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It’s Mayhem in Cuckoo land

Published

8 years ago

on

PM Modi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Ranjona Banerji

Apart from eternal optimists who live in cloud cuckoo land where lollipops grow on trees and no one ever gets diabetes, there is a palpable disquiet amongst the people of this country. Three years ago, a very large number of Indians – at least 31 per cent – really did believe that the “good days” promised by the prime minister and his party were really coming. Two years ago, their smiles had dimmed only a bit. They were still sure that around the corner, there were rainbows with pots of gold at the end for each one of us because changing that fallacious and mischievous “70 years of nothing” would take time.

By a year and a half ago, when almost nothing was happening on the ground to clean India, skill India, job India, make in India or make India, smiles shrunk considerably. Some diehard believers argued that writers, artists, artistes, scientists, doctors, scholars, academicians, social workers, sociologists, actors, painters, intellectuals and more who criticised the government were all anti-national. Others were disturbed by the deaths of people on the suspicions of storing beef, by the attacks on Dalits including the death of students like Rohith Vemula and of the strong “Hindutva” turn that sections of society was taking.

Then disparate but frightening decisions were taken. On November 8 2016, the prime minister removed 86 per cent of currency in the market to stop black money, stop counterfeiting and stop terrorism. In March, 2017, Yogi Adityanath, strong Hindutva voice within the Sangh Parivar, was made chief minister of UP after an overwhelming assembly victory by the BJP.

In the interim, Kashmir has become a cauldron of fear and violence, Pakistan upped its attacks on India and the terrible impact of demonetisation is now an accepted economic reality.

Now those cheery smiles are forced, if they exist at all. The anger of farmers across India has galvanised public opinion and the shameless violence of criminals running amuck as “cow protectors” has laid bare the real intentions of the Hindutva lobby. Far from “good days” and “everyone developing together”, we have a collapse of law and order across states, the backbone of our economy in disarray and regressive ideas are being introduced as high points of ancient culture.

A collection of 65 retired bureaucrats have written an open letter expressing dismay at the “a growing hyper-nationalism that reduces any critique to a binary: if you are not with the government, you are anti-national. Those in authority should not be questioned – that is the clear message.

“In the face of a rising authoritarianism and majoritarianism, which do not allow for reasoned debate, discussion and dissent, we appeal to all public authorities, public institutions and constitutional bodies to take heed of these disturbing trends and take corrective action. We have to reclaim and defend the spirit of the Constitution of India, as envisaged by the founding fathers.”

Equally, there is a fear now amongst ordinary people of the unreliability of this government. That it has become a disruptive force rather than a trustworthy guardian. An artist friend tells me that this government has ruined his life because he is no longer getting commissions or clients. A hired car driver says he, his friends and family have gone back to saving cash because they have little trust in the government and no idea what it is going to do next. A businessman says that the confusion over GST has led to orders being down by 60 per cent in some sectors and the cost of even three months of chaos to an economy already in trouble is incalculable.

These are a disconnected people from disconnected backgrounds and lives. But the uncertainty and fear is real. When agitating farmers are shot by the police and the chief minister of the state where this happens, sits on a “dharna for peace” which costs the exchequer over Rs 2 crore according to some newspaper reports, what confidence does it build for citizens in Madhya Pradesh and indeed the rest of India?

Even worse, the prime minister, who tweets his pain for various losses suffered from Manchester to Myanmar, has nothing to say about the loss of lives in Mandsaur. If Manmohan Singh was pilloried for being a silent prime minister, Narendra Modi has used silence as a tool to ignore all the pain for which his party or government are responsible. On display, we have a studied avoidance of the problems afflicting India. So Modi is happy to tell you to practise yoga and wash your hands regularly but will not even pretend to shed a tear for an old woman thrashed by the Madhya Pradesh police?

Who’s smiling now?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India News

Lok Sabha clears bill to levy cess on pan masala and similar goods for health, security funding

The Lok Sabha has passed a bill to impose a cess on pan masala manufacturing units, aiming to create a dedicated revenue source for public health and national security initiatives.

Published

2 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Nirmala Sitharaman

The Lok Sabha has approved the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, paving the way for a new cess on pan masala manufacturing units. The legislation aims to generate dedicated funds for strengthening national security and improving public health, both areas identified as critical national priorities.

Bill aims to create predictable funding stream

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, responding to the debate before the bill was passed by voice vote, said that the cess will be shared with states because public health falls under the state list.

