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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent trip to the United States has provoked a war of words between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress in India. Should the Indian leaders refrain from badmouthing the ruling BJP while abroad? Is there a red line, and has Rahul crossed it while he was in the US? The BJP claims yes, and the Congress says no.

Delhi knows Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister for one more day. Then, he will resign and somebody else will take his place. The only difference will be that while Kejriwal out of jail cannot go to the Chief Minister’s Office or sign papers, the replacement will be able to, be a full-time Chief Minister. The Supreme Court was clear that it doesn't trust Delhi’s most popular politician.

International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest report reveals that half of the global population lacks social protection, exacerbating vulnerabilities amid the escalating climate crisis. Over 90% of individuals in climate-vulnerable countries are without any safety net, highlighting a critical gap in support for those most affected by environmental changes.

In modern outsourced governance, unlike earlier times, the boss has to do everything alone. This is reflection of the current outsourced environment in India with a shortages of dedicated employees that plagues all government offices, where the last regular recruitment took place many years ago, and the support staff are either retiring or to retire or have themselves become junior bosses. With about 30 lakh (3 million) vacancies in the central government and its public sector undertakings, contractual staff, who are theoretically on temporary employment, rule the roost.

Narendra Modi is not a friend of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud; nor is he a family member of the CJI. Had Modi fulfilled either of the conditions, his presence at the Ganesh Pooja organized by the Chief Justice would have been fine. Considering that the CJI is also a private person, there is nothing wrong with his performing the pooja, but inviting the prime minister for the event is the height of indiscretion on the part of the CJI, surpassed only by Modi’s acceptance of the invitation.

Social protection gaps in India are still at alarming level. More than half of the population (51.2 per cent) in the country are still totally unprotected, while over half of the global population (52.4 per cent) are covered by at least one social protection scheme, revealed the latest ILO flagship report on social protection.

Mohan Bhagwat has made yet another of his cryptic statements that is being seen in political circles as yet another criticism of Narendra Modi. This time the RSS sarsanghchalk has alluded, again without saying it in so many words, to the Prime Minister’s claim, during Lok Sabha poll campaign that he was an “instrument for God to get things done”.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who passed away on Thursday, September 12 after a fatal bout of respiratory illness at the age of 72, has left a deep void just not in the leadership of the CPI(M), but also in the functioning of the INDIA bloc, that has been fighting effectively the BJP and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre for the last three years.

While Haryana is undergoing an election process, and election in Delhi is round the corner early next year, Supreme Court’s granting bail to AAP Supremo Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy case, on September 13, is sure to give politics a new spin. AAP’s election campaigns will get further momentum and strength, turning greater political heat against the ruling BJP in Haryana, and at New Delhi. Congress will need a second thought on seat sharing alliance with AAP as INDIA bloc constituent in both the states.

Never before in his political life, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s credibility has dipped so low as is visible in recent months. By virtue of his being the chief minister, people approach him, bow before him, but the respect which he commanded till some months back, is totally missing. People nurse pity for him.