Narendra Modi’s nonchalant “cool” is what his fans so admire him for. But in this tense week, he may’ve overdone it. It’s one thing for the leader of a big nation to maintain composure in a war-like stand-off, but insensitive and undignified to keep campaigning, launching apps and cracking jokes.
RBI needs to cut interest rates to revive growth
India’s GDP growth is projected to hit a five-year low of 7% in 2018-19. Slowing government spending in the last quarter due to fiscal constraints and contracting rural demand can hurt it further. With inflation below the comfort level, RBI should cut interest rates again to encourage investment and growth.
Third-party intervention has trumped India-Pakistan bilateralism
After two decades — from Kargil 1999 to Pulwama 2019, through Op Parakram and 26/11 — it is good that one outdated postulate of subcontinental conflict-management lies dead and buried. It was called bilateralism. All these conflicts have been de-escalated by the once-dreaded “third-party intervention”. It’s working well for India.
What do we really expect from a man desperate to remain in power. He has always demonstrated insensitiveness, even when there is distress all around (DeMon, Droughts, etc.). He is about himself and the cronies make it easy for me – he seems to believe in – fake it till you make it. He has an army of trolls, including some ministers and TV anchors who are telling us that all of us are fools.