a public speaker. In every TV debate, she could shine with her English fluency and general knowledge. She was no glamour actress wallflower, depending on her star attraction to make heads turn …she could hold her own, authoritatively. Perhaps it is this power profile …perhaps her Muslim identity …or even her fluency in Tamil that has now raised her status to vice president, TN BJP. What timing! Just as she was about to work her attraction quotient of this mint new status, two entrants to the DMK camp have bunged a lethal spanner on her and the BJP. DMDK President Premalatha Vijaykanth has walked into Stalin’s charmed circle. And OPS, another survivor of doubtful worth has also sashayed into the DMK camp. Khushbu, already facing the handicap of a nationalist party facing two local Dravidian establishments in TN, has to now face the combined onslaught of me-too aspirants who are bound to affect the poll logic. Khushbu still tries her best…she appealed to TVK newbie chief Vijay to join the BJP alliance to unseat the DMK.

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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter

Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.