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BHOPAL: Lokmanthan, a wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), held a three-day colloquium on the theme ‘Nation First’ at the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly here.

North Bengal districts have been hit hard by the Centre’s demonetisation decision. In particular, agricultural production, the most important part of the rural economy and informal sector activities like brick making, have been negatively impacted. The daily financial loss runs into crores of rupees, as both production and employment have almost come to a halt.

Close on the heels of demonetisation owes, impacting domestic consumption and production of all key articles through the last quarter of 2016, India’s industrial growth in 2017 may come under severe pressure following a global apprehension of the United States going for a strong protectionist policy with a strong ‘Make-in-America’ agenda. India may not be a major trading partner of the USA. But, it has been running a positive balance of trade with the country despite a massive defence import. India’s information technology (IT) sector, manufacturing industry, in general, and drug exporters, in particular, are worried. And, so are those US companies which want to make large investments in India to tap its growing domestic market and export the surplus. Also, India, which emerged as the world’s top FDI destination in 2015 surpassing both China and the US, may suddenly witness a slump in foreign direct investment as a result of a global shift in investment policies to protect domestic market and employment.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An inevitable fallout of the ill-advised and badly implemented demonetisation drive launched by the Modi Government in Kerala has been the newly-developed political synergy between the two dominant political fronts in the State, the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).

The US defence secretary Aston Carter is committed to keep his date and would be visiting India on December 7 and 8. The importance Carter has been attaching to his visit could be made out of the simple fact that he would be going out of America when the country has been passing through the most critical transition period for the US presidency.

This is not the first time that the demonetisation of currency has taken place. The difference is that previous governments had made adequate preparations before taking the step. The Narendra Modi government took the vital decision without preparations and without thinking of the consequences. For example the ATMs should have been adjusted to enable them to function with new currency. The vital decision should have been taken step by step. First, notes of Rs. 1000 denomination should have been discontinued, its impact watched, then going for Rs. 500. People have been hit hard and markets—retail and wholesale—have come to virtual halt. Having come this far, government cannot now go back. Prime Minister has asked the people to bear the “pain for 50 days”. What they will do for 50 days, a long period indeed? Should they go empty stomach? Long queues before banks are not showing any sign of abatement; ATMs are not functional. It may take three weeks more for them to become functional.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'astra' (demonetisation) has misfired, his 'maximum governance' failing to ensure an orderly exchange of illegalised high value notes for the urgent cash needs of hundreds of millions of people in all walks of life.

Never before India – Japan relations was calibrated by a third country factor. The recent summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on November 11 and 12 in Japan and the deals between the two countries were the reflections of India-Japan concern over China’s assertiveness for Asian hegemony and muscle flexing in South China sea. Six year tug-of-war on Civil Nuclear deal and Japan’s sale of US -2 amphibious planes to Indian Navy, pledging for defense equipment and cooperation through Defense Framework Agreement and Joint Working Group in the Joint Statement , joint cooperation for development of Chabahar Port in Iran and reiteration of commitment for maintenance of peace in South China Sea reflect the new directions of the India-Japan relation, catalyzed by China concern in Asia.

After weeks of upheavals and violence in Kashmir in the wake of killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, small but significant signs of normalcy are visible in the Valley. The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely watching the situation as it unfolds.

BHOPAL: Outcome of two by-elections in Madhya Pradesh to be held on November 19 may indicate whether what is now popularly known as 'note bandi' and the killing of 8 Simmi activists in a fake encounter played any role or not. Out of the two by-elections one is for the Shahdol Lok Sabha seat and the other for Nepanagar Vidhan Sabha seat. Both the seats were rendered vacant because of the deaths of sittings members.