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University Grants Commission’s (UGC) directives to all the universities and colleges thereunder, through a circular of September 19, 2018 for celebrations of second anniversary of the surgical strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir by the armed forces of India on September 29, 2016, by parades of NCC, lectures by ex-service men and others and their videos to be sent to UGC to monitor its compliance has come in for criticism by the people and political parties as a ploy by the BJP led Union Government to politicize armed forces of the country at a time when General Elections to the Lok Sabha (House of the People) are to be held in April-May 2019, to whip up public sentiments to enlist their support to the Sangh Pariwar through its hyper nationalism.

What do you say if the decision to cancel the UNGA meet with Pakistan is compared with Smriti Irani’s attempt to trample on freedom of expression with her diktat to PIB and mainstream media? In both cases Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to step in as “saviour”. Irani pounced on the Press at the midnight hour. PM Modi intervened the next morning to restore order though it is lore that no decision could be taken without the Prime Minister’s okay!

As we were scurrying across to escape the relentless scorching sun into the cool comforts of the exhibition halls at Greater Noida Exposition Centre, Ms Helena Li was looking around rather wistfully. It was so much of wasted opportunity.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said on 24 August 2018 that the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) added 1,07,54,348 new members from September 2017 to June 2018.But then the CSO also added that in the same period, 60,40,616 members ceased subscribing to EPF. The pro-government commentators seized upon the figure of increase to argue that employment generation is better under the NDA regime than it was under the UPA.

Retribution has caught up with the Jalandhar bishop, Franco Mulakkal, who is facing charges of raping a nun. Shedding inhibitions and fending off pressure, the Kerala police has at last arrested the rape-accused bishop.

Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan claims to have sent a report to the PMO giving details of major bank default candidates, but apparently there was no action taken on it. There are two possible scenarios regarding the report. On perusal of the report Modi may have decided that the list contained names that might cause him much embarrassment; so he sat on it. The second scenario could be that the report did not even land up on his table.

If the 92-year-old RSS is seeking an image makeover, it is a welcome sign. The wind of change is blowing all over the world, and it is time the RSS, should also bring about reforms and shed its image of an obscurantist organization. Those who have not reformed with times, like our Communist parties, particularly the Marxist, have withered with times. The first indication of “Glasnost” within the monolith organisation came from the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in a lecture series to invited audience in Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan.

Bad behaviour is repeated until it is punished. With serial rapists and Pakistan, there is never a singular incidence of any really bad behaviour. Bad behaviour is in their DNA. But seems like Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided enough of the punishment, let’s give Pakistan another chance to repeat the crime. Is it because he believes Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Greek god is the real McCoy, with the best of Sparta and Athens in him?

LUCKNOW: Why is BSP national president Mayawati so scared of Chandra Shekhar Ravan of Bheem Sena, who was recently released by the Yogi government?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Politics can be unpredictable. It can be cruel, too. Ask Kerala Congress(M) chairman K M Mani. He will nod in vigorous agreement.