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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The signs are unmistakable and ominous. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is inexorably hurtling towards disintegration in the wake of the exit from it of the Kerala Congress (Mani).

The Parliament has spoken, the Prime Minister has spoken and almost all the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir and in the country have expressed anguish about the ongoing crisis in the state. An all party meeting will discuss the issue on Friday amidst demand that an all party delegation should visit the state where more than 50 people have been killed and about 5000 injured including the security personnel in the past one month. The crisis broke out after the killing of a 22 year old Burhan Wani last month in an encounter. Since then there have been violent protests with leaderless youth coming out demanding justice. Burhan is described as a terrorist by some and an icon by others. The angry youth have flooded the streets, pelting stones at the security forces and police personnel defying the month long curfew. This killing seems to have raised a whole lot of questions and issues.

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, is playing soft Hindutva card to counter BJP and saffron brigade to retain power in the state to achieve success in Mission 2017.

Sound and salutary economic logic for once trumped parochial and myopic posturing by major political parties of the country when they all passed the Constitution (122 Amendment) Bill in both houses of Parliament.

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.