<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Saeed Naqvi, one of India’s most renowned international affairs journalists and commentators analyses the ongoing diplomatic tussle with Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist and points out how the imbroglio could be used as an electoral tool by the BJP in domestic politics. Naqvi also addresses the larger ramifications of the issue, especially at the level of international affairs and global terrorism. Watch here on The AIDEM.

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Saeed Naqvi, one of India’s most renowned international affairs journalists and commentators analyses the ongoing diplomatic tussle with Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist and points out how the imbroglio could be used as an electoral tool by the BJP in domestic politics.

Canada Imbroglio’s Implications for 2024 India Elections

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">There is a new fighting spirit in Indian democratic space with the July 18 meeting of Opposition Parties in Bengaluru. The new alliance of Opposition parties, with the acronym INDIA, is bringing back the inclusivity angle to the country’s political debate. On the other side, the ruling BJP is showing signs of agitation by reviving the NDA, even going to the extent of roping in minuscule parties from the North East.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Does this mark a decisive shift from the Modi-centric campaign that has characterised the BJP’s electoral exercises so far?<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The AIDEM discusses these crucial developments in the early run-up to the 2024 General Elections with senior political analysts of the country, Sharath Pradhan, Joy Santhosh Koshi and Venkitesh Ramakrishnan. Interaction anchored by senior journalist Anand Haridas.

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There is a new fighting spirit in Indian democratic space with the July 18 meeting of Opposition Parties in Bengaluru. 

The July 18 Message for Indian Democracy and 2024

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Along with the edited transcription of the The AIDEM’s Interaction with Saeed Naqvi as he analyses the ongoing diplomatic tussle with Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist and points out how the imbroglio could be used as an electoral tool by the BJP in domestic politics.<hr><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">text<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<hr><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Click <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://theaidem.com/canada-imbroglios-implications-for-2024-india-elections/">here</a> to watch the full interaction.

Along with the edited transcription of the The AIDEM’s Interaction with Saeed Naqvi as he analyses the ongoing diplomatic tussle with Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist and points out how the imbroglio could be used as an electoral tool by the BJP in domestic politics.



Saeed Naqvi-VR Transcript Indian Election

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Discussions on the realpolitik motives and impact of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s “One Nation, One Election” proposal have come up in diverse platforms, including political spaces and the media over the past few days. These discussions have broadly revolved around two points. First, it has been widely accepted that the government’s primary aim in putting forth this was to upset the developing unity among the opposition parties across the country as part of the <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://theaidem.com/what-does-opposition-parties-meet-in-bengaluru-mean-for-national-politics/">INDIA</a> alliance. The second point is that the BJP does find merit in advancing the elections from May 2024 to an earlier period – a thinking based on the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) assessment that popular trust and confidence on the Prime Minister and his government have been steadily decreasing over the past few months. The BJP’s comprehensive loss in the May 2023 Assembly elections in <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://theaidem.com/tag/karnataka-janathayonthike/">Karnataka</a> as well as the negative ground reports about the party’s prospects in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where Assembly elections are due by the end of the year, mainly contributed to this assessment.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The fact that Home Minister Amit Shah entrusted former President Ram Nath Kovind with the task of starting consultations on the “One Nation One Election” idea in early June, immediately after the Karnataka loss adds credence to the assessment. After his presidential tenure, Kovind was learnt to be working with a hectic schedule between early June and the last week of August. It was in the last week of August that the “One Nation One Election” idea was formally unravelled by the Union government. During this period, Kovind met about ten Governors, apart from senior leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-led Sangh Parivar and the BJP. He also met Mohan Rao Bhagwat, the Sarsangachalak of the RSS, during this period.<figure class="image"><img alt="image_2023-09-07_154253674 (1).png" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/image_2023_09_07_154253674_1_4d4422e160.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_image_2023_09_07_154253674_1_4d4422e160.png 245w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_image_2023_09_07_154253674_1_4d4422e160.png 500w" sizes="100vw" width="500"></figure><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);display:block;font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;height:auto;letter-spacing:normal;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:middle;white-space:normal;widows:2;width:647px;word-spacing:0px;" id="attachment_23914" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23914"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-23914">Ram Nath Kovind with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah</figcaption></figure><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">By all indications, the dominant opinion that emerged in the internal deliberations, especially the ones at the level of the Sangh Parivar leadership, was that if Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections produced negative results, it would have repercussions on the BJP’s prospects in the national general election too in May 2024. Apparently, there was also the view that possible electoral reverses in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and, later at the national level could be avoided if all these elections are clubbed. Beyond this, the Sangh Parivar is said to be calculating that simultaneous elections would create a huge confusion and open fights among the components of the INDIA bloc across the country. It was surmised that Congress would have a national level thrust to enhance its overall political stature in the country while the regional forces would try to protect and advance their power equations and strengths at in the States.<figure class="image"><img alt="FTR-3-2-e1691832186515-768x259.jpg" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/FTR_3_2_e1691832186515_768x259_b0452e9e6a.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_FTR_3_2_e1691832186515_768x259_b0452e9e6a.jpg 245w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_FTR_3_2_e1691832186515_768x259_b0452e9e6a.jpg 500w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_FTR_3_2_e1691832186515_768x259_b0452e9e6a.jpg 750w" sizes="100vw" width="750"></figure><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);display:block;font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;height:auto;letter-spacing:normal;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:middle;white-space:normal;widows:2;width:640px;word-spacing:0px;" id="attachment_23318" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23318"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-23318">Leaders from the opposition parties</figcaption></figure><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">It is not yet clear what concrete suggestions would come from Kovind and his team. Expectations are that the committee’s report would be submitted in Parliament during its five-day special session from September 18 to 22. The committee comprises Amit Shah, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission Chairman N.K. Singh, former Secretary-General of Lok Sabha Subhash C. Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Though Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury too was included in the committee, he refused to accept the nomination.&nbsp;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">While the work of the committee and its potential recommendations are under wraps, speculation is rife about the realpolitik objectives and impact of the proposal. Now, a new, interesting discussion on the exercise is doing the rounds, primarily within the echelons of several Sangh Parivar outfits, including the RSS, the BJP, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) in the election-bound bound Madhya Pradesh and its adjoining State, Uttar Pradesh. Central to the discussions here is the dire agricultural situation in several States, especially in relation to the kharif harvest, which is due in late September and early October.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img alt="image_2023-09-07_154852392-e1694081958641 (1).png" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/image_2023_09_07_154852392_e1694081958641_1_c35fce67c1.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_image_2023_09_07_154852392_e1694081958641_1_c35fce67c1.png 245w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_image_2023_09_07_154852392_e1694081958641_1_c35fce67c1.png 500w" sizes="100vw" width="500"></figure><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);display:block;font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;height:auto;letter-spacing:normal;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:middle;white-space:normal;widows:2;width:600px;word-spacing:0px;" id="attachment_23915" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23915"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-23915">Workers harvesting crop at a field</figcaption></figure><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">According to Sangh Parivar insiders in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the drought-like situation across northern India in the months of July and August was highlighted in the internal discussions within Sangh Parivar outfits. Water availability in July and August is crucial for a good kharif harvest. Senior activists of the BKS and the BMS in the two north Indian States told The AIDEM that the reports that they have got from other parts of the country, including election-bound Rajasthan as well as Maharashtra and Gujarat also underscore deficient rainfall and the possibility of a bad kharif harvest. These leaders added that along with the drought-like situation in some other parts of north India, States such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are suffering on account of untimely rainfall.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">“Cumulatively”, a senior BKS leader based in Bhopal told The AIDEM, “what we are looking at is a situation where the harvest is not good for farmers, which in turn would result in a grave food crisis in the days to come”. The leader added that the multiple diverse effects of all these factors would start manifesting acutely from October and would carry on for many months. “The long and short of it”, he pointed out,” is that advancing elections to January 2024 and clubbing it with the Assembly election may not be the magic wand that Modi and Shah had envisioned in June, when they entrusted Kovind with the “One Nation One Election” project.<figure class="image"><img alt="image_2023-09-07_160239917.png" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/image_2023_09_07_160239917_d55c4d6a2c.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_image_2023_09_07_160239917_d55c4d6a2c.png 245w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_image_2023_09_07_160239917_d55c4d6a2c.png 500w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_image_2023_09_07_160239917_d55c4d6a2c.png 750w, https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_image_2023_09_07_160239917_d55c4d6a2c.png 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"></figure><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1208px;" id="attachment_23919" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23919"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-23919">Details of Indian States with Assembly tenure ending in forthcoming months. Source: Election Commission of India</figcaption></figure>Apparently, the “loud thinking” within the Sangh Parivar outfits in continuation of this assessment was about ways and means to postpone the Assembly elections in the States that are expected to have elections by the end of the year. That is, postponing the Assembly elections in States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan at least by four to five months so that they could be held along with the general election. However, neither this leader nor his associates were clear whether this is technically possible within the existing electoral rules and regulations.Clearly, the element of kharif harvest and its potential political and electoral impact has added a new complicating dimension to the “One Nation One Election” project. In any case, the kharif connection has aggravated the realpolitik discussions within the Sangh Parivar on the project. Even as the debate on this question spreads within the Sangh Parivar outfits and consequently in the larger political spectrum, the secrecy around the real and concrete agenda of the special session of Parliament continues. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have repeatedly and publicly asked the government to come clean on this and pointed out that no other Indian government since Independence has convened a special session of the Parliament without spelling out the agenda as the BJP has done now.<hr>ഈ ലേഖനം മലയാളത്തിൽ വായിക്കാൻ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക, <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://theaidem.com/ml-union-governments-committee-on-one-nation-one-election/">ഇവിടെ</a>.&nbsp;

