No Full Stops for Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi refuses to pause. The end of the G20 summit marked the conclusion of a hectic and successful phase of government-related activities. Instead of giving himself what would have been a well-deserved break, Modi immediately attended public events that included a visit to BJP’s headquarters. He might have had the option of a less pressing schedule, such as attending to work at home, but did not opt for it. The G20 meet ended and the state visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) began. The India-Saudi relationship has gained traction with Modi and MBS striking a chord as well. The strategic discussions on the war in Ukraine and the role of Iran and the situation in the Indo-Pacific were important points on which views were shared. Modi also continued to address G20-related functions like the university connect where he gave a major speech outlining the benefits of India’s rising profile and his interactions with 85 world leaders over 30 days. Thereafter, the domestic agenda held his attention with the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament. It had been clear from the start that the Special Session of Parliament and the move to the new building would not be an ordinary exercise. The Bill was an opportunity to make the transition a significant event and a soft launch of the campaign for the forthcoming state elections and even the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In between was the launch of the Vishwakarma scheme which benefits a large number of artisans many of whom hail from OBC communities. The launch foreshadows the political battle over OBCs which has gained a sharper edge with the release of the Bihar caste survey. Over the weekend Modi addressed more rallies and spoke online to the YouTuber community last week. The pace of the prime minister’s engagements is set to increase as campaigning picks up in poll-bound states, punctuated by the UN climate change conference in late November that he is likely to attend. The completion of nine years of Modi’s radio talk Mann Ki Baat saw the government release a study of the important social issues he has advocated, from female education to Covid vaccination.

Women Power In IAF

An 11-minute video released by the Indian Air Force (IAF) ahead of Air Force Day is a riveting advertisement for its prowess and an attractive recruitment statement. Titled ‘Air Power Beyond Boundaries’, it showcases the steady progress of women in its ranks with the appointment of a woman officer as in-charge of a command unit after the induction of female pilots in combat roles. The training of the new Agniveers, who again include women recruits, is an important segment of the video that outlines the opportunities available to train in technical fields. The commentary says IAF is a “gender agnostic” organisation providing roles to all on the basis of merit. The depiction of a ‘scramble alert’ features a woman reminding viewers of Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal who did just that on the morning of February 27, 2019, when she scrambled MiG-21bis fighters from the IAF base in Srinagar in response to incoming Pakistani fighters headed for Nowshera. The slick video covers the gamut of IAF’s air defence functions, from radars to missile deterrence.

Only the Symbol

BJP bit the bullet in Rajasthan with Prime Minister Modi making it clear that no one will be projected as chief minister in the presence of state bigwigs, including former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. It is not an easy decision as Raje expects to be considered for the job. The problem lies in her uneasy equations with nearly all other BJP state leaders even though she is the party’s most recognised leader in Rajasthan. The question arises as to whether she will be ready to do her best in the election due later this year. One view is that sulking might not be a great option as it could reduce her standing should BJP still win. The BJP central leadership has come to the conclusion that while Raje should not be projected, there is no one else who can stake claim either. This means all state leaders will have to prove their worth in the campaign. It is not that Raje is ruled out for good, but it is certainly a setback for her as the possibility of a new face is within the realms of probability should Congress lose the election.

Candles Missing at Wagah

The arrests of three members of an IS-inspired module in Delhi have again brought to the fore the role of Pakistan’s ISI in floating proxy cells that look to indoctrinate and motivate Indian citizens to commit acts of terror. Though the lead member of the Indian cell has been on NIA’s wanted list for a while now, others were influenced by online handlers linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba which works in close coordination with ISI. The arrests are more evidence that even though Pakistan continues to struggle in dealing with a huge economic and humanitarian crisis, its state agencies are unrelenting in their ‘war’ against India and spare no effort to stage acts of violence intended to spark communal tensions and push terrorists across the LoC. It is a comment on the changed times that Pakistan’s problems have not prompted the Wagah candle brigade to stage demonstrations in solidarity and seek interventions by India.

India’s Anti-Malaria Shot

Another feather in the cap for India’s pharma sector is WHO’s recommendation of a second vaccine to prevent malaria in children at risk made by the Serum Institute of India (SII). It is a big achievement for the Pune-based firm that was the backbone of India’s fight against Covid-19. Making the announcement, WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the recommendation marks “a great day for health, a great day for science, a great day for vaccines”. The vaccine will be a vital tool to protect children under five who account for more than 75 per cent of deaths due to malaria. Hailing the development, former WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the vaccine, to be made in India, will help control malaria and hopefully assist in its final elimination. SII’s highly effective Covishield is based on the Oxford-AstraZeneca formulation that proved successful in providing an almost 90 per cent protection against severe disease and hospitalisation. Without the availability of the vaccine, deaths during India’s deadly second wave in 2021 would have been much higher.

Pruning Sansad TV

It seems time is finally being called on various programmes on the Sansad TV channels whereby retired officials as well as underemployed journalists either hosted shows or appeared as experts. A scalpel has been run through the programming which has now been pruned. The TV channels are most watched when Parliament is in session and have a sizeable following on YouTube. But the monotonous shows and staid interviews with current and former MPs were not the star acts.

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