The new cess will be applied over and above the GST, based on production capacity and machinery used in units manufacturing pan masala and similar goods. The minister clarified that this cess will not affect GST revenue, and that pan masala already attracts the maximum GST slab of 40 per cent.

According to the bill text, the objective is to build a “dedicated and predictable resource stream” to support expenditure related to health and national security.

Sitharaman also mentioned that cess collection as a percentage of gross total revenue currently stands at 6.1 per cent, lower than the 7 per cent average between 2010 and 2014.

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India News

Simone Tata passes away at 95: A look at the visionary who shaped Lakme and modern retail

Simone Tata, the pioneering business leader who built Lakme and helped shape India’s modern retail sector, passed away at 95. Here’s a look at her legacy.

Published

2 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

simone tata

Ratan Tata’s stepmother and celebrated business leader Simone Tata passed away on December 5, 2025, at the age of 95. Known for her pioneering role in building Lakme and transforming India’s retail landscape, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy that redefined Indian consumer culture.

A legacy that shaped Indian business

Simone Tata, born in Geneva in 1930, first came to India at the age of 23. Two years later, in 1955, she married Naval H. Tata and gradually became an integral part of the Tata family’s business vision. Her journey with the Tata Group began in the 1960s, when she was appointed to Lakme—then under Tata Oil Mills.

Under her leadership, Lakme quickly grew into one of India’s most trusted cosmetic brands. She rose to the position of managing director and later chairperson, introducing global formulations and modernising beauty products for the Indian market. Lakme’s rise was also rooted in a strong national vision—launched on former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s suggestion to reduce foreign exchange spent on imported makeup.

Transforming retail through Trent and Westside

After Lakme was sold to Hindustan Lever Limited in 1966, Simone moved to Trent, where she helped build one of India’s earliest modern retail chains. This later gave birth to Westside, a brand that has become synonymous with contemporary Indian shopping culture.

She also played a key role in philanthropic initiatives, guiding organisations such as the Sir Ratan Tata Institute and supporting cultural and children-focused foundations.

Family, personal life and final farewell

Simone Tata is survived by her son Noel, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya and Leah. She also drew public attention in recent years for being the only member of the Tata family to attend Cyrus Mistry’s funeral, despite the widely known strained ties between the families.

Her funeral will take place on Saturday morning at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, Mumbai.

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India News

Centre orders probe into IndiGo crisis, expects normal flight operations in three days

Amid record cancellations by IndiGo, the Centre has ordered a high-level inquiry and expects flight schedules to stabilise by Saturday, with full normalcy in three days.

Published

3 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

indigo

The Centre has initiated a high-level inquiry into the massive disruption of IndiGo’s operations, with the government projecting that flight schedules will begin stabilising by Saturday and full normalisation is expected within three days. The announcement comes as cancellations by the airline crossed 500 for the second consecutive day, severely impacting passengers across major airports.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the government has directed urgent measures to ensure swift restoration of services. Within minutes of his statement, the aviation regulator DGCA announced the formation of a four-member committee to examine the circumstances leading to the delays and cancellations.

DGCA forms committee as cancellations spark scrutiny

The DGCA said IndiGo was given sufficient time to implement revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), yet the airline recorded the highest number of cancellations in November. The regulator added that the pattern suggested gaps in the carrier’s internal oversight and preparedness, warranting an independent probe.

The committee will review the sequence of events that triggered disruptions and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.

Flight duty rules relaxed; minister defends move

Amid criticism from the Opposition and experts, the DGCA temporarily suspended certain FDTL rules, increasing pilot duty limits from 12 to 14 hours. The changes were widely questioned, with allegations that the government was yielding to pressure from IndiGo.

Naidu defended the decision, stating the move was taken solely to safeguard passengers and that safety standards would not be compromised.
He reiterated that passenger care and convenience remain the top priority.

Assurance of refunds, real-time updates, and support

Highlighting steps taken to ease passenger distress, the minister said airlines must:

  • Provide accurate, real-time updates before travellers leave for airports
  • Initiate automatic refunds for cancelled flights without requiring follow-ups
  • Arrange hotel accommodation for passengers stranded for extended periods

Senior citizens and persons with disabilities have been accorded special priority, including access to lounges and additional assistance. Refreshments and essential services are to be provided to all affected travellers.

Inquiry to determine accountability

The government said the high-level probe will identify what went wrong at IndiGo, establish responsibility, and recommend systemic corrections to ensure such disruptions do not occur again.

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