MoF: Accept or Reject, Don’t Ignore
In this article for The Indian Express, Congress leader P Chidambaram criticizes the Ministry of Finance’s meeting on 19 June 2025 as formal and unresponsive. He responds to the Chief Economic Adviser’s request for suggestions on farm productivity, GST reform, education, and economic formalization, proposing increased agricultural investment and the GST laws.
Chidambaram seeks clarity on formalization and urges the MoF to accept or reject suggestions, not ignore them.
The GST laws have added to the burdens of business. The high and multiple rates of GST are per se bad. The rules, regulations, notifications, forms and compliances under the GST laws are worse. Together with the manner in which the laws are interpreted and applied by the Income-tax, Customs, DGFT and GST departments, it is a nightmare for any business. The CBI, ED, DRI, GST enforcement and SFIO seem to regard every businessperson as a suspect and every chartered accountant and lawyer as an accomplice. If trade and industry have to be the prime drivers of the economy, the suffocating environment in which they find themselves must be removed.P Chidambaram, The Indian Express
A Forgotten Cricketing Bond Between India and Pakistan
In this piece for The Indian Express, Gulu Ezekiel writes about how the possibility of a bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan is nearly impossible. Ezekiel reflects on the historical camaraderie and rivalry in India-Pakistan cricket, highlighting moments of unity and division. It recalls a 1996 combined India-Pakistan XI playing Sri Lanka to show Asian solidarity and a 1926 Hindu-Muslim team facing the MCC in Bombay. The 1996 Wills XI match, with players like Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram which symbolized subcontinental brotherhood.
Considering the current dire relations between India and Pakistan, it’s hard to believe that not too long back — 1996 to be precise — a combined India-Pakistan cricket XI faced Sri Lanka in Colombo in a show of Asian sporting and diplomatic solidarity. And even more surprisingly, 70 years before that, a combined Hindu-Muslim team took on the mighty MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) in Bombay (now Mumbai) during a historical tour of India.Gulu Ezekiel, The Indian Express
Decoding Amit Shah’s Prediction of Authoritarian Rulers Like Indira Gandhi Coming To Power
This editorial column by The Telegraph zeroes in on how Amit Shah warned of authoritarian rulers like Indira Gandhi returning if Opposition parties gain power, framing it as a threat to democracy. The article touches upon Gaurav Gogoi's outreach to Assam Congress's grassroots, Rajeev Chandrasekhar eyeing Kerala local body elections and more.
‘No one knows when the dictatorial tendencies embedded in a person manifests itself,’ he said, stressing the need to keep this in mind and be ready for another Jayaprakash Narayan-like movement. Many in the country claim that an undeclared Emergency is in place under Modi, who is known for his dominant style of governance. But Shah, widely seen as his successor, is perceived as a bigger hawk. Many thus wondered what Shah was indicating when he talked about the dictatorial tendencies in a person coming to the fore.The Telegraph
Modi Versus Indira
In this column for The Telegraph, Ramachandra Guha compares the authoritarian leadership styles of two Indian Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi. "Of all the prime ministers we have had since Independence, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi have been the two with instinctively authoritarian instincts. Whose regime has been worse?" he asked pertinently.
Second, like Indira, Modi has worked assiduously to undermine institutions whose independence is vital to democratic functioning. It was Indira who first spoke of a “committed bureaucracy” and a “committed judiciary”, an idea that Modi has adopted as his own. Although unlike Indira, Modi has not declared a formal Emergency, he has shown a similar disregard for the processes of constitutional democracy. Indira intimidated the press into suppressing the truth; Modi coerces it into telling lies. The bureaucracy is even less independent than it was in the 1970s; the investigative agencies used even more often to silence political opponents.Ramachandra Guha, The Telegraph
Making Sense of Donald Trump’s World View
This column in The Times of India by Robin David explores Donald Trump's worldview, characterizing it as centered on American exceptionalism and a belief in US global dominance. He writes about how Trump perceives international relations as a zero-sum game, prioritizing American interests through economic nationalism and protectionist policies.
