-The Hindu   Ideological labels are likely to mislead by channelling the debate into issues of capitalism and socialism and detract from the real problem George Santayana said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Having forgotten the license-permit-quota-raj that enveloped us from 1950 to 1980 and its ‘crony socialism,' many intellectuals, mediapersons and politicians have now discovered ‘crony capitalism.' The license raj consisted of stifling controls imposed on...

-The Telegraph The Union human resource development ministry will tell the Supreme Court that private coaching institutions do not come under its jurisdiction and it cannot regulate their activities. In response to a notice issued by the apex court on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Students Federation of India, the students' wing of the CPM, the ministry is expected to make a distinction between private coaching and educational programmes...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The CBI has registered five cases into alleged swindling of funds from the centrally sponsored Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) in Uttar Pradesh during the rule of Mayawati-led BSP. CBI sources said cases of criminal conspiracy, Cheating, forgery under Indian Penal Code and misuse of officials position under the Prevention of Corruption Act have been registered regarding alleged financial irregularities in Gonda, Balrampur,...

-The Hindu Pune: The two-day State bandh called by sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra started on a violent note on Thursday, especially in the western part of the State. The farmers, under the leadership of MP Raju Shetty of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), have been agitating for a higher first advance from the government. The protest, which started on November 15, disrupted normal life as transport services were stopped across west Maharashtra....

-The Telegraph Calcutta: Trinamul MP Kunal Ghosh was arrested this evening on the charge of non-payment of salary and other statutory dues to a section of employees of the media outfit of the busted Saradha Group. Ghosh is a Rajya Sabha MP but has been suspended from the Trinamul Congress. "He (Kunal) was the group CEO of the media operation. We have documentary evidence that suggests his involvement with Sudipto Sen (the arrested...