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Whoever may be behind the preparation of The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the initiators have ignored a simple logic that India should first strive to generate enough electricity for its people before recasting its distribution policy. The aspect of cost of electricity to consumers should also guide the lawmakers in formulating any new electricity policy. While the Bill fails to recognise the first thing first — the need for a rapid increase in the generation capacity — it is more concerned with selective distribution through private participation.

Chelat Achutha Menon played a decisive role in the history of modern Kerala-as one of the greatest statesmen emerged from the tiny state, and as a major driving force behind the celebrated ‘Kerala Model’ of development. Achutha Menon’s stature is so great that any serious discourse on the political economy of modern Kerala seemed unimaginable without his immense contributions to the development of the state. Today, thirty years after his death (August 16, 1991), Achutha Menon’s legacy still appears to be intact, although Kerala has moved away from much of ‘his model’.

The Afghan Taliban are in Kabul. And foaming at the mouth are Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo. Both blame President Joe Biden for doing a Vietnam on Afghanistan. Even the “helicopter picture” is ‘hu-ba-hu’, surreal! Throughout Sunday, August 15, India’s Independence Day, the Taliban were at the gates of Kabul, and President Ashraf Ghani fled to Tajikstan. The Taliban’s Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, likely Taliban President, entered the Presidential Palace; but, hold on, wait for the "peaceful" transfer of power, reported Afghanistan’s ‘Tolo News’, the warlords have been neutralized and the Afghan women are cowering in the burqa.

These were two distinct different narratives, while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to nihilism and called to observe the Independence Day of Pakistan, August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day as the pain of Partition can never be forgotten but the same Modi on March 22, in a letter had congratulated the Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan and exhibited his love for Pakistan as on this day Muslim League had passed the 'Partition Resolution' in 1940.

MSME sector is clearly no government priority. PM Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech did not even mention it. Indian entrepreneurs were praised, employment generation was talked about, vague assurances given for greatly boosting development of India, but the MSME sector is conspicuously absent from his speech, though it has been contributing 30 per cent of GDP, 48 per cent in exports, and employs largest number of workers among all enterprises in the country whose estimated number in unincorporated non-agriculture units was around 11 crore. Among all industrial units in India, 95 per cent are MSMEs. It holds the key to inclusive growth and plays a critical role in India’s future, how come our Prime Minister had forgotten the sector altogether?

The ruling party members hailed with cheers the finance minister Nirmala Seetharaman as she informed them in the last concluding week of the monsoon session of parliament that five loss making giants of public sector enterprises would be sold out soon. She did not indicate her action was a part of economic reform as such she was moving to reduce burden of providing finances to keep them running. Her announcement was welcomed as it indicated the reversal of the restricted economy concepts pursued by the Congress regime for first three decades. She was providing a firm foot hold to private players as all five units are a part of core economics.

India and Pakistan are both turning 75 and the wounds of Partition have long dried up. But the thought that enabled the division of the subcontinent is not dead. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Horrors Remembrance Day’ will be observed, reluctantly by a swathe and eagerly by another, those who call themselves the ‘New India’, for whom “Horrors Remembrance Day” is a tight slap in Pakistan’s face.

The inevitability of the farmers agitation influencing politics and the approach of political parties towards the farmers issue determining the future course of the stir itself is becoming clearer by the day as elections in crucial states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are approaching. It is not secret that a section of the agitation leadership does have political ambitions, although opinions are divided on such a major change of course.

Parliament can change its rules to give MPs more teeth in questioning the government and empower its committees to become critical stakeholders in the law-making process. This will increase the stake that MPs have in the effective functioning of the institution, and disincentivise them from disrupting it. But this alone will not stop parliamentary disruptions.

Father Stan Swamy spent his life working with Adivasis in Jharkhand in defence of their rights. He did not want their jal, jungle, zameen exploited by unscrupulous and corrupt vested interests. For this, he had to pay the ultimate price! On 8 October 2020, he was arrested in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case, though he had no connection with it. He died waiting for a chance to clear his name.