Front Page
As the deadly coronavirus spreads across China and to other countries, it also makes its way to the front pages of mainstream newspapers Thursday. The Hindu focuses on Air India, IndiGo cutting services to China-bound flights, “Centre advises against travel to China; Indigo, AI cut services”. The Indian Express and Hindustan Times lead with the government’s evacuation plan for Indian citizens in China — “Exit from China: Govt plans two flights, 28-day isolation in Delhi” (Express) and “Isolation wards set up in NCR, evacuees awaited” (HT)
The Times of India leads with a story on the Supreme Court’s statement on anticipatory bail — “SC: Anticipatory bail can be given till completion of trial”.
Coronavirus: Hindu writes, the health ministry “advised people to refrain from travelling to China in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, as the death toll there rose to 133”. An accompanying report states, “All clear for suspected cases in north India”, while another one reports that US and Japan “evacuated their nationals from the quarantined city of Wuhan”.
HT gives a heads up on the “Preparedness Plan” in India and reports, “India is expected to evacuate 300 citizens, 200 of whom are medical students”. Express reports that the government has “decided to isolate them for 28 days instead of the customary 14-day incubation period.” TOI gives the story little importance on the flap and writes, “AI, IndiGo will curtail flights to China, ask crew to wear masks”.
SC on anticipatory bail: TOI notes that “in a ruling with wide-ranging implications”, SC said that “as arbitrary arrests continue to be pervasive, the discretionary power of courts to grant anticipatory bail cannot be curtailed”.
Hindu, on the other hand, writes that there cannot be a “fixed period” for giving bail as doing so “amounts to deprivation of the fundamental right to personal liberty in a free and democratic country”.
The top court made its way to the TOI front page with another report, “Women can enter mosque, but SC can’t rule on it: AIMPLB”. It provides details on the Muslim body’s statement, which said, “A Muslim woman is free to enter a masjid for prayers. It is her choice to exercise her right to avail of such facilities as available. AIMPLB does not want to comment on any contrary religious opinion on this issue.”
Others: HT reports that after making hate-fuelled speeches BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Pravesh Verma were removed from the party’s list of “star campaigners” but notes that “the order does not prevent the two leaders from campaigning”.
Express launches a new series, “Homeless at Home”, the first of which reports on Kashmiri Pandits who stayed back after the exodus, “Those who stayed back have a home — and a roomful of regret”.
HT reports that vegetable prices are going to make everyone cry some more — prices of three key vegetables, potato, onion and tomato, “are unlikely to go down for now”.
Opinion
The Times of India: TOI writes that the timing of US President Donald Trump’s possible visit in February could not be more important in “Seize the Moment”. It predicts that Trump’s expected visit may be preceded by “a trade delegation to hammer out a limited deal”.
India’s policies on intellectual property protection, agricultural imports and US policies that restrict steel imports have been long standing irritants for both the countries. However, none of these differences are irreconcilable, the daily writes.
A limited trade deal would represent a reversal of aggression in economic ties. TOI suggests that both the countries should push forward to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA), which would have a positive spin-off on India’s “most important strategic relationship”.
The Indian Express: In its editorial titled “Spot the Samvidhaan”, Express writes about the 2019 Oxford Hindi word of the year — ‘samvidhaan’ (constitution). Quoting Hindi language Champion for Oxford Kritika Agarwal, it writes that the choice of the word is apt because the constitution has gone from an academic concept to a movement in real time.
Express notes that in the past few years, the core principles of the constitution have been challenged. The questions on the relationship between faith and equality, the mutual interference of both, the revocation of the compact between state and the Union have made ‘samvidhaan’ the word that defined 2019.
It suggests that another word – ‘samvaad’ (dialogue) could act as a guide as the debate on the constitution is taken to the streets.
Prime Time
Prime time debates Wednesday juggled between the upcoming Budget, Delhi election and the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
India Today’s anchor Rajdeep Sardesai, in an exclusive conversation with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asked him about his “personal” battle with Home Minister Amit Shah. To which Kejriwal replied, “I am not giving any replies to Shah. The public itself is sending him replies.” When asked about his once apparent ambition of becoming a national leader, Kejriwal evaded the question and said, “Delhi’s public wants to know who the CM candidate is from the BJP”.
On ABP’s ‘Siyasat ka Sensex’, the anchors discussed the results of an audience poll to the question: Is BJP using Shaheen Bagh to polarise the politics of the Delhi elections? 32 per cent viewers said yes, 45 per cent said no, and 23 per cent were undecided.
Republic: Choosing to steer clear of Kunal Kamra yet again, anchor Arnab Goswami tried to divert attention to the “violence” at Shaheen Bagh. Goswami loudly asserted, “I understand why these people (protesters) are resorting to mass violence. They have been unable to prove that the CAA has any impact on Indians or Muslims.”
Claiming that violence is their last resort, Goswami continued, “They have realised that the game and the bane of Islamic radicalisation and Muslim separatism… there are no more disguises to wear.”
Goswami invited Waris Pathan, AIMIM national spokesperson to the panel of his ‘debate’. Pathan very loudly condemned BJP leader Anurag Thakur’s statement. He also, rather unnecessarily, announced, “I am not a gadaar (traitor), you can come and kill me”. Goswami was quick to pick up on this and asked, “Why are you taking this personally”.
NDTV 24×7:On ‘Reality Check’, anchor Sreenivas Jain stated, “We haven’t heard from the government a convincing defence on the discriminatory CAA”. The defence of persecuted religious minorities “is mounted by senior party leaders again and again”, he added but also mentioned that the proposed rules have no mention of religious persecution.
Jain wondered, “Is there a U-turn of sorts by the government on religious persecution in CAA”.
Aaj Tak: In a live Delhi election debate between members of the BJP, AAP and Congress in Connaught Place’s Central Park, Anjana Om Kashyap asked BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi about his views on Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the government should make a National Register for Unemployment rather than a Nation Register for Citizens.
He rebutted this arguing that Gandhi said this while he was in Jaipur and the youth there was still waiting for the employment doles that were promised by the Congress government. “Yeh haqeeqat hain, aur yeh bolne ki baat hain” (this is the truth that needs to be said).
AAP leader Raghav Chaddha said that the people of Delhi will vote on concrete issues like electricity and water. He said AAP had three things BJP wished it had — five years worth of work to show, a vision for the next five years and an educated, respectable face: Arvind Kejriwal.
India TV: On ‘Chunav Manch 2020’ with host Meenakshi Joshi, Congress Delhi candidate Ragini Naik and BJP’s Shazia Ilmi engaged in a debate over the issue of women’s safety in Delhi.
Naik said that it was shocking that even in the twenty first century, women were scared in their homes, quiet lonely places, offices and even in crowds. She criticised PM Modi’s old campaign slogans — “Bahut hua naari par vaar, ab ki baar modi sarkaar” and “Beti bachao, beti padhao”, because his government refused to take any responsibility to improve women’s safety.
Ilmi, on her part, said that she had no time to hurl insults but still went on to insult Delhi CM Kejriwal and asked what had been done with the 900+ crore CCTV cameras from the Nirbhaya fund? “What happened to their plans for women’s safety in their 2015 manifesto, or the panic button they promised?” she asked.