Monday, 20 January
Amar Ujala writes the Supreme Court declared that internet was a fundamental right of the people. After that the government also reinstated prepaid mobile service, broadband for essential services and internet services in two districts of Kashmir. The internet shutdown has impacted local people and students but Amar Ujala says the government also had to look at the security scenario and this is the reason it has decided to continue the ban in Srinagar and seven other districts.
Dainik Jagran says that Congress leader Kapil Sibal has shown the mirror to all the states planning to pass resolutions against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by stating that no state can say that it will not implement a law passed by Parliament. The Congress-ruled states are passing resolutions to send a political message despite knowing these resolutions have no value or meaning.
This might be the first time that opposition parties are trying to turn the truth into a lie and misguide the common man, writes Dainik Jagran. The common man will curse these politicians when they realise the truth and they will also feel cheated. Congress and other opposition parties should stop spreading canards about the CAA especially because in a few days the Supreme Court will hear all the petitions against CAA.
Tuesday, 21 January
Amar Ujala and Dainik Jagran comment on the election of J.P. Nadda as the new BJP president. Nadda is the eleventh president of the party, which expanded exponentially under his predecessor and now-Home Minister Amit Shah. Nadda, a leader from Himachal Pradesh who cut his teeth in politics through the ABVP, rose from the grassroots to reach this top post. His appointment strengthens the claims of the PM and other BJP leaders that in their party even an ordinary worker can reach the top. Dainik Jagran notes that while BJP saw ten presidents in the last two decades, Congress rotated this post between Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
Dainik Bhaskar says, quoting the Bombay High Court, the need of the hour is hospitals and health services and not statues. The comment came in the backdrop the Maharashtra government announcing a B.R. Ambedkar statue, taller than the Sardar Patel statue built in Gujarat. The court ordered the government to give money to the government hospital immediately instead of spending on statues. India’s spending on health is extremely low — only about Rs 99 per person every month. Even Sri Lanka and Myanmar spend more than this. However, in India, we will spend Rs 2,500 crore on a Ram temple and Rs 460 crore to build a Ram statue on the bank of the Sarayu but not on health.
Wednesday 22 January
Amar Ujala says the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has shown the mirror to the Indian government by predicting a growth rate of 4.8 per cent. The government’s own indicators have shown that the growth rate of 5 per cent is the lowest in a decade. IMF chief Gita Gopinath has said that the state of NBFCs and the fall in rural income are the main reasons for this poor growth rate. This is something that the upcoming budget can address.
Dainik Bhaskar shows concern for the growing income divide in the country and says that it could lead to social strife. According to Niti Aayog, compared to 2018, almost all states have shown that hunger, poverty and income disparity has increased. Oxfam says that if the government taxes the top 1 percent of the population by a meagre 0.5 per cent for the next 10 years, then India could provide the old and the children and also improve education, health and provide jobs. The government must take these reports into account as it prepares the budget, writes Dainik Bhaskar.
Thursday, 23 January
Amar Ujala and Dainik Jagran tackle the Supreme Court’s observations on the anti-defection law. Ujala says SC’s suggestion to set up an independent system to hear defection complaints of public representatives, must be considered by the Parliament, for the continuing relevance of the anti-defection law.
Dainik Bhaskar says that instead of the Speaker, a tribunal should decide on defections. The tribunal can be headed by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or Chief Justice of the High Court. It says that strange things are happening at the moment. For instance, in Manipur, a Congress MLA defected to the BJP and was immediately made a minister. This is a clear violation of the anti-defection law but the Speaker did not take a call and it was left to the Manipur High Court.
Friday, 24 January
Amar Ujala says that for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Pathalgadi will become a big challenge. The recent killing of seven villagers, who opposed the Pathalgadi movement, will be a test for the Soren government, which rode to election victory on this issue. Soren has appointed an SIT to investigate this matter and his government must ensure that its decision to take back cases against tribals who were charged with sedition by the Raghubar Das-led BJP government doesn’t become a tool in the hands of the Naxals and other criminal elements.