HW News Editorial with Sujit Nair

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair draws comparisons between the 1975 Emergency imposed by former PM Indira Gandhi and the current Modi regime, pointing out the frequent summoning of political leaders by investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Mr. Nair picks recent incidences where leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi, YS Sharmila, K Kavitha, Satya Pal Malik who primarily belong from the opposition parties or have been a critique of the current regime have been summoned by investigative agencies.

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the ongoing turmoil unfolding in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. Situated in the Sundarbans of North 24 Parganas district, approximately 75 km from Kolkata, the island has become a focal point of protests since February 8, putting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) state government on the defensive. Last week, hundreds of village women, armed with lathis, farming tools, and brooms, took to the streets, demanding the arrest of three local TMC leaders – Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibaprasad Hazra, and Uttam Sardar. The police announced on Saturday that charges, including gang rape, have been filed against the latter two. Hazra was apprehended late Saturday night from the Nazat area in North 24 Parganas and is scheduled to appear before the Basirhat court on February 18.

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair sheds light on the apparent contradiction within the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's narrative. While the BJP and PM Modi vociferously accuse opposition parties of corruption, there seems to be an ironic embrace of allegedly corrupt politicians into their ranks, facilitated by the muscle power of enforcement agencies. During a recent address, the Prime Minister emphasized a rising buzzword - ""guarantee."" He asserted that all these political parties guarantee corruption, being synonymous with scams amounting to lakhs and crores. The recent Patna gathering serves as a visual representation of this, where individuals implicated in various scams were present, forming a collective guarantee of at least a Rs 20 lakh crore scam. The Prime Minister specifically highlighted the colossal scams attributed to the Congress party, surpassing lakhs of crores in value. These include the infamous 1.86 lakh crore coal scam, the 1.74 lakh crore 2G scam, the Rs 70,000 crore Commonwealth Games scam, and the Rs 10,000 crore MNREGA scam. This narrative underscores the BJP's challenge in reconciling its anti-corruption rhetoric with the apparent inclusion of individuals accused of major scams. The episode raises questions about the consistency and sincerity of the ruling party's stance on corruption in Indian politics.

In this episode of Editorial, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the recent recommendation by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) to impose President's Rule in West Bengal. The NCSC submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu, suggesting this move amid escalating violence and political tensions in the state. The trigger for this recommendation was the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) accusation against Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, who is on the run, and his associates of multiple sexual assault charges in Sandeshkhali. A delegation visited Sandeshkhali and presented the report, highlighting the alleged collaboration between criminals and the state government, adversely affecting the lives of Scheduled Caste communities. NCSC Chairperson Arun Halder stated that the government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee provided no assistance when the commission attempted to meet the women reportedly assaulted by Sheikh Shahjahan. The focal point of the conflict between the BJP and TMC is the village situated on an island in the Kalindi River, located in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district's Basirhat subdivision.

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the potential reasons behind the departure of senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan, who has recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Tuesday, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister formally became a BJP member in a ceremony attended by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Fadnavis, in his welcome, praised Chavan as a significant figure in Maharashtra politics with experience in both the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha. 

In this episode of ‘Dialogue’, Mr. Sujit Nair engages in a very interesting conversation with a veteran journalist Anand Vardhan Singh and discusses whether the ruling NDA will win 400+ Lok Sabha in the upcoming elections. Sr. Journalist Anand Vardhan Singh suggest that the claim made by the PM Modi in the parliament that the ruling BJP will win 370 seats and the combined NDA winning 400+ seats might be just a political statement and not a reality. 

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the ongoing farmers' protest at various locations along the Delhi border. He sheds light on the challenges faced by Indian farmers, emphasizing the key issues fueling the protests. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are organizing a march to exert pressure on the Central government to meet their demands. These demands encompass the establishment of a law ensuring a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The central focus of the farmers' agitation lies in securing a legal guarantee for MSP. Beyond this, the protestors are advocating for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations and the alleviation of farm debts. 

In this edition of 'Opinion,' Mr. Sujit Nair shares his insights and experiences from his recent visit to the western region of Maharashtra, known as Vidharbha. During his three-day sojourn, Mr. Nair had an insightful conversation with a 76-year-old sarpanch who had been a staunch supporter of the Congress Party throughout his life but recently shifted allegiance to the BJP. While inquiring about the reasons behind the village sarpanch's switch from INC to BJP, Mr. Nair unearthed some surprising revelations. He believes that the responses he received are noteworthy and should be brought to the attention of individuals like Mr. Rahul Gandhi or Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge. 

In this episode of 'Dialogue,' Mr. Sujit Nair engages in a discussion with esteemed Indian journalist Mr. Raju Parulekar, delving into a range of topics. The conversation spans from the brazen killing of Maharashtra leader Abhishek Ghosalkar captured on Facebook Live to the recent attack on senior journalist Nikhil Wagle. Additionally, Mr. Nair and Mr. Parulekar explore the recent recipients of the Bharat Ratna award, with Mr. Parulekar expressing his perspective that the prestigious civilian honor is becoming increasingly politicized. 