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Discussions on the realpolitik motives and impact of the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s “One Nation, One Election” proposal have come up in diverse platforms, including political spaces and the media over the past few days.

One Nation One Election: The Kharif Connection

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_20_at_17_24_36_770x470_43f65c5e24.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-20-at-17.24.36-770x470.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_20_at_17_24_36_770x470_43f65c5e24.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_20_at_17_24_36_770x470_43f65c5e24.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_20_at_17_24_36_770x470_43f65c5e24.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">A survey by the Eedina group (<a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://eedina.com/">Eedina.com</a>) that had accurately predicted a comfortable victory for the Congress in the state elections of May 2023 shows a 17:11 lead for INDIA (Congress) over NDA (BJP-JDS) with seven seats, indicating a neck to neck fight. While the Congress vote share has shown an increase in the past year and the BJP vote share and seats both a decline, 45% of those surveyed, however, still want Narendra Modi to have a third term. Karnataka sends 28 Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha. A survey of over 52,678 people conducted between February 15-March 5, 2024 by the Eedina group (Eedina.com) has good news for the INDIA alliance and serious concerns for the NDA (BJP-JDS) in the state. The survey conducted prior to the announcement of candidates, shows 17 seats to expectedly go to the Congress with the BJP-JDS alliance securing 11. In seven seats there is, the survey says, a neck to neck fight. Karnataka sends 28 Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha. Elections in the state will be held in the second (April 26) and third phases (May 7) of the upcoming election. In the last Lok Sabha elections held in 2019 the BJP had won 25 seats, while the Congress and JD(S) were reduced to one seat each . Actor Sumalatha also won as an Independent Supported by the BJP.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The current survey shows an increase in the Congress vote share in the past year with a decline for the BJP vote share and even seats. Yet, 45% of those surveyed, however, still want Narendra Modi to have a third term.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Interestingly, six weeks before the scheduled polling in the state, the issues most acutely important by voters, according to this survey is the spiraling price rise/inflation (76.55% of respondents feel price of essential goods has increased) and acute unemployment (53.18% of respondents feel price employment opportunities have reduced). This is followed by voter realisation that corruption has increased (45.75% of respondents), the gap between rich and poor has widened (42.02% of respondents) and access to welfare schemes has gone down (37.63% of respondents). This is a scathing indictment of the ordinary voter on a decade of Modi’s rule.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<h3 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.2;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Change in voter trends</h3><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">BJP which enjoyed gradual rise in their vote share since 1996 shows a decline in their vote share this Lok Sabha election.<h4 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.2;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">2019 Lok Sabha Elections</h4><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:20px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:20px;orphans:2;padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">BJP 51.38%</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">CONG 31.88%</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">JDS 9.67%</li></ul><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">However, interestingly, political perceptions of the voters surveyed throw up these findings:<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Perception people have regarding Modi regime.<ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:20px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:20px;orphans:2;padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">47.64% feel that position and fame of India has increased at global level.</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">56.14% feel that they would vote in favour of the Congress guarantee schemes.</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">For women respondents this increases to 59.28%.</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">39.67% respondents feel State Government Guarantee schemes are more helpful compared to 20.31% feeling central government schemes are more helpful. 26.31% feeling both&nbsp;centre&nbsp;and state schemes help them.</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">35.8% of respondents feel Narendra Modi’s work to be satisfactory and 33.06% feel Modi’s work is excellent.</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:17px;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;list-style:disc;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;">45.19% of respondents also feel Modi should get the third term.</li></ul><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">&nbsp;<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Eedina.com’s&nbsp;survey, the second since the group was launched was conducted with a systematic random sampling method with door to door, face to face surveys. In 2023, it was the only media house which predicted the election outcome&nbsp;<a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://thewire.in/video/watch-karnataka-opinion-poll-yogendra-yadav">21 days prior</a> to the Karnataka election date of May 10 2023.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">This survey was conducted from February 15, to March 5, 2024h&nbsp;prior to the candidate announcement. With the sample size of 52,678 this is so far the largest pre-poll survey conducted in Karnataka for upcoming&nbsp;Lok&nbsp;Sabha election 2024.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Note: This is a Pre&nbsp;poll Survey before the announcements of the candidates. This trend may change keeping Candidature, Issues crop up and&nbsp;Mode of Campaign parties and civil society hold.&nbsp;

WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-20-at-17.24.36.jpeg

A survey by the Eedina group (Eedina.com) that had accurately predicted a comfortable victory for the Congress in the state elections of May 2023 shows a 17:11 lead for INDIA (Congress) over NDA (BJP-JDS) with seven seats, indicating a neck to neck fight. While the Congress vote share has shown an increase in the past year and the BJP vote share and seats both a decline, 45% of those surveyed, however, still want Narendra Modi to have a third term. Karnataka sends 28 Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Lok Sabha.

