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PATNA: Reminiscent of the 'good Taliban' and 'bad Taliban' classification of the Talibani terrorists by the Pakistani rulers, our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi too pigeonholed the cow vigilantes as fake rakshaks and real rakshaks. It has been Modi’s shrewd move to provide a cover to the Gau rakshaks (vigilantes) who were indulging in perpetrating torture and assaulting the dalits. Since Modi cannot outright decry the programme of Gau raksha (protecting cow) as it is the RSS’s main agenda. he was trying to find a scapegoat.

It is as well that the Modi Government, after a two-year drought, hit a 'glorious moment' early into third year, with Parliament adopting the long-delayed Constitution Amendment Bill to facilitate the introduction of a nation-wide Goods and Services Tax (GST). In theory, it sounds excellent but will it work as envisaged, given the heterogeneous nature of States' demands and the multiplicity of rate structures to be reformed?

Inexplicably, Narendra Modi has been rather slow in cracking the whip on the violent Sangh Parivar rogues. It took him all of 10 days before he uttered a word on Mohammed Akhlaq’s murder by a saffron mob on the suspicion of eating beef.

BHOPAL: It was after a long gap that the MP Vidhan Sabha was adjourned after the scheduled duration of the session. The monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha commenced on July 18 and was to end on July 29. Though the 12-day long session was marked by some interruptions, but overall the session was orderly.

The passing of the 122nd constitution amendment bill by Rajya Sabha last week may have eased the process of introducing Goods and Services Tax (GST) sometime next year, after the bill is passed by the required number of state legislatures, but its positive impact on economy will principally depend on a centre-state agreement to keep GST rates at moderate levels – say, below 18 per cent on an average - to drive domestic demand, consumption and to expand market, increase production, raise economic growth and improve tax compliance. The GST must expand the market to boost the economy.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sudden U-turn executed by the Centre over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime has evoked strong criticism from Kerala. What has upset Kerala and West Bengal is the clear attempt by the Centre to deprive the State of its due from the divisible tax pool.

In South Asia, Bangladesh despite its problems with Islamic terrorism, is attracting major foreign investments for its infrastructure development.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel’s resignation should not surprise anyone. It has become clear for sometime that she is losing grip over the administration. Broadly, there are three reasons for her resignation. Firstly, Patel’s resignation has shaken the government; secondly, arrest of Hardik Patel on charge of “treason” demonstrated that the government lacked discretion and thirdly, her response to Una incident, where Dalits men were publicly flogged by cow vigilantes, was lackluster.

While powerful sections of the political class in the Indian Union and powerful mass media is trying to whip up the demand for taking stern action against Islamic tele-evangelist Zakir Naik, the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has gone ahead and banned Peace TV Bangla, the Bangla language channel in Zakir Naik's Peace TV stable.

Even Indira Gandhi, the so called autocratic face of Emergency and the Indian polity, did not dare to implicate entire member of a family for the “anti-national” activity of one particular member of that family. Though Emergency was despised and maligned as draconian as the rulers perpetrated barbarism, it however maintained restrained in selecting its victims.