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Does the “worst ever” slump in automobile sales deserve page 1 headlines? While it is makes the lead report in today’s The Hindu and Hindustan Times, The Indian Express and The Times of India look the other way: Express at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments that the Citizenship Bill “won’t affect N-E laws’”, TOI at the attack on SAIL chairman Anil K Chaudhary on 8 August.
Even more surprising is that pink papers like The Economic Times and Business Standard reduce it to a news brief—that too one many readers may not immediately understand: “PV sales decline for 10th straight month in Aug” reads the BS headline. Is bad economic news no longer big news?
Auto-industry slump
“Car sales see worst-ever monthly fall amid slump,” says HT while Hindu highlights how “Automobile sales still in free fall.” India’s passenger vehicle industry “suffered its worst-ever monthly sales performance in August as a protracted demand slowdown showed no signs of abating,” adds HT. It quotes data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM): “Domestic sales of passenger vehicles plunged 31.6 in August to 1,96,524 units from a year earlier.”
“Continuing the free fall,” automobile sales in the country declined by 23.55 per cent in August 2019 – the worst drop in monthly sales” since SIAM started recording “wholesale vehicle sales data in 1997-98,” writes Hindu. It notes that this “prolonged demand slump” is mainly “due to poor consumer sentiment amid slowing economic growth.”
Amit Shah’s address
Amit Shah addressed “the fourth conclave of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) where he sought to reassure concerns of allies after the NRC was published in Assam,” reports Express. Underscoring that his government will bring back the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), Amit Shah said that “constitutional safeguards to states and communities in the North Eastern states will not be over-riden by the CAB,” it says. In the Explained box, Express writes that the Bill “aims to grant citizenship to immigrants of six non-Muslim faiths from three countries under relaxed norms.” It brings to light that “sections of society in the North East” believe that the “Bill is a threat to indigenous communities.”
SAIL chairman
Also back in the news today is the “murderous attack on SAIL chairman Anil K Chaudhary near Hauz Khas, New Delhi, on 8 August,” (TOI). It reports that the assault “was not a case of road rage but an attempted contract killing orchestrated by a former vendor who used to supply bitumen to the public sector giant.” Express says that the Delhi Police has “established” that it was a “premeditated attack over a deal not going through.” Sources at SAIL said that “Chaudhary rejected poor quality cooking coal, sourced from the US,” adds Express.
Modi’s green pitch
HT’s other lead is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that “degraded land spanning 26 million hectares will be restored by 2030”. This was at the 14th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. HT quotes ISRO’s land atlas and says that “about 96 million heactares, or 29.23 per cent of India’s land area is undergoing degradation.” According to the new target, “about 27 per cent of this land will be restored by 2030.” This report is ignored on page 1 by other mainstream newspapers.
Hindu reports that the United Nations Human Rights Council “urged India on Monday to end the lockdown in Kashmir and restore basic communication services.” UNHRC also added that in light of the Assam NRC issue, the Centre should respect civil rights.”.
TOI’s choice of second lead underlines that the law student, “who levelled sexual harassment charges against former Union Minister Swami Chinmayanand” has alleged that “she was raped and physically exploited by the BJP leader for one year.”
The second lead on Express features Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s finding that “at least 20 e-waste collection centres of multinational giants were found either untraceable or non-existent.”
Also, ahead of the announcement of assembly elections in Haryana, Haryana government advertisements appear almost every other day in the Express.
Opinion
Express: In ‘Neighbour’s Court’, Express criticises National Security Advisor A K Doval’s “puzzling” remarks about peace and detention in J&K. Doval brought Pakistan back into the Kashmir discourse, writes Express, thereby contradicting both India’s reiterations that the issue is an internal matter and its efforts to present itself as “the sole arbiter of Kashmir’s destiny”. Doval also linked the restoration of communications in the Valley to “how Pakistan behaves” to suggest that the latter still holds “crucial influence” over the region. His assurances that arrested political leaders would be released when the time is right was an unclear statement, writes Express which argues that if the state was able to suspend political activity in the Valley, “it has the responsibility to bring it back”.
TOI: In ‘Afghan Talks Off’, TOI maintains that the only way for the US to hold a position of strength in Afghan negotiations is by cracking down on Pakistan, which “provides militants safe haven”. US President Donald Trump’s recent cancellation of peace talks with the Taliban is the undoing of “backchannel negotiations between the US and Afghan Islamists” that have been in the works since late last year, writes TOI. However, the talks bore more resemblance to a “surrender negotiation” in which the US was keen on withdrawing troops in exchange for “Taliban’s promise” to cut ties with al-Qaeda and stop Afghanistan from being used as a battleground against US and its allies.
Prime Time
“What, according to you, is the #ISROSpirit?” asked anchor Arnab Goswami on Republic. He said that for one day, negative trolls should shut up because “they realised how misguided they are in constantly running down our country.”
Times Now discussed videos apparently showing anti-Pakistan protests in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
CNN News 18: Anchor Bhupendra Chaubey on `Viewpoint’ discussed the new road rules. “Have we gone overboard?” he wondered.
BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya said, “There is a problem of VIP racism in our country… the khaas aadmi won’t get away (with breaking the rules). If Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari can pay the fine then every minister should.”
Advocate Abha Singh retorted: “Cops don’t have the courage to stop ministers. I want to ask Gadakari, does he pay toll tax at the Worli Sealink?”
Chaubey then asked: “Is the aam aadmi set for a more harassing time with the imposition of these new rules?”
India Today: Anchor Rajdeep Sardesai led a discussion on the first 100 days of the Narendra Modi government which saw an economic slowdown and clampdown in Kashmir.
Interestingly, Congress made a reappearance on TV debates with Pawan Khera. He said: “The Modi government is very confused between politics and governance. If you don’t do a correct diagnosis of a problem, will you be able to give the cure?”
He added, “This government is scared of the term ‘demonetisation’– that was the biggest blow to our fairly okay economy.”
As expected, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi praised the government: “The work undertaken by the Modi government in the last 100 days will be remembered for at least 100 years.’’ He mentioned Article 370, the Triple Talaq Bill and the UAPA Amendment Bill as successes.
“Unfortunately, our opponents don’t want to see what the reality is,” he added.
Sardesai shifted to the economy: “Why can’t you just accept that after demonetisation there has been am economic slowdown?”
Zee News: #100DinParSiyasat was the hashtag on ‘Taal Thok Ke’ with anchor Sachin Arora.
BJP spokesperson Zafar Islam reprised the government’s achievements: “Bills like Triple Talaq were passed for the benefit of Muslim women.’’
“Our economic growth is faster than the world’s largest economy,” he claimed.
Political analyst Ashutosh Mishra countered him: “Their [BJP’s] own party member Subramanian Swamy is not convinced with their arguments regarding the economy. RBI needs structural reforms, NPAs have increased.”
Vijay Sardana of the food security and agribusiness, UPL Ltd looked for balance: “(The) government’s performance should be analysed in two different categories – political and economic development. The government has done well in the former but they should be ready to accept their shortcomings as well.”
ABP News: On `Sidha Sawal’ with Rubika Liyaquat, the panel discussed the release of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
Congress politician Salman Nizami said, “On one hand Pakistan mentions bilateral talks and dialogue to fight terrorism and on the other hand, they are releasing terrorists like Masood. This level of hypocrisy can only be displayed by Pakistan.”
Professor Raja Kaisar Ahmed from Pakistan repeatedly denied the allegations: “We know it very well that he is a global terrorist. (But) You have no proof that Masood Azhar is not in jail.”