Karnataka will have a neck to neck fight in Lok Sabha polls, edge to Congress, INDIA: Eedina Survey

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/19th_march_a_770x470_5fac8c6fc3.jpg" alt="19th-march-a-770x470.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_19th_march_a_770x470_5fac8c6fc3.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_19th_march_a_770x470_5fac8c6fc3.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_19th_march_a_770x470_5fac8c6fc3.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">The Reporters’ Collective is a group of like-minded journalists focused on reportage that keeps the powerful accountable. The collective has consistently produced pathbreaking reports on developments and issues that put the spotlight on those in power. The Reporters’ Collective has also shed light on how India’s political economy and governance functions. In recent times, this group of journalists has come out with a series of “deep-dive” stories on the Electoral Bond revelations. The AIDEM is reproducing some of these stories in different languages with due acknowledgment.<hr>The Union government gave lightning-quick sanction to break electoral bond rules to allow ruling party BJP to encash expired bonds, just before the 2018 Karnataka elections, show new disclosures by the Election Commission.&nbsp;The Union Finance Ministry headed by late BJP politician Arun Jaitely forced the State Bank of India to accept electoral bonds of Rs 10 crore after his partymen walked in to the bank to encash expired electoral bonds.The Reporters’ Collective reported in 2019, based on official records accessed by Commodore Lokesh Batra (Retd.), that SBI had allowed an unknown political party to encash electoral bonds worth Rs 10 crore even though it came two days after the legally mandated 15-day period to encash bonds had ended.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:743px;" id="attachment_27120" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27120"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Screengrab_of_the_BJ_Ps_bond_disclosures_showing_the_expired_bonds_were_deposited_768x111_9019291a9a.png" alt="Screengrab-of-the-BJPs-bond-disclosures-showing-the-expired-bonds-were-deposited-768x111.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Screengrab_of_the_BJ_Ps_bond_disclosures_showing_the_expired_bonds_were_deposited_768x111_9019291a9a.png 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Screengrab_of_the_BJ_Ps_bond_disclosures_showing_the_expired_bonds_were_deposited_768x111_9019291a9a.png 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Screengrab_of_the_BJ_Ps_bond_disclosures_showing_the_expired_bonds_were_deposited_768x111_9019291a9a.png 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-27120">Screengrab of the BJP’s bond disclosures showing the expired bonds were deposited.</figcaption></figure>In 2019, when The Collective reported it, we were unaware which political party had gained from the Union Finance Ministry’s generosity.&nbsp;But we knew this: “X” party brought expired bonds to the Delhi branch of SBI on May 23, 2018. After a series of superfast correspondence between the SBI Delhi branch, its corporate headquarters in Mumbai and the Union Finance Ministry mandarins, the expired bonds were encashed by “X” party on government’s orders.&nbsp;Now, BJP’s own disclosures made public by the Election Commission of India show that the Union Finance Ministry’s creative interpretation of rules and illegal orders to SBI were made to allow the party to encash Rs 10 crore worth of expired bonds.&nbsp;<h3 style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:20px;line-height:1.2;margin:0px 0px 15px;padding:0px;text-align:left;">The Bond Tale</h3>According to a report by SBI to the Union Finance Ministry, on May 23, 2018, “some EB holders” with bonds worth Rs 20 crore went to SBI’s main branch in New Delhi. EB or Electoral Bond holders refers to representatives of political parties holding the physical bond that must be deposited in a political party’s account.Half the bonds had been bought on May 3, 2018 and the other half on May 5, 2018. Both, SBI noted, had expired as their 15-day period of redemption had lapsed.But the bond holders requested that the 15 calendar-day rule be bent, and the bonds be redeemed anyway as they were being deposited within 15 working days, said the report.SBI’s New Delhi branch informed its Mumbai corporate headquarters on the same day, documents show. The next day, on May 24 2018, bank’s then deputy managing director Mrutyunjay Mahapatra wrote on behalf of SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar to the Union Finance Ministry asking whether they should allow holders to redeem expired bonds.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:597px;" id="attachment_27125" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27125"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_31_28_3966090708.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-19-at-13.31.28.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_31_28_3966090708.jpeg 233w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_31_28_3966090708.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-27125">Arun Jaitley</figcaption></figure>The ministry acted with alacrity. The same day, then deputy director in the economic affairs ministry Vijay Kumar, responded, “This is clarified that the stipulation means a total of 15 days, including non-working days in between…”Hence, the bonds had lapsed and as per the rules, the money was to be donated to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, an official, non-partisan fund used for charitable works, and to provide immediate relief to those affected by natural disasters.But Kumar wasn’t done.He added, “As some amount of lack of complete clarity may have been witnessed in the bonds issue in last windows, SBI may grant credit to such bond holders of bond purchased before 10th May, 2018 if the bonds were deposited in 15 working days.” He said, “No such accommodation will be available in future.”This letter, approved by the secretary of the department of economic affairs, S.C. Garg, the highest-ranking official in the department, was sent to the SBI chairman the same day.The SBI headquarters informed its New Delhi main branch, and before the day was over, the political party, or parties, involved were allowed to redeem the expired bonds worth Rs 10 crore, that were bought on 5 May 2018.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/sbi_1_768x432_1ecbebf016.jpg" alt="sbi-1-768x432.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_sbi_1_768x432_1ecbebf016.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_sbi_1_768x432_1ecbebf016.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_sbi_1_768x432_1ecbebf016.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">The other tranche, bonds worth Rs 10 crore bought on 3 May 2018, was sent to the PM’s Relief Fund, the documents show, as they were outside the Union Finance Ministry’s exceptional “accommodation.”While we now know the BJP was the beneficiary of these bonds, the donor’s identity still remains a mystery.The breach of electoral bond rules didn’t end here. Even the tranche in which the BJP got these bonds went against the scheme.&nbsp;<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:801px;" id="attachment_27123" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27123"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_14_11_768x512_8351cd4876.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-19-at-13.14.11-768x512.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_14_11_768x512_8351cd4876.jpeg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_14_11_768x512_8351cd4876.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_19_at_13_14_11_768x512_8351cd4876.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-27123">BJP Office in Delhi</figcaption></figure>According to the rules notified in January 2018, there were to be four 10-day windows in January, April, July and October. The Prime Minister’s Office in 2018 ordered the Finance Ministry to break its rules and open an extra “special” 10-day window for bond sale before the Karnataka elections.The PMO’s request was first recorded in files by Union Finance Ministry officials in April 2018 – a mere three months after the rules were notified. This exception to rule became a practice. For example, a special 10-day window was opened in December 2022 before the Gujarat state elections.On 18 March, the Supreme Court directed the State Bank of India to disclose all available data on electoral bonds, including the unique alphanumeric identity encoded in each bond</div></div>

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Modi Government Allowed BJP to Illegally Encash Expired Electoral Bonds

