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It was big news Tuesday that the voter turnout in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh election Monday, when 18 seats across eight Naxal-afefcted districts went to the polls, was 70 per cent. This, despite an alleged Maoist call for a poll boycott.
The Indian Express headlined its front page lead “Bastar votes amid IEDs and Maoist threats: ‘How many fingers can dadalog chop off?” and followed the story of a man from Bastar’s Madenda district, a Maoist epicentre. For the man, his vote is “a matter of life and death”.
The Times of India calls this will to vote “an indication that people of Bastar are prepared to break free from the shackles of red terror”.
India Today, NDTV, and News 18 were among the channels that blurred out voters’ faces as they stood in line to cast their votes.
Hindustan Times relegates the election to Page 8, alongside an interview with former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, who told the newspaper, “I am confident that I will be the chief minister.” His new party has formed an alliance with the BSP.
Rafale reappears on the front pages of newspapers on account of the Supreme Court’s demands that the government reveal details of the deal. “Govt gives Rafale price details to SC after indicating it won’t” is how The Times of India puts it, adding, “…It was felt that submitting pricing details under sealed cover only for the SC’s scrutiny would help dispel any doubts over the deal and counter opposition allegations in election season”.
The Indian Express reports that, in a separate document, the government has suggested that the delay in sealing the deal for a Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft under the UPA “gave India’s adversaries time to upgrade and equip their fighter fleets with advanced weaponry”.
On a separate but related note, The Telegraph reports, “As many as 60 retired bureaucrats and diplomats have questioned the ‘unconscionable and unwarranted delay’ on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in bringing out the audit reports on demonetisation and the Rafale deal.”
Meanwhile, the CBI saga continues, with the Central Vigilance Commission delaying the submission of its inquiry report on the probe agency’s director Alok Verma.
According to a report by The Hindu, “A 24-hour delay by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in filing its report on the inquiry against exiled CBI director Alok Kumar Verma led the Supreme Court to adjourn Monday’s crucial hearing to November 16 (Friday).”
Prime Time
The mandir question
Aaj Tak carried out a discussion on whether the BJP was politicising the Ram Mandir issue, with the panel including BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra and RSS supporter Sangeet Ragi on one side and Islamic Scholar Tasleem Rehmani on the other.
“If you do not want Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, you are acting as a traitor to your country,” said Patra.
“The Supreme Court sits in the middle of the night… for a verdict on death penalty for a terrorist, but why does it not pass a judgment to build the Ram temple?” asked Ragi.
“You call a Muslim a traitor… this is a very shameful moment,” Rehmani hit back.
A similar discussion took place on Republic TV, where panelists were asked whether the BJP will wait for the Supreme Court verdict on the mandir-masjid dispute.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan said the BJP must wait for court’s verdict, while BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said they were sure the Ram temple will be built.
“We have always respected the Supreme Court’s judgment… But how can the BJP say they will build the mandir before the verdict comes out?” asked Pathan.
“The BJP government believes in the rule of law,” said Bhatia, “The Allahabad HC has confirmed the remnants of the temple as evidence, we are confident that legally we will present a strong case in the Supreme Court.”
News it’s just kinda cool to know
High levels of nitrogen dioxide in the urban air are having a harmful effect on herbivorous insects, a study published in the journal Nature Communications has found. Plants exposed to an increased level of pollution reportedly produce more defensive chemicals in their leaves, which in turn inhibit the growth of insects that feed on the plants. DownToEarth reports.