View Articles

With the establishment of National Terrorism Data Fusion and Analysis Centre (NTDFAC) for enabling of Big Data Analytics and facilitating the automation and digitization of the various investigative processes, and procedures at the headquarters of National Investigation Agency (NIA) at New Delhi, the efficiency, consistency and accountability of the premier national agency to prevent, nab, curb, arrest, prosecute and punish with iron hands, acts, suspected or real terrors, has been made most effective. NIA’s mandate includes investigation of incidents of terror attacks, funding of terrorism, terror related crimes and cases of sabotage, bomb blasts, untoward incidents and similar other occurrences including human trafficking and prohibited arms.

Making a mockery of the BJP slogan of ‘Beti Bachao’ (save our daughters), the last few months have seen an exponential and very disturbing increase in incidents of horrific violence against women and children. Many of the cases include rape and murder of the victims. India is now witnessing more than 86 cases of rape in a day and at least 49 cases of crimes against women every hour. Most of these incidents have been taking place in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. TMC-ruled West Bengal has also witnessed horrific crimes against women and minors. An MP in Karnataka who belongs to a powerful political party which is part of the NDA and who was defeated in the last Lok Sabha election was guilty of the rape and sexual abuse of hundreds of women which he filmed and saved on his mobile phone. Many of his victims belonged to his own party.

India, Pakistan open window: Cricket on the table. Foreign ministers hold talks. S Jaishankar and Muhammad Ishaq Dar speak twice in 24 hours at the SCO meet at Islamabad on October 15 and 16. The breakthrough came when the Pakistan Cricket Board chief joined them. Jay Shah should have been flown in, if reducing Indo-Pak relations to the level of cricketing ties was the intention.

Omar Abdullah has become the first Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir sans statehood. With it comes numerous challenges and responsibilities. Administering this Union Territory as chief minister will be just like serving two masters simultaneously – the Centre’s diktat on the one hand and People’s mandate to uphold democracy and federalism on the other.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two Kerala High Court directions and a unanimous resolution by the Kerala Assembly notwithstanding, the Union Government has not released any funds for the victims of Wayanad landslide tragedy which claimed more than 400 lives.

Communalism in our country has been emerging as a major dividing force, even at the cost of violating our Constitution. The credit goes to the ruling forces. Our Constitution in its preamble declares that we are moving towards a secular, democratic and socialist society, but attempts are made to destroy these values. The threat of communalism is constant despite the fact that it has no rational ground to be in our democratic system. There is a strong bond between the communities. They have no distinctly underlined community interests that stand in clash against each other. The interests of Hindu and Muslim peasants and workers are no different. The reality is that if there is any common ground among the Hindus and Muslims, that would be against imperialists and for social interest.

A perform or perish moment has arrived for INDIA bloc in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Election Commission of India announced the schedule for Vidhan Sabha Election in Maharashtra in single phase on November 20, and in Jharkhand in two phases on November 13 and 20. INDIA bloc has given itself the task to wrest power from the NDA in Maharashtra, and to retain power in Jharkhand, but challenges before them have recently been accented after the Congress’s humiliating setback in Haryana Vidhan Sabha election.

Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud has less than a month to go for retirement. His tenure, the longest in the past 14 years, would be known for a distinctive judicial approach that stands in contrast to many of his predecessors’. He infused the Supreme Court with a renewed focus on individual rights, social justice, and constitutional values, particularly in cases that involve the Union government.

Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal will find occasions to come out praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed country by 2047. At the same time, Agarwal from time to time will get into the cross hairs of the government by giving vent to his frustrations over some policies related to his areas of business interest. Agarwal saying something about official policies matters because of the profile of Vedanta with major presence in aluminium, zinc, iron ore mining, petroleum and gas and copper. The point is while his words of criticism are not because of any pique, government officials feel that Agarwal, though well-meaning, could at times go off a tangent.

The image of an additional DGP (Law & Order) striding after a violent mob and waving a ‘Glock’ at them told the story of Bahraich and the communal violence that engulfed the border district. It also raised questions on the medieval art of stone-throwing, now specialized by Muslim youths rich in the science of handling firearms.