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/11th_March_a_770x470_4e19d69108.jpg" alt="11th-March-a-770x470.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_11th_March_a_770x470_4e19d69108.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_11th_March_a_770x470_4e19d69108.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_11th_March_a_770x470_4e19d69108.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">In pure statistical terms, Krishnanagar in West Bengal is just another parliamentary constituency among the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. But in the 2024 elections, Krishnanagar has a special significance. The Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in West Bengal, has already announced that it is Mahua Moitra, who would be fielded once again from this constituency. Moitra, who was the sitting MP from Krishna Nagar, had won the seat in 2019 with a majority of more than 63,000 votes and the nearest defeated candidate was from the BJP. As a parliamentarian she was known for her sharp oratory and powerful articulation and this had made her the centre of attention in Indian politics for a short period of time. Indeed, it was these very superior skills as a parliamentarian that made her a target of the Narendra Modi regime, ultimately leading to her expulsion from the Lok Sabha on evidently cooked up charges that converted the lower house of Indian Parliament into a “ Kangaroo Court. “&nbsp;The forthcoming electoral battle in Krishna Nagar needs to be seen from this background. While doing this, it is clear that whoever is the candidate that the BJP fields to oppose Moitra he or she would ultimately represent Gautam Adani, one of the richest people in the world. Mahua Moitra was able to draw the attention of the members of Parliament as well as the nation to a number of issues of national importance, which included the blatant violations of law, the suppression of ordinary people and the corruption spraying machinations advanced by the Adani group in pursuing their business interests. She focused more on these issues rather than on local development issues of a parliamentary constituency. We have also seen the international media listening to Mahua’s words with interest.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_2_7b7f0363b6.jpg" alt="Mahua-Moitra-TMC-Bengal-2.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_2_7b7f0363b6.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_2_7b7f0363b6.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Clearly, this Trinamool Congress leader has the credentials to be re-elected just for the reason that she raised concerns about the common future of a nation in a democratic manner and raised them with utmost seriousness inside and outside Parliament. It can be stated without hesitation that there is no other parliamentarian who has studied the Modi-Adani relationship so meticulously and conveyed it to the people consistently and cogently. The price she had to pay for this was her parliamentary membership.There can be little doubt that Gautam Adani, one of the richest people in the world, had set out to trap Mahua Moitra through false cases and manoeuvres to cause harm to her personal dignity. There is also little doubt that Team Adani would pull out all stops to prevent Moitra from being re-elected. A brief look at her track record would exemplify why Team Adani would go all out to defeat Moitra.&nbsp;Consider this. Mahua Moitra has raised several questions in parliament and outside about the illegal freebies accrued by Adani using the Modi regime in sectors as varied as ports, coal mines, power supply contracts to name a few. Most importantly every one of these exposes contained stark evidence that could not be refuted. Mahua also raised sharp questions about other activities of the Adani group, including its foreign portfolio investment partners, especially the dealings with a Chinese national who made a mysterious investment of Rs 20,000 crore in the Adani group of companies. Moitra also highlighted in parliament how Adani got a Rs 46,000-crore contract, without any tender process, to use the Dhamra port terminal in Odisha till the year 2042. This despite the fact that the port has only a limited storage capacity.Unable to answer the questions raised by Mahua Moitra, the BJP sought to mock and attack her personally. It started by raising allegations that Mahua was receiving money from a business group in the country for questions raised in the Lok Sabha. But no evidence has been brought out till date to validate the allegation of ‘cash for query’ raised by the BJP. In an interview to a national media outlet, Mahua alleged that when these machinations failed, some BJP MPs visited her in person and told her that they were ready to do whatever it took to make her silent till the general elections of 2024 were over.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_18_at_17_53_42_e2f972b9ba.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-18-at-17.53.42.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_18_at_17_53_42_e2f972b9ba.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_18_at_17_53_42_e2f972b9ba.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_18_at_17_53_42_e2f972b9ba.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">It was a matter of concern for the BJP that Mahua was constantly raising questions against Modi and Adani in a sharp language. The saffron party was also concerned that threats and incitements did not deter her from carrying on with her mission. It was in this context that the BJP decided to bring up a number of technical issues against Mahua and also raise the allegation that her questions in the Lok Sabha were paid for by vested interests. The Ethics Committee of the Parliament, which had refrained from giving even the minimum punishment to BJP MP Ramesh Bidhauri for addressing a Muslim member in Parliament in the most vile and obscene language, went out of the way and acted with undue haste in Mahua’s case and even asked her personally insulting questions.The person who filed the complaint before the parliamentary Ethics Committee was Mahua’s ex-partner and lawyer Anant Dehadrai. The complaint of Dehadrai, who already had a troubled relationship with Mahua Moitra, had no legs to stand on, especially in the context of the evident and inherent ‘conflict of interest’. The person or member making a complaint has to provide evidence to support the allegations, according to the handbook published by the Ethics Committee. However, the Ethics Committee created a record in terms of subordination to the powers that be by taking up the case when no evidence was provided by the complainant. The allegations that Mahua received money from Indian businessman Darshan Hiranandani to raise questions related to Adani in the Lok Sabha were also not substantiated with evidence.&nbsp;The Ethics Committee, chaired by BJP member Vinod Kumar Sonkar made use of failed family connections, false complaints, and even pressured friends to defame one of the most active women MPs in the country and take away her Lok Sabha membership. As a Lok Sabha member Mahua had 69 questions This is not a record-breaking number. There are other members in the same House who have raised around 130 questions. But the important point here is that out of the 69 questions 9 are related to Adani.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/mod_isadani_768x427_07b5c53797.jpeg" alt="mod-isadani-768x427.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_mod_isadani_768x427_07b5c53797.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_mod_isadani_768x427_07b5c53797.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_mod_isadani_768x427_07b5c53797.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">It is important to note that all these questions had been raised in the international media and are related to national interests. As a former banker, Mahua Moitra understood the intricacies of investment related matters, including foreign portfolio investments. So, the questions she raised included ones that asked who owns the illiquid stock of the companies owned by Adani? How is the Adani Group procuring ports and airports without proper tenders and contract processes? Who owns shares in Adani companies that do not have free floats? Who are the company’s hidden investors? It is a fact that the administration feared her carefully prepared questions and the manner in which she presented in the interviews she gave to the media. The sum total of these fears is what reflected in the move to oust her from parliament. The fact that Gautam Adani’s market capitalization shot up from US$ 7.8 billion in 2014 and to US$ 43 billion by 2023 in the most unnatural manner was also a background factor stirring these fears.&nbsp;In the process, the BJP had a running a campaign against Mahua citing serious wrongdoing on an allegation about handing over her Parliament login ID to an outsider. The charge was indeed laughable as it is common practice among parliament members to take the assistance of designated individuals who are even trained under the Legislative Assistance to Member of Parliament (LAMP) scheme. The LAMP assistants help MPs to prepare questions, enhance legislative research and data analysis, supplement background research of parliamentary debates, and standing committee meetings, work on private bill preparation for members and assist in making press releases and organising interviews with the media.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_4_24dd77e47e.jpg" alt="Mahua-Moitra-TMC-Bengal-4.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_4_24dd77e47e.jpg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Mahua_Moitra_TMC_Bengal_4_24dd77e47e.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Mahua has given a very clear explanation about the Parliament Login ID being given to someone else. A password to upload questions and answers cannot be used to access budget documents or other confidential documents in Parliament. No special rules have been formulated for the members of Parliament in this regard. But it is clear that such reasoning and questions of ethics have no relevance under the current regime.&nbsp;The regime has developed special skills to hunt down those who raise questions and all agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are used for that purpose. The Godi media, predominantly owned by Adani and Ambani are also used to do propaganda for the Modi regime. All this certainly adds to the relevance of Mahua Moitra as she represents the courage to constantly shout out to the world about the Modi-Adani nexus is and its unprecedented clout over the Indian business systems and political structure</div></div>

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Mahua or Modani? The Significance of the Electoral Battle in Krishna Nagar

