The common man, whose concerns were at the heart of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s two successful election campaigns, doesn’t seem to be the focus of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee’s budget. Experts and political analysts say the aam admi doesn’t appear to be the dominant concern anymore, prompting speculation about Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi’s role. She has thus far been setting the UPA’s social agenda through the National Advisory Council...
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Government hides more than it reveals in the Food Security Bill by Gargi Parsai
The uncertainty over the Lokpal Bill has overshadowed an equally significant National Food Security Bill, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet last week and is to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Bill has been in the eye of the storm over targeted coverage of beneficiaries as against universalisation in view of the immense ramifications for the aam aadmi , struggling with rising food prices. In the second...
More »Cong’s big chance and threat by Manini Chatterjee
The Congress today appears besieged and beleaguered with key allies and even members from its own ranks lining up behind the combined Opposition in vehemently opposing the Manmohan Singh government’s decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. But, paradoxically, this state of siege — reflected by the prolonged deadlock in Parliament with a quasi no-confidence motion hanging over it — also gives the Grand Old Party a great opportunity not just...
More »Trinamul to stall retail FDI plan
-The Telegraph The Trinamul Congress will oppose foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and pension funds as well as changes in rules that will allow foreign airlines to invest in Indian carriers. Mamata Banerjee has instructed her sole member of the cabinet — railway minister Dinesh Trivedi — to oppose the retail proposal at tomorrow’s cabinet meeting, the minister confirmed today. The Trinamul roadblock is being seen as an attempt to reaffirm its...
More »How the RSS co-opted Anna by Gyan Verma & Sreelatha Menon
This is a saga of how the Hindu outfit saw the promise in Anna and pursued him for its gains. How often do we meet strangers on a flight and realise that it could possibly be the beginning of a lasting friendship? This is how yoga teacher Ramdev and super cop Kiran Bedi met in mid 2010 when both of them were on the same flight and Ramdev spotted her. Although fate...
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