Contentious amendments

This government is clearly uncomfortable with the info, citizens are managing to extract.
Many questions have been asked of the politically powered elite, including
electoral funding,
non-performing assets,
info in electoral affidavits,
spectrum allotments
and defence deals.
Over 60 million applications are filed every year. Those in political power do not want to be transparent or accountable.

- Aruna Roy,    Times of India     July 29, 2019.

Clean political funding

Arrest of D K Shivakumar came after 4 days of questioning - on the charge of evasiveness.

Arrest on this account is what CBI took recourse to, in the case of former finance minister, P Chidambaram.

Shivakumar's plight elicited sympathy, even from ruling Hindu(i) Peoples' Party members of Karnataka. It is curious that agencies find suspicious activity only in case of opposition members. There is scope for larger debate on issues of political funding.

Insidious electoral bond scheme removed even a modicum of transparency in sourcing of political funds. Restrictions of foreign funding of political parties was loosened - when other  democracies ban such funding.

Indian democracy's regression on clean political funding, erodes credibility.

- Editorial,      Times of India      September 5, 2019 

Case for validation of mental health?

We know that demonetization was an unmitigated disaster.

Instead of ending black money, it corrupted state-owned banks, plunged informal economy into crisis, damaged corporate balance sheets in ways we are only now beginning to understand.

What happens next in Kashmir?
Like demonetization, wildly popular in the moment, but a failed and foolish move? 

- Sadanand Dhume,     Times of India      September 21, 2019. 

Wretched / vulgar / condemnable

Modi recalled his own electoral slogan that was reprised by candidate Trump "Ab ki baar Trump sarkar" and endorsed him for a second term.


Chidanand Raighatta - Why Trump came to Modi    Times of India, September 24, 2019.