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/11th_march_f_770x470_264069f4b6.jpg" alt="11th-march-f-770x470.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_11th_march_f_770x470_264069f4b6.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_11th_march_f_770x470_264069f4b6.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_11th_march_f_770x470_264069f4b6.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">In a stinging direct blow to the State Bank of India (SBI) and an indirect blow to the Narendra Modi led union government, the Supreme Court rejected the request of the bank for more time to disclose details of the electoral bonds scheme. The Apex Court stated categorically on Monday that the bank must share the details with the Election Commission of India (ECI) by Tuesday, March 12. The poll body has been asked to publish the details on its website by 5 pm on Friday, March 15.The court also warned that it will initiate contempt proceedings against the government-run bank if it does not provide the information by Tuesday. The Apex Court fielded tough questions and asked what the bank was doing for the past 26 days. The SBI had approached the court for an extension, seeking time till June 30, 2024 to furnish the details.&nbsp;<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/image_2023_08_31_151521466_768x456_a8aedc56d7.png" alt="image_2023-08-31_151521466-768x456.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_image_2023_08_31_151521466_768x456_a8aedc56d7.png 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_image_2023_08_31_151521466_768x456_a8aedc56d7.png 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_image_2023_08_31_151521466_768x456_a8aedc56d7.png 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Despite the categorical dismissal of the SBI plea for time till the end of June, the question whether there would be full disclosure on electoral bonds remains. That is because the Apex Court has just asked for the list of donors, but has not specifically directed to match the list of donors with the beneficiary parties.&nbsp;In other words, the court directive on revealing information covers only two aspects. One: Name of the purchaser of electoral bonds and denomination of the bonds. Two: Bonds redeemed by the respective political parties. The two sets of details are not going to be matched and the SBI is not obligated to connect the purchaser of the bond to the political party, which is the beneficiary!In the opinion of Senior Economic Affairs journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurtha, it is now up to the world at large, including journalists, to try and match the names of buyers of electoral bonds with the political parties that received the bonds. He goes on to add that this is not going to be easy. Thakurtha cites several reasons why the process could get cumbersome.&nbsp;<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_24_12_2777ca227e.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-11-at-16.24.12.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_24_12_2777ca227e.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_24_12_2777ca227e.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">To start with, it is a big question whether the ECI would be able to disclose all the information given to it by the SBI on its website by Friday 15 March. As things stand on March 11, the ECI is a one-person commission, in the context of the mysterious resignation of Arun Goel as member on March 9. With that resignation the only member in the ECI is Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar (Refer <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/appoint-arun-goels-replacement-in-election-commission-only-as-per-sc-judgment-not-new-act-plea-in-supreme-court-251818">LiveLaw Report</a>).The big question is whether the ECI will cease to be a one-person commission by Friday 15 March, the deadline given by the SC. Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Minister appointed by him and the representative of the Opposition in Parliament decide the names of two new Election Commissioners? The answer to this question is certainly not clear at the moment. The sum total of this confusion is that the SC course correction initiatives on electoral bonds are moving ahead one painful step after another.&nbsp;On February 15, when a five judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court struck down the electoral bonds Scheme of 2017, and held the same to be unconstitutional, the expectations were indeed much higher (Refer <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:all 0.4s ease 0s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-electoral-bonds-1scheme-249553">LiveLaw Report</a>). Indeed, the judgement had come after a gap of six years after filing the case, but Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had held, while pronouncing the unanimous verdict of the five-bench constitutional bench, that anonymous electoral bonds are violative of the right to information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The right of the voter to know who and what lies behind electoral finances was held to be above the right to privacy of powerful corporations and political parties.&nbsp;<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_28_11_768x428_2019d57fa8.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-03-11-at-16.28.11-768x428.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_28_11_768x428_2019d57fa8.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_28_11_768x428_2019d57fa8.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_03_11_at_16_28_11_768x428_2019d57fa8.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">But the limitations and deficiencies in the implementation of the verdict as well as the parameters set for implementation underscore that the constitutional right to information is not going to be fully granted to the people of the country in this case. In that sense, the new ifs and buts are indeed daunting. It would be interesting to reconsider some of the things that the Supreme Court and especially the CJI DY Chandrachud stated in the court on February 15 while delivering the judgement on electoral bonds.&nbsp;Reading out parts of the 232-page judgement, CJI DY Chandrachud had held that the “Crucial aspect of expansion of right to information is that it is not confined to state affairs but also includes information necessary for participatory democracy. Infringement of the right to information is not justified by the purpose of curbing black money. He went on to add as follows.&nbsp;“In view of our discussion above, the following directions are issued:&nbsp;<ol style="box-sizing:border-box;font-size:17px;margin-bottom:20px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:20px;padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;"><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">The issuing bank shall herewith stop the issuance of Electoral Bonds;&nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">SBI shall submit details of the Electoral Bonds purchased since the interim order of this Court dated 12 April 2019 till date to the ECI. The details shall include the date of purchase of each Electoral Bond, the name of the purchaser of the bond and the denomination of the Electoral Bond purchased;&nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">SBI shall submit the details of political parties which have received contributions through Electoral Bonds since the interim order of this Court dated 12 April 2019 till date to the ECI. SBI must disclose details of each Electoral Bond encashed by political parties which shall include the date of encashment and the denomination of the Electoral Bond;&nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">SBI shall submit the above information to the ECI within three weeks from the date of this judgement, that is, by 6 March 2024;&nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">The ECI shall publish the information shared by the SBI on its official website within one week of the receipt of the information, that is, by 13 March 2024; and&nbsp;</li><li style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:400;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:10px;margin-right:0px;margin-top:0px;padding:0px;" aria-level="1">Electoral Bonds which are within the validity period of fifteen days but that which have not been encashed by the political party yet shall be returned by the political party or the purchaser depending on who is in possession of the bond to the issuing bank.”</li></ol>While the CJI stated the above in clear terms, Justice Sanjiv Khanna stated the following in a separate judgement running into 74 pages. He concurred with the majority view on the unconstitutionality of the Schemes on several crucial counts, and was even more specific and direct in its directions. In examining one accept that was argued but not pressed by the lead petitioner, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Justice Khanna outlined the coercive elements at the heart of the scheme that require further examination and study. This included the argument that there should be a cap on the quantum of donations and further, that the law should stipulate that the funds thus collected through electoral bonds should be utilised for political purposes alone given that the income of the political parties is exempt from income tax.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/eci_pti_768x432_273840078b.png" alt="eci-pti-768x432.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_eci_pti_768x432_273840078b.png 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_eci_pti_768x432_273840078b.png 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_eci_pti_768x432_273840078b.png 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Citing these aspects, Justice Khanna further stated that “according to us, the just and proper interim direction would be to require all the political parties who have received donations through Electoral Bonds to submit to the Election Commission of India in sealed cover, detailed particulars of the donors as against the each Bond; the amount of each such bond and the full particulars of the credit received against each bond, namely, the particulars of the bank account to which the amount has been credited and the date of each such credit.” He also further directed the ECI to disclose the full particular details of the donor and the amount donated to the particular political party through Bonds.&nbsp;Clearly, the situation that prevails on March 11, in terms of implementation of the February 15 judgement, raises questions whether the spirit of the February 15 judgement would be upheld collectively by the SBI and ECI. Hopefully, the Apex Court itself would take steps to clear these doubts and apprehensions</div></div>

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Electoral Bonds: Stinging Blow by the SC to SBI and Modi Raj, But Ifs and Buts Remain..

