In this edition of "Editorial," Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the ongoing trend of leaders from opposition parties being summoned and investigated by enforcement agencies. He points out instances in states governed by opposition parties like Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Delhi, West Bengal, and Kerala. Mr. Nair specifically highlights the recent arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and expresses concerns about the state of Indian democracy. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection...

In this editorial segment, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses a pressing issue facing India: unemployment, along with a statement made by the Chief Economic Advisor. On March 27, Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran emphasized that government intervention couldn't solve all social and economic challenges, stating that diagnosing problems like unemployment is easier than finding solutions. At the unveiling of the "India Employment Report 2024: Youth Employment, Education and Skills," co-authored...

In this episode of 'Editorial', Mr. Sujit Nair discusses Rekha Patra, who was hailed as "Shakti Swaroopa" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Nair highlights the disparity in treatment between the victims of the Sandeshkhali incident, where women were reportedly sexually harassed by TMC workers, and the women who suffered similar atrocities in Manipur. He points out the political hypocrisy, noting that politicians tend to remain silent when crimes occur in their home state but shift focus to...

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the topic of companies purchasing electoral bonds after the scrutiny from enforcement agencies. Out of the 26 companies under investigation, 16 made political donations through bonds only after being targeted by these agencies, while another six increased their donations following agency crackdowns. A review by The Indian Express uncovered that the BJP received 37.34% of the bonds purchased by these companies, followed by other ruling...

In an episode of "Editorial," Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the alarming state of Indian politics, where dissenting voices are being silenced through imprisonment. Mr. Nair cites examples such as the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal just before the Lok Sabha elections and the arrest of K. Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao. He also mentions the recent raid by the CBI on the residence of outspoken former Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal, Mahua Moitra. Mr. Nair concludes...

In this edition of "Editorial," Mr. Sujit Nair examines how the BJP has emerged as the primary beneficiary of political funding, including electoral bonds & electoral trusts. Out of the total of Rs 16,492 crore obtained through bonds, the BJP received Rs 8,252 crore, surpassing the funding received by over 20 other parties combined. Additionally, parties have garnered funds from electoral trusts, which have significant corporate donors. Combining funds from electoral bonds, trusts, and...

In this episode of 'Editorial', Mr. Sujit Nair discusses Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's comments regarding Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's actions. The Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with Governor Ravi for refusing to reinstate MLA K Ponmudi as a Minister despite his conviction being suspended by the Supreme Court. CJI Chandrachud said, “""Mr Attorney General, what is your Governor doing? The conviction has been stayed by the Supreme Court and the Governor says he won't swear...

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the recent disclosures made by the Election Commission of India regarding Electoral Bonds. According to a report from The Hindu, a significant number of newly established companies, specifically 43 firms incorporated in 2018 or later, have acquired electoral bonds totaling over Rs 384.5 crore. Among these, four companies established in Hyderabad in 2023 purchased bonds worth substantial amounts shortly after their inception....

In a recent episode of 'Editorial', Mr. Sujit Nair raised concerns regarding the transparency of data related to Electoral Bonds sold by the State Bank of India (SBI). Following a Supreme Court ruling on February 15, which deemed the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional, the SBI was instructed to provide detailed information on the bonds to the Election Commission by March 6. The SBI had been selling these bonds in 30 phases since March 1, 2018. However, in a plea submitted to the court on...

In this episode of 'Editorial', Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the Supreme Court's recent action towards the State Bank of India (SBI) regarding the disclosure of Unique Serial Numbers on electoral bonds. The Supreme Court of India has reprimanded the SBI for failing to share the unique serial numbers assigned to electoral bonds, the data of which was recently made public. A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB...

In this episode of ""Editorial,"" Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation's call for the resignation of SBI Chairman Dinesh Khera. The federation is demanding Khera's resignation due to his submission to the Supreme Court requesting an extension until June 2024 to provide information on electoral bonds, citing the time-consuming nature of the process. According to the federation, Khera's actions have tarnished the reputation of the bank, especially in light of...

In the latest "Editorial" episode, Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the letter penned by Adish Aggarwala, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, addressed to President Droupadi Murmu. Aggarwala urges a pause in enforcing the Supreme Court's recent ruling against the electoral bonds scheme. He calls for a presidential reference to reconsider the matter for the sake of fairness to Parliament, political parties, corporations, and the public. This request was rejected outright during a...