By contrast, Trump sees winners and losers in all human transactions and, therefore, views the movement of ideas, goods and people with suspicion. He sees the world as a “mosaic of fortresses” where countries feel safe behind high walls. Hariri says such an ordering of the world would collapse because smaller countries would be overrun by bigger, more powerful ones. Also, all countries would have to invest heavily in defence, eating into welfare expenditure. Finally, Trump would like weaker countries to be subservient to stronger ones, but the history of the Vietnam War and other such conflicts has shown that the strong don’t always prevail.Robin David, The Times of India
Khamenei Has No Links With India; But Khomeini Did, With Barabanki…
In this piece for the Deccan Chronicle, Saeed Naqvi explores a historical connection between Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the first Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, and India, specifically Kintoor village in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. He recounts a 1979 diplomatic initiative by India’s then External Affairs Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Foreign Secretary Jagat Mehta to explore ties with Iran’s new leadership after the Shah’s fall.
“It is a vulnerable revolution with enemies in unexpected places.” That the leader of the Islamic revolution which had upturned the power structure in a civilisational state had “foreign roots” could be lethal ammunition in the hands of “our enemies”. Abaqati was escorting the delegation on the strength of the fact that he was from a family of distinguished clerics from Kintoor and a chip of the same block as Imam Khomeini. This may have been the truth, but its amplification was anathema to the keepers of the revolution at this stage. This was in the earlier stages of the revolution. In this context, something extraordinary happened at a reception hosted by Iran’s popular ambassador, Gholamreza Ansari. In his welcome speech he dwelt at length on the civilisational ties between India and Iran.Saeed Naqvi, Deccan Chronicle
A Copy-Paste Apology Signals Unreliability
Writing for The Indian Express, Leher Kala critiques the response by the Air India CEO on the plane crash in Ahmedabad. Talking about how the CEO's statement was strikingly similar to an American Airlines statement, she writes, "It’s not merely the lack of originality that’s offensive, rather, the bitter realisation that even at such a disastrous moment, leaders can’t be relied on to speak the plain truth or display sincere empathy."
It’s a toss up on what’s worse — speculation that ChatGPT wrote that message or somebody from the airline actually dug out the American Airlines statement and handed it to the CEO to read out. There’s a thought floating around that in today’s litigious, social media-driven world, an adherence to protocol even during a desperate crisis, comes first. Indeed, circumspection is required when dealing with a distressed public and facts remain unknown; in which case, borrowing heavily from other post-accident scenarios and then getting caught out makes no sense at all. The most underused sentences in the English language are “I am sorry” and “I don’t know”. Our fears are rarely assuaged by phony assurances or hatchet jobs to contain a situation. During terrible events, people have a heightened instinct for sussing out inaccuracies — a policy of complete transparency is a step towards rebuilding trust in institutions.Leher Kala, The Indian Express
How the Emergency Makes Us Immune to Democracy Damage
In this column for The Economic Times, Indrajit Hazra reflects on the anniversary of the Emergency in India and how it coincides with his mother's birthday. He examines how the Emergency is now used to deflect criticism of current government actions.
The same principle holds with our Emergency. Mention any current dodge'n'damage to democratic institutions by the state - whether GoI or state governments - and 'Emergency' is trotted out like Asrani with a toothbrush moustache. Umar Khalid, almost five years in Tihar without a trial, charges against whom have yet to framed in court? 'Pfft. That's nothing compared to what happened during the Emergency'. The other standard rebuttal being, 'Have you seen PakistanIndrajit Hazra, The Economic Times
Aamir Khan’s Strength Lies Behind the Camera, in Challenging Convention
In this piece for the Business Standard, Vishal Menon discusses Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s 40-year career, emphasizing his unique ability to challenge conventional filmmaking through his roles as an actor, producer, and director who has marked a career with off-beat choices.
In March this year, Khan turned 60. Four decades have passed since his first onscreen performance in Holi, which was released three years before his breakout role in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988. When his contemporaries were dancing in front of the Swiss Alps, Khan was busy doing films that held up a mirror to life. “I don’t follow logic … just do what my heart tells me to,” the actor-producer famously remarked when asked about his film choices. Last week, Khan unveiled his latest film: Sitaare Zameen Par, a coming-of-age sports drama that explores the theme of neurodiversity. Khan calls this film a family entertainer and a spiritual successor to his 2007 directorial venture Taare Zameen Par. Khan left no stone unturned in promoting the film. He was everywhere — on billboards, on television screens, popping up on mobile phones, and giving interviews to just about everyone.Vishal Menon, Business Standard
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