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">As the State Bank of India’s request for an extension till June 30 to comply with the Supreme Court order to divulge the details of the Electoral Bond contributions is pending before Apex Court, the intrigue surrounding the scheme has risen to new levels. Initial public reactions evidently suggest that the premium public sector bank has further eroded its credibility. The requested extension goes against the very spirit of the February 15 landmark judgement of the Supreme Court, which struck down the Electoral Bond scheme as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘arbitrary’. The developments have certainly deepened the shadows of doubt that have come to engulf the Indian democratic process as a whole in recent times.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Editor of The AIDEM and Thomas Franco, former General Secretary of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) and founder of “People First” discuss the structural and political implications of the SBI manoeuvre in an interaction with Anand Haridas, senior journalist and multimedia professional.

What Next in the SBI Electoral Bonds Tangle?

<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Receiving the Justice VR Krishna Iyer Award for protection of democratic rights, Social Activist and Writer Teesta Setalvad stated that the blatant rigging of the Chandigarh Mayor poll points towards the devious election plans of the BJP at a larger level too. She also remembered how Justice VR Krishna Iyer had highlighted and forewarned about the growing draconian tilt in the BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Listen to the full speech here.

Chandigarh Mayor Poll Highlights BJP’s Devious Election Plans: Teesta Setalvad

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<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20240930_WA_0007_770x470_d5062615d1.jpg" alt="IMG-20240930-WA0007-770x470.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20240930_WA_0007_770x470_d5062615d1.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20240930_WA_0007_770x470_d5062615d1.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20240930_WA_0007_770x470_d5062615d1.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">Communication is an art that many struggle with, but few realize it can be learned. Whether you’re talking to a friend, colleague, family member, or stranger, mastering this skill is within reach. Ever struggled to start a conversation or keep it going? Finding common topics of interest can be tricky, and navigating differing social or political views can feel like a minefield. But with the right approach, you can turn any interaction into a meaningful exchange.&nbsp;How do you find the right approach? More importantly, can you learn the required skills?“<a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.charlesduhigg.com/supercommunicators">Supercommunicators</a>,” written by Charles Duhigg, is a book that teaches you to learn the skills to convert a conversation into a connection. It distills the art of conversation, any conversation, including the ones with your friends and family, into actionable steps that you can readily practice and improve.<a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.charlesduhigg.com/">Charles Duhigg</a> is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and author of bestselling books. I read his first book, “The Power of Habit,” which is a constant presence in many bookstores, and liked it. I read it in 2013, and it convinced me about the importance of habits. Last year, I read his <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/12/11/the-inside-story-of-microsofts-partnership-with-openai">article</a> on the ChatGPT saga and liked it for its reporting breadth and depth.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:629px;" id="attachment_30055" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30055"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/811bz_Oshn5_L_AC_UF_10001000_QL_80_F_Mwebp_7ad3ac888f.webp" alt="811bzOshn5L._AC_UF10001000_QL80_FMwebp_.webp" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_811bz_Oshn5_L_AC_UF_10001000_QL_80_F_Mwebp_7ad3ac888f.webp 98w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_811bz_Oshn5_L_AC_UF_10001000_QL_80_F_Mwebp_7ad3ac888f.webp 314w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_811bz_Oshn5_L_AC_UF_10001000_QL_80_F_Mwebp_7ad3ac888f.webp 472w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30055">Cover of the book ‘Supercommunicators’</figcaption></figure>This book starts by breaking down every conversation into three types: Analytical, Emotional, and Social. Every conversation is essentially one of these three types. In analytical talk, the conversation is a transaction where facts and details matter. In emotional talk, the conversation is all about the feelings. In social talk, the conversation is about an identity. Now, listing the types helps in nothing. You still need to know what to do with this information.Suppose you argued with your father in the morning over a trivial issue. You reach the office and share the incident with your friend. Are you looking for a solution? Do you want to be listened to intently, get advice on who was wrong, or would just a hug do ? Suppose you differed with a colleague about a work issue. Another colleague, a friend, was listening. What do you want to hear from your friend? Advice or silence or just a hug? Suppose you hear about the sudden death of a friend’s loved one. What do you say to your friend? Advice or listen or a hug? As situations differ, so does the conversation, hence the importance of its type.After breaking the communication into its types, Charles goes on to break it into a step-by-step process of turning every conversation into meaningful, often joyful interactions, and in some cases, less stressful ones, even with a person with contrasting views. He uses psychological studies and instances of experts’ communication to establish the rules of effective communication.Stories form the backbone of narration and writing style, making it easy for everyone to understand, relate, and remember the content. Charles has used his recommendation to write the book as the writing oscillates between personal anecdotes, stories, and facts, often combining all three. As you turn the pages, you gradually get convinced about the process.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:767px;" id="attachment_30056" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30056"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/high_rez_duhigg_headshot_20160720afmduhigg0082_thumb_1536x1536_1_53a5660a0f.jpg" alt="high-rez-duhigg-headshot-20160720afmduhigg0082-thumb-1536x1536-1.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_high_rez_duhigg_headshot_20160720afmduhigg0082_thumb_1536x1536_1_53a5660a0f.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_high_rez_duhigg_headshot_20160720afmduhigg0082_thumb_1536x1536_1_53a5660a0f.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_high_rez_duhigg_headshot_20160720afmduhigg0082_thumb_1536x1536_1_53a5660a0f.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30056">Charles Duhigg</figcaption></figure>If you have read books on personal growth, they tend to follow a pattern. Every chapter makes a proposition supported by academic research or theories, followed by a story that establishes the usefulness of the proposition. Stories of failures are not part of this scheme. This book is no exception to this formula. However, this conformance should not take away the usefulness of this book.A few days after finishing the book, I took a train journey to New Delhi. The train starts at 6 in the morning from Varanasi, requiring me to get up at 4 AM. I always travel with a book, sometimes 2. If it is a mid-noon journey, I prefer reading books to talking to a co-passenger. But, early in the morning, I like a slow warmup to come to my full senses before picking a book. Opening a conversation with a co-passenger who is perhaps also in the same state has always been a nervous affair. But I had read this book, so at least I knew a theory I could test.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_2024_09_30_T164448_607_ee3a11384b.jpeg" alt="images-2024-09-30T164448.607.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_2024_09_30_T164448_607_ee3a11384b.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_2024_09_30_T164448_607_ee3a11384b.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_images_2024_09_30_T164448_607_ee3a11384b.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Charles suggests starting a conversation with a question that doesn’t have a 1-word answer. He calls them Deep questions. For example, instead of asking questions like, “Where are you going?” or “Are you from Varanasi?” you may ask, “What do you like about early morning train journeys?”. I started with a similar question. However, a few minutes into the conversation, the person said, “I do not like the Congress party (India’s principal opposition party).”Now, I like the Congress party. Had I not read the book, I would have gone on to list several reasons to prefer the Congress party. I would have given one argument after another, countering his response with facts and figures. I would have transformed myself into an evangelist, on a mission to reform this man and make him fall in love with the Congress party. After a few minutes of conversation, he would have silently waited for me to drain all my energy and stop. We would have withdrawn into our shells for the rest of the journey, talking only to ask for a way to leave the seat. Thankfully, I had read this book, and none of this happened.I instead said, “They give many reasons to people to dislike them.” It opened him up to offer his reasons for this blanket statement, which allowed me to steer the conversation to his upbringing, parents, childhood, values, work, motivations, etc. When I shared about my organization’s work with school children from economically underprivileged families, he shared his wife’s efforts of sheltering orphaned street dogs. We agreed on several issues, including the complete failure of the current central government, despite opposing political preferences. Neither did I contradict his personal experiences, nor did he contradict mine. Moreover, we agreed that our experiences shape our views, which are bound to change if we remain open.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_2024_09_30_T164615_165_ec71a30e5a.jpeg" alt="images-2024-09-30T164615.165.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_2024_09_30_T164615_165_ec71a30e5a.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_2024_09_30_T164615_165_ec71a30e5a.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">“Supercommunicators” book taught me to treat every conversation as a learning opportunity. It taught me not to approach a conversation as a right vs wrong battle but to connect by sharing stories and anecdotes more than the facts. Ultimately, you can convince a person more by listening than by speaking. In a world getting more polarised, we all need to learn to talk to each other and listen better. Thankfully, we have this book.</div></div>

