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India-Sri-Lanka relations under the presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be interesting to follow. It may be recalled that when Gotabaya became the president of Sri Lanka in November, 2019, there was palpable unease in the South Block. Both he and his brother Mahinda (former president and present prime minister) are known for their pro-China leaning.Gotabaya had openly declared his intention to undo the pro-democracy reforms made by former president Maithripala Sirisena and introduce the presidential form of government. Sirisena, it may be recalled, had wanted to curb the sweeping powers that the Sri Lankan Constitution gave to the president and restricted democratic freedoms.

Indian farmer growing food grains to the tune of 253 million tonnes of wheat and rice a year believe that with changes through three new legislations, the Modi government is handing them over to mercies of private traders but also closing doors of judiciary to them to seek justice. Though three new legislations are term as new agricultural reforms, they are in effect imposing changes in the marketing processes with gates thrown open to private traders, enhance their stock limits ten times and eliminate brokers from the retail grain trade with volume of Rs.12000 million.

The Bombay High Court order on Monday granting six months medical bail to the 82 year old poet and Bhima Koregaon case accused Dr. P V Varavara Rao, is set to have a big impact on the other accused in the same case who have been languishing in jail for the last two and half years.

Usually the results of the panchayat and municipal elections do not reflect the real mood of the people. But miserable defeat of the party, rather absolute route, in the municipal elections in Punjab and incidents of villagers chasing and boycotting the state leaders in Haryana, has unnerved the national leadership of the BJP about the future of the party in the northern Indian states.

Surfacing of over 240 new corona virus strains across India has put the country under new threats causing a fresh surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths despite the inoculation drive being underway since January 16, 2020. The disquiet on this account has greatly increased since the new strains could be highly transmissible and dangerous, and could re-infect even people with anti-bodies and those who are already inoculated. Under this new situation, the Union and state governments need to devise better strategies, not of the nature of panic reaction, but more wise than ever before.

There are two probable reasons why the BJP is celebrating M.S. Golwalkar’s birth anniversary with such fanfare. In the last six and a half years of its rule at the centre, the party’s reticence on the saffron brotherhood’s most controversial ideologue was noticeable. In fact, the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, had even distanced the Sangh parivar from the views of the second sarsanghchalak because “samai badalta hai, hamari soch badalti hai” (times change, our thinking changes.

The recent disastrous glacier outburst at Joshimath in Uttarakhand may have caused a big damage to life and property, including at least four hydroelectric projects in the region, but it is unlikely to slow down the government and industry’s bid to tap the massive potential of the country’s renewable energy. India is aiming at creating some 225 GW of renewable energy by the end of 2022-23. Hydro-electric power projects are expected to contribute substantially to this generation capacity. However, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the prime minister himself, will be more cautious and would like the new power projects strictly follow the guidelines on how to deal with disasters caused by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) as such floods may occur again and again.

Bambolim, Goa: Kerala Blasters spoiled Chennaiyin ’s desires of finishing the season on a high after holding them to a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Hero Indian Super League at GMC Stadium, Bambolim, on Sunday.

Vasco, Goa: Hyderabad, placed third, are looking to secure qualification for the playoffs and will be the motivating factors for them as they take on leaders Mohun Bagan in a decisive clash at the Tilak Maidan Stadium, here on Monday.

Fatorda, Goa: Goa equalled another League record, extending their unbeaten streak to 12 games with a 2-1 win over Bengaluru today at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.