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Chennai: Veteran Arjun Balu, and teenager Suriya Varathan ( both from Coimbatore) showcased their driving skills with superb wins in their respective categories in the fourth and final round of the Indian National Car Racing Championship at the MMRT, here on Saturday.

Lata Mangeshkar’s art was shaped by the fervour which accompanied independence when music, indeed culture, was freeing itself from feudal patronage, opening up spaces for democratization and a wider participation.

Will the Congress be able to regain its lost base in Indian politics? Many political commentators say it may, but they are uncertain about time by which it may be possible, or even the factors that would contribute to its recovery in Indian politics. Moreover, they seem to forget or overlook an important factor of self-respect without which none can or will work for others. The million dollar question is how many of them going to work for recovery of the Congress, even without that self-respect which they are not finding within the party? Most people in political arena at present are self-seekers. Are they going to work for the party without hope of great future for themselves? The party adopts resolutions after heated debates in closed quarters goading others to act, but will it really work?

BOSTON: 2022. This is a year which might signal the way American politics is going — towards the virtual dictatorship of a right wing cult leader, or a renewed liberal bourgeoisie democracy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been advocating Gujarat Model of development for backward states to leapfrog in economic development. The left parties advocate Kerala model of development which is role model in social development particularly in health and education. But in reality if one goes by statistics, it is Tamil Nadu model of development which is worth emulating as it had adopted balanced development by various political dispensations in the state since independence making the state among the top in both industrial and social development index.

Two major policy statements which were presented in the last two weeks, the union budget and the post-budget monetary policy, have kicked up debates among economists and concerned public about the risks that the policy stances underwriting. These are mainly risk of a fiscal flare-up and run-away inflation.

India seems to be heading toward a more turbulent industrial relations in the country in 2022 with the working class planning for more extensive and intensive agitations against Modi government’s economic and industrial policy in general and labour policies in particular on the one hand and the Centre moving toward implementing the four controversial labour codes on the other. Greater solidarity among the trade unions is now visible with their continued effort in this regard who are even planning for two days general strike on March 28 and 29.

One of the many things that really hurt when I was arguing the case of Ms. X versus Registrar General, High Court of Madhya Pradesh and Another (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1137 Of 2018) was the hierarchical relationship between what is referred to as “the subordinate judiciary” and the High Court. Quite unfortunately, the words “subordinate courts” appears in Article 235 of the Constitution, which gives control over district courts and courts subordinate thereto, including the posting and promotion of, and the grant of leave to, persons belonging to the judicial service of a state, and holding any post inferior to the post of the district judge to the High Court of that particular state.

LUCKNOW: BJP is facing big challenge from Samajwadi Party and RLD combine in second phase of UP Assembly elections in Western UP due to domination of Muslim population in this region. Already on a slippery wicket witnessed in first phase in jatland of Western UP due to Muslim joining hands with jat community, BJP leadership is quite unnerved in second phase constituencies.

A coincidence of events, deliberate or otherwise, has forced the issue of uniform civil code to the fore in time for the crucial assembly elections, so as to help BJP with its agenda of polarisation of voters on religious lines, particularly in the all-important Uttar Pradesh. And in the process, wittingly or unwittingly, the courts have played a part.