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Navigating Difficult Dialogues: How 'Supercommunicators' Can Help in a Polarised World"

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_34_770x393_796d24e9a6.jpeg" alt="images-34-770x393.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_34_770x393_796d24e9a6.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_34_770x393_796d24e9a6.jpeg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_images_34_770x393_796d24e9a6.jpeg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">Prolific documentary filmmaker R.P Amudhan’s body of work is unique and striking, especially in the manner in which his creations address issues and concerns of the marginalised sections of society. He is known as a media activist too. Hailing from Madurai, in Tamil Nadu, he founded the Marupakkam Media Activist Group (MMAG) in in his home district. The MMAG produces documentaries, screens films, and conducts workshops. He has over 20 documentaries to his credit. His films primarily focus on caste and labour issues. In this Interview with poet and writer Rashida Nasriya, filmmaker Amudhan RP discusses his craft, concerns and challenges.&nbsp;Rashidha Nasriya: What do you consider as the most significant challenge you have faced during the making of your documentaries?Amudhan RP: The biggest challenges I have faced in documenting the kind of social issues I have chosen to film are threefold. First, identifying a crucial topic which requires in-depth understanding and sufficient data to substantiate the narrative. Once I have a clear understanding of the topic, I would conduct thorough research and convince people, that is the characters in my film and their kith and kin. This has been my approach from my very first film, Leelavathi, a documentary on a Communist Party of India (Marxist) – CPIM- cadre killed in Madurai in 1997. I was relatively young at that time and the task of persuading her family and the district CPIM committee took a lot of effort. I finally did get their consent. It was a difficult task to get their trust.The second challenge – although a joyful one – is researching and gathering credible information, while the third is securing funding. As a solo filmmaker, I have learned to be self-sufficient. But still finding funds is a challenge. Any filmmaker would go through these challenges in varying degrees.<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_35_721e230496.jpeg" alt="images-35.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_35_721e230496.jpeg 208w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_35_721e230496.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Nasriya: Did your activist background influence your decision to become a filmmaker?Amudhan: During my MA studies, I attended a workshop in Madurai organised by Center for Development of Instructional Technology (CENDIT), an organisation based in New Delhi. Here, I was exposed to several powerful documentary films. This experience opened my eyes to the significance of political documentaries. I was introduced to the concept of using film as a tool for social change, and I immediately knew I wanted to become a documentary filmmaker and an activist. This workshop sparked my passion for creating and screening films that inspire critical thinking and trigger meaningful conversations. It was a turning point that led me to merge my interests in social activism and filmmaking, ultimately shaping my identity as an activist-filmmaker. Activism and filmmaking are deeply intertwined for me – they’re two sides of the same coin. My filmmaking is an extension of my activism, and vice versa; the two are inseparable.Nasriya: Your film “My Caste” examines the intersection of caste, hegemony, and consensus in Indian society. What has driven your focus on caste in your activism and filmmaking?Amudhan: I wanted to take on the Caste issue from the perpetuator point of view rather than from the victim’s or survivor’s point of view. I wanted to get into the minds of the people who either follow or negotiate or negate caste in their lives. I wanted to know what happens in people’s minds when they deal with caste matters. That’s why I made the film ‘My Caste’ ‘recording the views of various people on caste related questions.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:951px;" id="attachment_30033" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30033"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20240927_WA_0021_d0a7a9b78c.jpg" alt="IMG-20240927-WA0021.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20240927_WA_0021_d0a7a9b78c.jpg 154w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20240927_WA_0021_d0a7a9b78c.jpg 495w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20240927_WA_0021_d0a7a9b78c.jpg 743w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30033">Amudhan speaking at an event</figcaption></figure>Nasriya: Can you give some details on how you investigated labour exploitation in Tirupur’s garment industry for your documentary “Dollar City”?Amudhan: Many of my films focus on labour issues, with a considerable number exploring labour practices. For my trilogy on hegemony and consensus, I chose Tirupur as a case study. This city exemplifies how consensus is manufactured to prioritise the industry’s interests.In Tiruppur, a tacit understanding exists among industries, trade unions, workers, NGOs, and political parties to protect the industry at all costs. The prevailing narrative is: ‘Without the industry, we cannot survive.’ This consensus leads to widespread compromise and adjustment, perpetuating the exploitation.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:739px;" id="attachment_30028" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30028"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/images_36_2e37ef3154.jpeg" alt="images-36.jpeg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_images_36_2e37ef3154.jpeg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_images_36_2e37ef3154.jpeg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30028">During production of Amudhan’s documentary</figcaption></figure>I want to capture this complex dynamic in my film, highlighting how Tiruppur’s industry-centric consensus affects labor rights and social justice.&nbsp;Nasriya: How did you approach exploring the complex and sensitive topic of manual scavenging in your film “Pee (Shit)”?Amudhan: I wanted to make a Tamil version of Lesser Humans – a documentary on Manual Scavenging in Gujarat by Stalin K. Although I wanted to make a similar comprehensive film about Tamilnadu, my encounter with Mariamma, a sanitary worker in Madurai convinced me to make a short documentary which practically covers every aspect of the work.I realised a shorter format could powerfully convey the urgency of this issue, making a compelling argument against manual scavenging. This inspired me to create the film titled ‘Pee’ (Shit) [Watch Below], highlighting the harsh realities of manual scavenging.<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="640" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a0eWOHAvVn4" title="Shit - a documentary by Amudhan R.P." frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>&nbsp;Nasriya: What inspired you to create a documentary about Mercury pollution in Kodaikanal?Amudhan: The film ‘Mercury in the Mist’ was initiated by workers from the Kodaikanal thermometer factory, who had been fighting against the company’s harmful practices. They sought my help to create a documentary supporting their cause, highlighting the devastating health effects of mercury exposure and their ongoing court battles. It was partially funded by the workers and their well wishers like Nityanand Jayaraman and others.&nbsp;Nasriya: Do you think the documentary can contribute to the border understanding of the challenges facing Indian democracy?Amudhan: Documentary watching is, in my opinion, one of the most engaging and intellectually stimulating activities. It offers a unique blend of education, art, and social awareness, empowering individuals to become responsible citizens. By watching documentaries, we gain perspectives on the world around us, exercising our right to informed decision-making and participatory governance. Through my screenings, I aim to create opportunities for social and political education, fostering a culture of critical thinking and civic engagement. Documentaries provide a valuable platform for raising awareness on critical issues, making meaningful conversations and inspiring social change.&nbsp;Nasriya: How crucial is creative freedom in documentary filmmaking for fostering critical thinking and public debate?Amudhan: In documentary filmmaking, merely reporting or recording is not enough. It is an opportunity to critically examine any subject, sparking meaningful discussions. We must be courageous enough to ask difficult questions, amplify marginalized voices and confront uncomfortable truthsUnlike commercial cinema, documentary filmmakers must take risks, challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries. By doing so, we humanize overlooked stories, Inspire critical thinking and foster empathy and understanding.&nbsp;Nasriya: How did your initiative “Marupakkam” come about…?Amudhan: Marupakkam is a network of people collaborating to promote documentary filmmaking and social change. We invite participation from individuals across India in various capacities, including funding, research, topic development, filmmaking, screening, and documentary workshops.&nbsp;<figure class="wp-caption alignright" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;display:inline;float:right;height:auto;margin:5px 0px 20px 20px;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1080px;" id="attachment_30029" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30029"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Screenshot_20240927_1713542_bec309fa73.png" alt="Screenshot_20240927-1713542.png" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Screenshot_20240927_1713542_bec309fa73.png 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Screenshot_20240927_1713542_bec309fa73.png 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Screenshot_20240927_1713542_bec309fa73.png 750w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_Screenshot_20240927_1713542_bec309fa73.png 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30029">Homepage of Marupakkam [Visit <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://marupakkammadurai.blogspot.com/?m=1">Here</a>]</figcaption></figure>Our activities involve screening documentaries, researching social issues, making films on relevant topics, teaching documentary filmmaking, and showcasing films made by others. Through these efforts, we aim to foster a community that inspires social change through documentary filmmaking.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nasriya: As a prolific documentary creator what advice would you give to emerging filmmakers?Amudhan: To young and upcoming filmmakers, I say: read widely, travel extensively, and cultivate an open-minded perspective. Listen to diverse voices, even in everyday settings like markets, where numerous perspectives converge. If you don’t have an open mind, you will only hear the voices that confirm your existing views. But with an open mind, you will identify and appreciate the varied voices, even within the same marketplace.</div></div>

