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In theory, the choice before the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the centre could not be simpler: Should it fall in line with West Bengal in denying a share of the Teesta river waters to Bangladesh? Or should it accommodate Bangladesh’s interests to the extent possible, while compensating Bengal somehow, so that Kolkata does not feel shortchanged?

Trump-Xi Jinping summit has set the dust of uncertainty to handle the wide differences between the two economic superpowers, leaving aside their challenges to protectionism and globalization. This qualified for a good beginning. While Trump was seen exasperated with wide trade deficit, Xi Jinping acted as settler, agreeing to 100-day plan for trade negotiations to increase US export to China. Little parleys were made on Trump’s protectionism and Xi Jinping’s new leadership for globalization challenging protectionism.

A land-mark legislation aimed at securing a modicum of order in the country’s chaotic road traffic and encouraging some relief from egregiously unruly drivers is on the anvil when the Lok Sabha passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016 on April 10. The well-intentioned amendments moved by a few responsible Opposition members were rejected as they lamentably lacked the legitimacy of numbers; still, the Bill, with the due sanctity of law after assent from the Upper House and the subsequent Presidential imprimatur, is poised to improve the road traffic situation.

There was a slight lull in the murderous antics of the gau rakshaks or cow protectors after Narendra Modi said that a majority of them were anti-socials. After the BJP’s sweeping victory in UP, however, the rakshaks have regained their righteous anger against the suspected killers of cows, especially if they are Muslims.

The victory of the Leftist candidate Lenin Moreno in the Presidential elections in Ecuador on April 2, has at long last given some hopes to the beleaguered left forces in Latin America after series of setbacks in a number of countries including Brazil and Argentina in the recent period. At a time when the neo liberal parties and their international backers in collaboration with corporate media, have been continuously propagating that the pink tide is over in Latin America and the Left will never return to power in any country of the region, Moreno’s win, though by a slender margin, has halted the right wing bulldozer in one country. This is sure to lift the morale of the left masses in the entire Latin America as the workers, peasants and the underprivileged are mobilizing themselves once again against the anti poor policies of the newly installed anti Left regimes.

It was indeed heartening to hear President Pranab Mukherjee talking about the much-needed electoral reforms on Saturday while addressing a function. The President pointed out the need to correct certain areas regarding holding of elections as there are aberrations. Even the chief justice of India has stated recently that the political parties should be held accountable for their manifesto promises.

After missile strike on Syria what remains next for the US President Donald Trump to avenge the killings of the innocent people in chemical war? NO doubt there is none to lord over Trump, by choosing to redraw the “red line” over chemical weapons Trump has not only lost the golden opportunity to emerge as the modern global peace keeper but he has also pushed the world fraternity closer to the war. Now in future if more chemical attacks take place , in that backdrop he would, politically and personally, have to adopt a more definite and hard response.

Despite its controversial aspects, the BJP/RSS-sponsored Ramnavami celebration in West Bengal proved popularand left the ruling Trinamool Congress government without an effective political response.

It is good to notice that foreign investors — in the both primary (FDI) and secondary (FPI) markets— have renewed their interest in India. For the first time, FDI-boosted foreign exchange reserves with RBI are being used to fund India’s current account deficit. The stock market is witnessing fresh FPI raids. BSE’s 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) is hovering around 30,000. With stocks rallying to record peaks and the rupee appreciating to a 20-month high on the back of $13 billion moving into the stock and bond markets this year so far, India’s market capitalisation has hit a record $1.92 trillion.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hallmark of a genuine politician is the ability to turn even adversity to account. But there are others who have an uncanny knock for courting controversies. One should have thought that it would be extremely difficult to break the record of former chief minister Oommen Chandy in creating controversies. But given the pace with which his successor, Pinarayi Vijayan is lurching from controversy to controversy, the former’s record is in real danger of being broken.