OPPN FRONT HAS A NAME, INDIA

A month after talks first began on putting up a united fight against the BJP, the multi-party front Tuesday gave itself a name – INDIA, or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

Behind the name, decided at the Opposition conclave Bengaluru, was an interesting and politically significant jugalbandi between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress.

In another important move, it was announced that the next Opposition conclave will be held in Mumbai, likely in the second half of August, and will be hosted by the Shiv Sena (UBT), a relatively new entrant to the anti-BJP space which has been under intense pressure from the BJP in Maharashtra.

Mumbai may also see the first joint rally by the Opposition parties, as well as see a decision taken on appointing a convenor for the alliance.

The representatives of the 26 parties present at the Bengaluru meeting also decided to set up an 11-member coordination committee, including all the major parties, and a ‘secretariat’ in Delhi for campaign management and for coordinating the working of various sub-committees, which will take up specific issues.

Reports say that the name INDIA for the alliance was suggested first by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but he wanted K C Venugopal, the Congress general secretary (Organisation), to get it cleared with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee first. She is said to have readily agreed to the name.

Mamata propose the name at Tuesday’s meeting. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar asked how a political alliance could be named INDIA. Caught by surprise, Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, D Raja and G Devarajan were not immediately convinced either, and went into a huddle midway through the meeting. Yechury then suggested the name V (victory) for India or We for India. But many leaders felt it sounded like a campaign slogan.

Sources said Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said that deciding a seat-sharing arrangement was more important than giving the alliance a name. Yechury too argued that seat-sharing was the main issue.

Significantly, once again, both Kharge and Rahul told the meeting that the Congress does not aspire for the prime minister’s post in case the alliance wins in 2024, or any titles. Rahul said the party was ready to accommodate other parties as much as possible. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi chose a passive role, telling the meeting that she was there as a listener and to support everyone.

The TMC and Congress were most eager that the name of the alliance be clinched at the meeting itself. Speaking last, Rahul passionately backed the name INDIA — his argument being that the Opposition could easily create an INDIA vs NDA narrative, and convey to be people that Narendra Modi was “against INDIA” and that all those who are against the BJP “were INDIA”.

AT NDA MEET, PM MODI TARGETS NEW OPPN FRONT

On a day when opposition parties officially named their alliance ‘INDIA’ for next year’s Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said a coalition on the basis of negativity never succeeds.

“When an alliance is formed due to compulsion of power, when an alliance is with the intention of corruption, when an alliance is based on dynastic politics, when an alliance is formed keeping in mind casteism and regionalism, then that alliance is very harmful to the country,” Modi said while addressing the leaders of constituents of the BJP-led NDA coalition at a crucial meeting in Delhi.

A total of 38 parties attended the meeting of the NDA in the national capital.

The Prime Minister asserted that the BJP-led NDA alliance will get over 50 per cent vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. “NDA had about 38 percent vote share in 2014, 45 percent in 2019. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NDA’s vote share will be over 50 percent because of its allies who are working hard,” he said.

At the meeting, PM Modi observed that the opposition parties underestimate the wisdom of the common people, who are aware that the opposition parties’ alliance is bound in “selfish gains”.

THE ONES THAT ATTENDED NEITHER EVENT

All eyes Tuesday were on the Opposition and NDA meetings, as they firmed up partnerships for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, giving an emerging picture of how inter-party dynamics would look like going forward.

There are some major parties that have stayed away from both groups, either due to the politics at play in their states, their equations with specific parties, or their desire to come across as neutral.

Among these are the Karnataka-based JD(S), Shiromani Akali Dal, BSP, Biju Janata Dal, BRS (erstwhile TRS), YSRCP, Indian National Lok Dal, AIMIM, All India United Democratic Front.

LACK OF CONSENSUS ON UKRAINE AT G20 MEET, SUMMIT TO TAKE CALL

The third meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) in Gandhinagar ended Tuesday with a Chair Summary and Outcome Document following lack of consensus on the “language” of a communique regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

After the conclusion of the two-day meeting, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told mediapersons, “A chair statement has been issued because we still do not have a common language on the Russia-Ukraine war… We do not have the mandate to change the language given in the Bali Leaders’ Summit. So, it must be left to the leaders during the (G20 Leaders’) Summit in September to take a call on that. We did not think it was right for us to change it.”