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Amudhan’s Craft, Concerns and Challenges

<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The victory of Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Presidential election in Sri Lanka has been described as a political Tsunami by international politicians and observers. Sri Lanka based Independent policy analyst and writer Amita Arudpragasam analyses the context of the results in detail and points out that it was the economic mismanagement and corruption of earlier, dynasty oriented, regimes as well as Anura’s clean image that propelled significant sections of voters towards the Leftist JVP leader.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">She also points out that while the victory does indeed signify the emergence of new hopes in the country, it would be too early to predict dramatic policy and ideological shifts, including in the island nation’s orientation towards India and China. Watch the interview here.<hr><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ഈ വിഷയത്തിൽ പരിസ്ഥിതി പ്രവർത്തകനും എഴുത്തുകാരനുമായ കെ സഹദേവൻ എഴുതിയ കുറിപ്പ് ചുവടെ നൽകുന്നു:<h2 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:25px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.2;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">അദാനിയും ശ്രീലങ്കയിലെയും ബംഗ്ലാദേശിലേയും ഭരണ വ്യവസ്ഥയിലെ വമ്പൻ മാറ്റങ്ങളും</h2><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ശ്രീലങ്കയിലെയും ബംഗ്ലാദേശിലെയും എന്തിന് ഓസ്‌ട്രേലിയയിലെപ്പോലും രാഷ്ട്രീയ ഭരണമാറ്റത്തിന് പിന്നിലെ പൊതുഘടകത്തെ കണ്ടെത്താൻ ശ്രമിച്ചാൽ ഗൗതം അദാനിയിൽ ചെന്ന് മുട്ടും. ഉഭയകക്ഷി ബന്ധങ്ങളെ വ്യവസായി താൽപ്പര്യങ്ങൾക്കായി ഉപയോഗപ്പെടുത്താൻ ഭരണകൂടങ്ങൾ തുനിഞ്ഞിറങ്ങിയാൽ അതിന്റെ അനിവാര്യഫലമെന്നത് ആ രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ സാമ്പത്തിക സുസ്ഥിരത തകർക്കപ്പെടുക എന്നതായിരിക്കും.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ബംഗ്ലാദേശിന് വൈദ്യുതി വിൽക്കുന്നതുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട കരാർ അദാനിക്ക് ലഭ്യമാക്കുന്നതിന് ബീഗം ഹസീനയ്ക്ക് മേൽ സമ്മർദ്ദമുയർത്താൻ നരേന്ദ്ര മോദിക്ക് യാതൊരു മടിയുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. 2015ലെ മോദിയുടെ ബംഗ്ലാദേശ് സന്ദർശനത്തിന്റെ മുഖ്യ അജണ്ടതന്നെ അദാനിക്ക് വൈദ്യുതി വിതരണക്കരാർ നേടിയെടുക്കുക എന്നതായിരുന്നു.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ഇന്ന് ബംഗ്ലാദേശ് ഭരണകൂടത്തിന്റെ മുന്നിലുള്ള പ്രധാന അജണ്ട അദാനിയുമായുള്ള കരാറിൽ നിന്ന് എങ്ങിനെ രക്ഷപ്പെടാം എന്നതാണ്. ശ്രീലങ്കയിൽ 400 മില്യൺ ഡോളറിന്റെ ഗ്രീൻ എനർജി പ്രോജക്ടുകളാണ് അദാനി നേടിയെടുത്തത്. 225 മെഗാവാട്ടിന്റെ കാറ്റാടിപ്പാട നിർമ്മാണ പദ്ധതി നേടിയെടുക്കുന്നതിനും നയതന്ത്ര ബന്ധങ്ങൾ ഉപയോഗപ്പെടുത്തപ്പെട്ടു.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ഇതിനുപുറമെ 700 ദശലക്ഷം ഡോളറിന്റെ കണ്ടൈയ്‌നർ തുറമുഖ പദ്ധതിയും നേടിയെടുക്കാൻ അദാനിക്ക് സാധിച്ചു. ഈ രണ്ട് പദ്ധതികളും ശ്രീലങ്കയുടെ ദീർഘകാല താൽപ്പര്യങ്ങൾക്ക് വിരുദ്ധമാണെന്ന ആരോപണം പാർലമെന്റിലും പുറത്തും ശക്തമായി ഉന്നയിക്കപ്പെട്ടുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ്.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(39, 39, 39);font-family:Manjari;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.7;margin:0px 0px 15px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">ഓസ്‌ട്രേലിയയിൽ അദാനി നേടിയെടുത്ത കാർമൈക്കൾ കൽക്കരി ഖനന കരാറും ഇതേരീതിയിൽ അതിശക്തമായ രാഷ്ട്രീയ എതിർപ്പ് ക്ഷണിച്ചുവരുത്തിയ ഒന്നാണ്. ഒരു ദശകക്കാലത്തെ കൺസർവേറ്റീവ് ഭരണത്തിന് അറുതിവരുത്തിക്കൊണ്ട് ലെഫ്റ്റ് ചായ്വുള്ള ആന്റണി അൽബനീസ് ഗവൺമെന്റ് അധികാരക്കസേരയിലെത്തിയതിന് പിന്നിലും ഗൗതം അദാനിക്കെതിരായ പ്രതിഷേധത്തിന്റെ വേരുകൾ കണ്ടെത്താൻ കഴിയും…

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