Delhi’s Hasina Card
The visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India does not seem to be happening, at least for now. The purported reason is exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s press conference where she declared her intention to return to Dhaka in December. This set the cat among the pigeons in Bangladesh and saw Rahman’s aide set the impossible condition of “handing over” Hasina. However, this has not led to any rethink in New Delhi about Hasina’s press conference. Any attempt to prevent it would have leaked and she could well have posted a video anyway. Further, the Modi government, while keen to work with Rahman, sees no merit in a one-party monopoly. The appointment of a ‘political’ high commissioner in Dinesh Trivedi means India is keen to move on important areas, such as renewal of the India-Bangladesh Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, border security and a likely pact on sharing Teesta waters. But it is not a one-way street.
Shooting the Messenger
Donald Trump’s unexpected endorsement of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s comments on mandatory use of voter identity in India has stirred the waters with Congress leader Pawan Khera saying America is welcome to India’s EVMs as well. The anger about EVMs, however, is a case of shooting the messenger as no one has been able to prove that they are anything but 100 per cent accurate.
Making Connections
The Delhi government’s decision to make endorsement by an MP or MLA mandatory for eligible women to access a Rs 2,500 a month grant is not a burdensome requirement as might it seem at first glance. This provides an opportunity for BJP legislators to connect with beneficiaries. Legislators have been asked to set up helpdesks to assist applicants and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has launched a major outreach to publicise the scheme. Conditionalities like the MP and MLA endorsement are well thought-out.
Course Correction
Even as the discussion on the science behind Ayush continues to animate a few circles, the Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) has been signing collaborations with private universities that feel this is well worth the time and effort. The council recently concluded an MoU with CHRIST College, Delhi NCR. The MoU provides for collaborative research, academic exchanges and capacity-building in yoga and naturopathy. Private universities have understood the dynamics of a growing wellness market.
Limits of Autonomy
Talks with Ladakh leaders on enhanced autonomy are progressing slowly but the decision announcing district-level councils indicates the Centre’s thinking. While Buddhist leaders have found it difficult to agree to a framework, the Centre has made it evident that the “statehood” demand amounts to shifting goalposts.
Global Outreach
The foreign policy calendar is resuming after the Monsoon Session of Parliament with Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to travel to Central Asia and India set to host the BRICS Summit in Delhi. The BRICS engagement is significant as the bloc has drawn US President Donald Trump’s ire but has become even more relevant given the increasingly transactional US foreign policy.
Border Lines
The security grid discussed at the meeting of the superintendents of police of border districts addressed by Home Minister Amit Shah in July is being given shape with integration of agencies ranging from state police and civil administration, paramilitary forces and the Narcotics Control Bureau. The technological integration is in pilot stage but the idea has been seeded at the conceptual level that border security needs to be considered a part of a larger picture requiring active and close cooperation and coordination of state and Central agencies.