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Manipur is passing through the worst of times. The border state in one of the hinges of India's North East needs special treatment from the centre. Bordering Myanmar, after having witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of freedom struggle where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose led Indian National Army fought with British forces, Manipuris had shunned violence for years and walked the path of normalcy. A few sporadic incidents occurred but militancy was rebuffed till in a camouflaged form, it found sum and substance in the attacks of communities living side by side like brothers over the ages.

Over the last year, Rahul Gandhi has been attempting political resurrection. First, via the five-month walkathon of Bharat Jodo Yatra that saw him play the role of a doughty fighter. Second, a subsequent five month spent outside of Parliament which allowed Gandhi to assume the role of a martyr.

Home Minister Amit Shah’s legislative package in relation to the country’s criminal law system, hailed by his ruling party as pathbreaking, has more symbolism than real reform and even includes a good measure of deception.

‘Quit India’ anniversary on August 9, 2023 saw a massive mobilization of workers and farmers across the country against the ruling establishment led by PM Narendra Modi. CTUs and farmers’ unions said it the beginning of a “united struggle of non-cooperation and defiance to anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policy of the Centre.”

Morgan Stanley in its recent review portrayed India as the most attractive destination for foreign investment in Asian emerging market. It upgraded India from 6th position to top in the region. Macroeconomic stability and faster growth in the post COVID years were reasons. India proved resilient to global volatility, stoked by US recession and Ukraine war. Global analysts were upbeat with India emerging as the next global destination for FDI, in contrast to China and South East Asia’s eroding prominence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally opened his mouth on Manipur violence in Lok Sabha on August 10 to reply the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition INDIA alliance, but only to expose himself to be sanctimonious – talking piously and giving assurances – in the backdrop of inaction and ‘complete breakdown of law and order and constitutional machinery in the state’ as Supreme Court of India has observed. Same is the feeling of the people of Manipur who have still been suffering.

One misses Atal Behari Vajpayee sometimes. When price of tomatoes is going through the roof, we hardly hear any of those ringing metaphors. No one is turning puns on tomato prices as effectively as Vajpayee had once done on onion prices.

To multitudes, nothing beats the scare more than the one that he’ll be in the Lok Sabha in 2028 fighting yet another no-confidence motion and looking for yet another prime ministerial term. As if India’s electorate couldn’t have more of him. As if two Modi stints weren’t enough with another one waiting in the wings. Can the Opposition alliance ‘I.N.D.I.A’ put a stop to the rampaging Narendra Modi?

As India’s growth story becomes a staple of global developmental discourse, Indian voters are reacting to this new reality. Voters’ expectations from the government are no longer limited to basic requirements of roads, electricity and water. The demands of voters have moved up the Malthusian hierarchy, seeking the material conditions that will allow them to lead their lives on their own terms.

New Delhi: Hockey India on Thursday named former captains Sardar Singh, and Rani Rampal mentorship and Coach's respectively of Sub-Junior Men and Women camp will be for 45-50 days and will commence from 21st August, at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela, which has state-of-the-art facilities. The camp will then be followed by international matches in Europe – Belgium and the Netherlands.