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Following the Union law ministry's announcement of Goel's resignation, Election Commission officials found themselves puzzled, especially considering the remaining three years of Goel's tenure and the expected elevation to the position of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in 2025. According to information obtained from five officials interviewed...

In this edition of "Editorial," Mr. Sujit Nair addresses the issue of the notably low conviction rates in 'Crimes against Foreigners' in India. The discussion centers on a recent gang-rape incident involving a Spanish woman in Jharkhand, shedding light on the overall decline in conviction rates for crimes against foreigners in the country. Statistical data reveals that a majority of such crimes rarely proceed to court, and convictions are even more infrequent. Over the seven-year period from...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the mood of Indian voters leading up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Urban Indians exhibit a keen interest in participating in the imminent Lok Sabha polls but harbor pessimism regarding critical issues, notably citing unemployment as their primary concern. The government's Covid-19 vaccination drive is perceived as a significant accomplishment. According to the latest YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey conducted in December, a...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair addresses the State Bank of India's application filed in the Supreme Court, requesting an extension until June 30, 2024, to provide electoral bonds information to the Election Commission of India. According to a Constitutional Bench's ruling on February 15, the SBI is obligated to submit the information to the ECI by March 6. The application outlines that between April 12, 2019, and February 15, 2024, a total of 22,217 electoral bonds were...

In this Editorial episode, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses a significant ruling by a 7-judge bench of the Supreme Court, overturning the 1998 PV Narasimha Rao judgment. The previous verdict allowed Members of Parliament and legislative assemblies to claim immunity under Articles 105(2) and 194(2) of the Constitution for receiving bribes in anticipation of a vote or speech in the legislature. The latest decision, delivered by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices AS Bopanna, MM Sundresh,...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the ongoing turmoil in Manipur and the prevailing unrest in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. Emphasizing the subpar quality of governance in these two Indian states—one governed by the BJP and the other by the All India Trinamool Congress—Mr. Nair concludes by asserting that the electorate in India faces a limited array of choices when it comes to political parties. He argues that the existing political entities are seemingly incapable of...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the declining employment opportunities in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Over the past three years since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a consistent decrease in the amount of work provided by the rural jobs guarantee program, dropping from 38.9 million person days in 2020-21 to 28 million in the current financial year, as per data from the rural development ministry. Concurrently, the...

In this episode of ‘Editorial’, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses about the prevalent income inequality in India where Mr. Nair refers to a report by Goldman Sachs titled ‘The Rise Of Affluent India’. The report says 49.7% of India’s working population earns less than ₹ 1.25 lakhs annually while only 4.1% earns more than ₹ 8.3 lakh annually. The report further says that the working group that earns less than ₹ 1.25 lakhs annually, their income growth has been reduced to -2.5% while the age group that...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair draws comparisons between the 1975 Emergency imposed by former PM Indira Gandhi and the current Modi regime, pointing out the frequent summoning of political leaders by investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Mr. Nair picks recent incidences where leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi, YS Sharmila, K Kavitha, Satya Pal Malik who primarily belong from the opposition parties...

In this edition of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair delves into the ongoing turmoil unfolding in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. Situated in the Sundarbans of North 24 Parganas district, approximately 75 km from Kolkata, the island has become a focal point of protests since February 8, putting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) state government on the defensive. Last week, hundreds of village women, armed with lathis, farming tools, and brooms, took to the streets, demanding the arrest of three local TMC...

In this episode of 'Editorial,' Mr. Sujit Nair sheds light on the apparent contradiction within the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's narrative. While the BJP and PM Modi vociferously accuse opposition parties of corruption, there seems to be an ironic embrace of allegedly corrupt politicians into their ranks, facilitated by the muscle power of enforcement agencies. During a recent address, the Prime Minister emphasized a rising buzzword - ""guarantee."" He asserted that all these...

In this episode of Editorial, Mr. Sujit Nair discusses the recent recommendation by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) to impose President's Rule in West Bengal. The NCSC submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu, suggesting this move amid escalating violence and political tensions in the state. The trigger for this recommendation was the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) accusation against Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, who is on the run, and his...