I AND MY WORDS

Nirmala Sitharaman and Anurag Thakur at Yesterday's Press Conference (source: PIB) In yesterday’s press conference via video conferencing, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in English and her deputy Anurag Thakur addressed the media and clearly stated that the aim of these announcements was to help companies and individuals to ease out worries sitting in the mind of the people with respect to various kinds of regulatory requirements. Ms. Sitharaman noted that as efforts of the lockdown to flatten the curve for the Covid-19 spread are being undertaken, she also assured everyone of an upcoming economic package. The first step however, as Mr. Thakur stated, was to ensure that the first step is taken in the direction of addressing statutory and regulatory compliance related issues. Relief on Income Tax Compliance and Regulation Deadline for filing IT returns for FY18-19 have been extended to 30 June 2020. Moreover, a reduced interest rate of 9% shall now be levied till 30 June 2...

The Janata Curfew witnessed on 22 March 2020 was more than a success. Glitches here and there apart, the manner in which an entire nation chose to stand up and acknowledge the people who help it was truly unprecedented. This is a moment that will be remembered in popular history and will become a part of folklore in the years to come, and will perhaps make Narendra Modi into a tour de force, a legend in some senses. What made is very interesting to note however was the innate Hinduness of society that came out that evening at 5pm. It started five minutes earlier, but went on fifteen minutes. Whatsapp groups had already started to circulate the temple aarti bell and shankha sounds to play - not suprisingly, that was the predominant sound that people responded to with enthusiasm. The atmosphere was nothing short of eclectic. Those who have attended vibrant aartis would recall how the powerful sounds really vibrate with the aatma, making you go into a deep meditative state. People jo...

Jagan Mohan Reddy and his YSR Congress party has time and again shown its keenness to prop up Christianity, which Jagan personally adheres to. However, when it comes to celebrating the native Hindu traditions of Andhra Pradesh, it seems the government develops an ostrich like mentality, and buries its head in the proverbial sand. The annual Bhadradri temple’s Sita-Rama wedding festival, celebrated on Rama Navami, has always been a sight to behold. Lakhs of devotees from across the country throng the temple in Bhadrachalam Andhra Pradesh to view this divine sight. The Jagan Reddy government has apparently declined to allocate funds for the Kalyana Mahotsavam this year, despite being a state festival for Andhra Pradesh. Speaking to a  Hans India reporter , a senior temple official was quoted that even though the Seetha Rama Kalyanam was declared as state festival, all they get is a pair of silk robes and pearls costing about ₹20,000. The temple, the official said, earns abo...

Picture Credit: Abhijit Majumder Several news media establishments were gloating over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) victory, and making pointed references to Hanumana bhakti of Arvind Kejriwal. References were being made about Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) being happy about this demonstration of Hindu-ness by Arvind Kejriwal. Truth, however, could not be farther away from facts. Arvind Kejriwal and AAP indulged in minority appeasement and communal polarization to secure minority votes in Delhi. They seemed to have repeatedly engaged tactics to fan communal passions, both in Delhi and in Punjab. Here are some instances that highlight their efforts. Frankly, this emboldening came at the back of the continued hankering for Muslim votes. Kejriwal left no stone unturned with his tacit involvement, a few instances of which are shown below July 2014 - Posters came up in Okhla with Arvind Kejriwal’s photos, saying he will ensure a re-investigation of the Batla House encounte...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has always exhibited a humanitarian side to its pragmatic foreign policy. While emerging as a global player, India continues to help countries in times of emergency and concern, be it Nepal, Sri Lanka or the recent case of Madagascar. The humanitarian effort does not stop there though – India has not offered to evacuate Pakistani students stuck in Wuhan, China, due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told the media that India will consider evacuating Pakistani students if Pakistan PM Imran Khan-led government's requests for the same. "No such request has been received by us from the government of Pakistan. But if such a situation arises and keeping in mind the resources available, we can look into it," he said. https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1225374140150013953 PAKISTAN CHOOSES TO ABANDON ITS CITIZENS It comes at a time when Pakistan’s government had refused to airlift st...

INDICATOR UPA Era Statistics NDA Era Statistics Consumer Price Index (NS) growth average Also see: http://164.100.34.62:8080/Inflation_CurrentSeries_2012.aspx (CSO) 10.4% (2009-14) 4.3% (2014 to 2019-20) Forex reserves (US$ billion/₹ billion) 312 / 18,324 (23 May 2014) 419 / 29,240 (31 May 2019) S&P BSE Sensex 22,344 (8 May 2014) 38,564 (1 May 2019) Private FDI Equity Inflows (US$ billion) (calendar year basis) 177 (2006-2013) 237 (2014-Sept 2019) GDP in whole numbers (₹ crore) 1,05,27,674 (2014-15) 14077586 (2018-19) New firm registration growth rate 3.8 % (2006-2014) 12.2% (2014-2018) NPA recovery ₹35,000 crore ₹70,000 crore A reality check for all those who think the economy is slow. By the way, 8 year overall high on manufacturing and services, 3 consecutive months of ₹1,00,000 crore plus GST collection...

Nahida Imtiaz After She Returned Home in 1991 (courtesy: India Today) Those following the issue of terrorism in the Kashmir valley may recall the infamous 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiyya Sayeed, the daughter of then Home Minister of India and later Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The harrowing episode had resulted in the release of hardcore militants of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). However, little is discussed about another kidnapping that had happened, just two years later. The target this time was another prominent Kashmiri politician – Saifuddin Soz. THE TURBULENT SCENARIO On 27 February 1991, the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Liberation Front (JKSLF) kidnapped Nahida Imtiaz, the daughter of Saifuddin Soz. The JKSLF demanded the release of five terrorists put in jail by the security forces. At the time, Saifuddin Soz was a prominent leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference led at the time by Farooq Abdullah. The JKNC h...