A Spark Before the Summit The controversy erupted just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s December 4–5 visit to Delhi, when Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of blocking Opposition meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries. Speaking outside Parliament, Gandhi claimed that under previous governments—both Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s and Manmohan Singh’s—foreign leaders traditionally met the Leader of…
A Spark in Murshidabad The political storm in Murshidabad began when TMC MLA Humayun Kabir announced that a “Babri Masjid” foundation stone would be laid in Beldanga on December 6—an anniversary loaded with national memory and emotion. What might have begun as a symbolic gesture quickly escalated into a district-wide confrontation. Posters carrying images of…
When IndiGo’s Network Buckled The past week delivered India’s first major reality check on the country’s new pilot-rest regime, as IndiGo—normally the nation’s most reliable operator—spiraled into widespread cancellations. More than 200 flights were scrapped in a single day and hundreds delayed across major hubs. What appeared at first to be routine winter disruptions quickly escalated into…
Star Power Meets Tradition Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit has been named Odisha’s handloom brand ambassador, with the government reportedly spending ₹1.6 crore on the initiative. Announced during Odisha TEX 2025 and National Handloom Day in Bhubaneswar, the one-year ambassadorship aims to elevate Odisha’s handloom sector—home to over 1.3 lakh weavers—onto national and global fashion stages. The move…
CM’s Controversial Metaphor Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s attempt to illustrate Congress’s internal diversity through Hindu religious pluralism has ignited a major political controversy. At a party event in Hyderabad, Reddy drew comparisons between the multiplicity of Hindu deities and varying political opinions, rhetorically asking if Hindus worship “three crore” gods. He cited examples like Hanuman…
A Record Low That Signals Rising Risk The rupee’s fall to an all-time low of 90.13 per US dollar marks more than a routine currency adjustment—it reflects a convergence of trade uncertainty, tariff pressure and weakening capital flows. What began as a slow drift through 2025 has turned into a sharper, India-specific slide, underscoring how…
A Timely Move Before a High-Profile Visit Russia’s formal clearance of the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) agreement with India—finalised just ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi—cements a logistics framework that significantly upgrades bilateral military cooperation. The timing is deliberate: it signals that despite Western sanctions and political pressure, Moscow and…
Delhi Turns into a Fortress New Delhi has been transformed into a high-security fortress as India readies to host Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 4–5 for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit—his first visit since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The capital is under an unprecedented multi-layer security grid, reflecting both the geopolitical sensitivity of the visit…
SIR: From Technical Exercise to Political Flashpoint The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, underway across nine states and three Union Territories, has become more than a routine administrative process. Originally intended to remove duplicates, correct constituency allocations, and register new voters, SIR has come under scrutiny due to reports of multiple booth-level officer (BLO)…
DA-Basic Pay Merger Confusion Amid growing speculation around the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC), uncertainty has persisted over whether the government would merge dearness allowance (DA) with basic pay. In a Lok Sabha reply, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary clarified that no such merger is under consideration. He emphasized that DA and Dearness Relief…
