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Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stirred up language controversy that Hindi being official language, it should be the medium for correspondence and discussions between states. This has evoked a vehement and justifiable strong reaction from southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, which has always opposed imposition of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, forming 56 per cent of the population. Raking up such non issues ahead of elections has become a regular phenomenon among politicians of this country, who shy away from discussing real issues. Shah who chairs the official language committee, said 70 per cent of the agenda of the cabinet is prepared in Hindi. He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the medium of running the government is the official language and this will increase the importance of Hindi.

India doesn’t know about the real status of the migrant workers in the country even two years after their returning home following sudden lockdown that shook the very conscience of the world during March 24 and May 31, 2020. Modi government had liberally distributed assurances for their well-being which never realized since they did not have the real reliable data then, and even now. We only can hope, as the latest assurance is given, migrant workers survey will be completed by October 2022.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: All stops must be pulled out to ensure that the anti-BJP vote is not divided. Will the decision made at the 23rd Party Congress of the CPI(M) not to have a national-level alliance with the Congress achieve that goal? The five session ended on April 10 with a massive rally and signalling the dominance of the Kerala state under the leadership of P Vijayan in the policy making of the CPI(M) two years before the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s offer to India to consider a rupee-ruble mechanism to settle trade in goods between the two countries to avoid sanctions imposed by the US-led NATO comes at a time when the Indian economy is reeling under high prices of oil putting the country’s energy security at risk. India needs a guaranteed supply of petroleum at stable prices to ensure its energy security and economic growth. The country’s massive dependence on imported oil is fast exposing its economic weakness under pressure of the NATO financial and trade sanctions on Russia as oil prices in the domestic market are zooming up to unsettle the entire economy. India is around 86 percent dependent on imported oil. The latter account for the single largest share of the country’s gross merchandise import bill. India's crude oil import bill may have exceeded the $100-billion mark in 2021-22. The amount is nearly double its spending in the previous year as international oil prices are trading at seven-year high levels. According to the government’s Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC), India spent $94.3 billion on oil imports in the first 10 months (April-January) of the last financial year.

New Delhi: Displaying tremendous stamina and speed, Netherlands outlasted India 3-0 to setup a title clash with arch rival Germany who decimated England 8-0 in the second semi final of the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup at Potchefstroom, South Africa on Sunday.

New Delhi: Govind Sahani, Ananta Chopde and Sumit registered commanding victories against their respective opponents from Thailand to win a gold each as India finished with 10 medals at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in Phuket on Saturday.

New Delhi: Putting behind yesterday’s shock defeat, defending champion the Netherlands regrouped to beat spirited India 3-1 in the penalty shootout after teams were levelled 1-1 in the 2nd leg of the Women Hockey Pro League at Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The Dutch side in the process managed to take the bonus point.

Former RBI Governor and Union Finance Secretary D Subbarao, who himself was a seasoned and a brilliant IAS officer, has flagged a serious issue in Indian bureaucracy that encouraged mediocrity and virtually dis-incentivized betterment and honest initiatives. There is definitely some merit in what he says but the issue is who is going to bell the cat to bring about an administrative and bureaucratic reforms that have been in a limbo for decades.

First they wanted a ban on Hijab. Then they wanted a ban on Halal meat and loudspeakers for Azaan. Now, they want to ban meat.

BHOPAL: As a part of preparation for the 2023 Vidhan Sabha elections, Madhya Pradesh Congress President and Leader of Opposition Kamal Nath has constituted a broad based committee of more than forty members drawn from various factions of the state Congress.