In this editorial segment, Mr. Sujit Nair addresses the imbalanced allocation of funds between northern and southern Indian states, along with the upcoming delimitation and seat redistribution in Parliament. Tamil Nadu, for every rupee it contributes to the Centre receives only 29 paise in return, while Uttar Pradesh gets ₹2.73 and Bihar receives ₹7.06. The current formula used by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XVFC) for distributing funds from the pooled-in tax collections favors certain states, leading to significant disparities. The higher weightage given to population in the formula disproportionately benefits some northern states, causing contention between the affected states and the Centre. Tamil Nadu's Finance Minister, P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan, criticizes the allocation based on population, stating that it rewards states that have not effectively controlled their population.

In this editorial segment, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's comments on the Chandigarh Mayor Polls. The Supreme Court expressed concern over the conduct of the Presiding Officer during the elections, stating that it was evident that the ballot papers were defaced. CJI Chandrachud strongly criticized the behavior, calling it a mockery and murder of democracy, and suggested that the individual responsible should face prosecution.

The Chief Justice, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, heard a petition filed by AAP Councillor Kuldeep Kumar, the defeated Mayor candidate, challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision not to stay the immediate election. The Supreme Court issued a notice on Kumar's petition and deferred the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation meeting scheduled for February 7.

The Court ordered the sequestration of the entire record of the Mayor election, directing it to be kept with the Punjab & Haryana High Court Registrar General. It also mandated the preservation of ballots and videography. The Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh was instructed to hand over the records to the HC Registrar General by 5 PM on the same day.

Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioner, alleged that a BJP candidate, serving as the Presiding Officer, intentionally defaced eight ballot papers of Congress-AAP councillors, rendering their votes invalid. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta argued that the video presented a one-sided view and urged the Court to consider the entire records before making a comprehensive decision.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the High Court's approach, CJI Chandrachud criticized the failure to issue an appropriate interim order.

The BJP-led government in Uttarakhand tabled the Uniform Civil Code bill in the Assembly today. The demand for a UCC has been, for long, a key poll plank for the Bhartiya Janata Party. In this video, HW News Managing Editor explains what a Uniform Civil Code entails and how our Constituent Assembly viewed it.

The Trinamool Congress's choice to contest the Lok Sabha elections independently in West Bengal, rather than aligning with the INDIA bloc, has set the stage for a three-way electoral competition. In this scenario, the TMC and the BJP are positioned to strengthen their respective voter bases. The Congress-Left coalition, as the third participant, holds the capacity to attract votes from the TMC and the BJP.

HW News Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses a 3-front-fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with a tacit understanding between the TMC and Congress to contest separately with a possibility of a post-poll alliance in the future. 

In this episode of 'Opinion,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the topic of unfair treatment towards rural India, shedding light on the persistent urban-centric nature of our policies. He highlights the ongoing political conflicts between central and state governments, specifically citing instances like the disagreements over schemes such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). According to Mr. Nair, these political tussles have a direct and adverse impact on rural India, as they can impede the effective implementation and execution of crucial welfare programs and initiatives aimed at addressing the needs and concerns of the rural population. The discussion likely explores the ramifications of these urban-centric policies on the socio-economic landscape of rural areas, emphasizing the importance of more inclusive and region-specific approaches to ensure equitable development across the country. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has affirmed the persistence of current tax rates, covering direct, indirect taxes, and export duties. Additionally, she revealed an 11% increase in the capital expenditure outlay for the upcoming year, reaching ₹11.1 lakh crore. Sitharaman, in her announcement of the federal budget for the fiscal year, revised the fiscal deficit to 5.8% of the gross domestic product. HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair engages in a conversation with veteran economist and Professor Arun Kumar and discusses about the recently presented interim budget and what does it have for the people of India.

The resident doctors' organization identified key factors contributing to the challenges faced by aspiring doctors. These include excessively long work hours, hostile work environments influenced by negative interactions with senior staff, and a punitive system that discourages them from discontinuing their courses. Together, these elements significantly amplify the psychological pressure experienced by aspiring doctors.

HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses this issue and how such circumstances lead to students committing suicides in India.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament on February 1, following the start of the Budget Session. In her speech, she refrained from making significant income tax announcements, maintaining the existing tax rates. Notably, the government has prolonged the deadline for certain tax benefits for startups and exemptions for specific IFSC units until March 2025. HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the interim budget and explains how taxes are being collected and also explains its devolution. Mr. Nair also explains how increased freebies may lead to increased taxes which would be an additional burden on the general public 

HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses this case and many similar cases where consensus among judges have not been fully established and the judgement is pronounced. 

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who, as per the Enforcement Directorate (ED), could not be located for over 30 hours, returned to his official residence in Ranchi on Tuesday. In its probe into a minimum of three money laundering instances, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly gathered strong evidence against Soren. The evidence implicates him in a land case, unauthorized mining, and coal mining activities within the state. HW News’ Managing Editor Mr. Sujit Nair discusses whether the BJP is desperate and unconfident about its victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the opposition party leaders are being raided by the investigation agencies. 

Following government instructions, wage payments for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) are mandated to be conducted through an Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) starting January 1, 2024. Mr. Sujit Nair, Managing Editor of HW News, explores the detrimental impact of the Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS) on MGNREGA wage workers and how there was a 247% increase in job card deletions in FY 2022–23