As host, India has been unable to find a consensus with some of the participating countries insisting that the Ukraine conflict be called “war” and mentioned as such in the final communique.

“Everyone had an agreement on issues, but needed more time on what language to be used,” Sitharaman said.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIA STRIKES UKRAINE’S KEY GRAIN PORT AFTER EXPORT DEAL PULLOUT

Ukraine said its forces shot down Russian drones and cruise missiles targeting the Black Sea port of Odesa before dawn Tuesday in what Moscow called “retribution” for an attack that damaged a crucial bridge to the Crimean peninsula.

The Russians first sought to wear down Ukraine’s air defences by firing 25 exploding drones and then targeted Odesa with six Kalibr cruise missiles, the Ukrainian military’s Southern Command said. All six missiles and drones were shot down by air defences, officials said, though their debris and shock waves damaged some port facilities and a few residential buildings and injured an elderly man.

The Russian defence ministry said its “strike of retribution” was carried out with sea launched precision weapons on Ukrainian military facilities near Odesa and Mykolaiv.

ARRESTING PUTIN A ‘DECLARATION OF WAR’: SA PREZ

Arresting Vladimir Putin would amount to a declaration of war on Russia, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in court papers released on Tuesday as the country wrangles over hosting the Russian leader. Putin has been invited to a Brics summit in Johannesburg next month but is the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant — a provision that Pretoria as an ICC member would be expected to implement were he to attend. South Africa’s diplomatic dilemma is playing out in court, where the leading opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), is trying to force the government’s hand and ensure the Kremlin leader is held and handed over to the ICC if he steps foot in the country. But in a responding affidavit, Ramaphosa described the DA’s application as “irresponsible” and said national security was at stake.

PAK SC TURNS DOWN SHARIF GOVT'S REQUEST ON IMRAN PROTEST TRIALS

Pakistan’s Supreme Court turned down Tuesday the Shehbaz Sharif-led government’s request to constitute a “full court” to hear pleas challenging military court trials of protesters charged with attacking army facilities following ex-PM Imran Khan’s arrest in an alleged graft case on May 9 this year.

Imran is among those who have filed the petitions contesting such trials.

“It is impossible to make a full court at this time. Three judges had excused themselves from hearing the case, some judges are not in the country,” chief justice Umar Ata Bandial, leading a six-member bench, said. CJ Bandial pointed out that two more judges had recused themselves on the first day of hearing.

At Tuesday’s hearing, the government defended its move, urged the court to dismiss all petitions and contended that under Article 245 of the Constitution, the armed forces had the obligation to defend Pak against “external aggression or threat of war”.

THE REST

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NOW YAMUNA FLOODS AGRA, REACHES TAJ OUTER WALL

After a gap of 45 years, Yamuna river water has reached the outer walls of the Taj Mahal complex in Agra, flooding the garden behind the 17th-century white marble mausoleum. The last time this happened was in 1978.

Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which looks after the UNESCO World Heritage Site, however, said that it was unlikely that the flood water will enter the monument.

The last time Yamuna floodwater touched the outer walls of the Taj complex was way back in 1978.

The floodwater suddenly reached the outer walls of the complex on Monday night after thousands of cusecs of water were released from Okhla and Gokul barrages in Mathura, officials said, adding around 350 bighas of standing crops have got submerged in Agra alone.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have also reached Agra to start rescue and operations.

‘MANIPUR KI SABHI PRAJA KO BACHA LIJIYE’: MIRABAI CHANU’S APPEAL TO PM

Tokyo Olympics silver medal-winning weightlifter Mirabai Chanu posted an emotional appeal on social media to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to restore peace to her troubled home state of Manipur.

“Manipur ki sabhi praja ko bacha lijiye, aur pehle jaise shanti laiye (Please save all the people of Manipur and restore peace in the state),” Mirabai said in a video she posted on her Instagram handle on Monday evening.

“It will soon be three months since violence in Manipur started. The authorities are yet to restore peace. Because of the violence, a lot of athletes are unable to train and students are not able to focus on studies. Lots of people have lost their lives and many houses have been burnt down. Even though I am in USA training for the upcoming World Weightlifting Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games, I have a home in Manipur. Even if I am not in the state, I think about home and wonder when normalcy will return. I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to find a solution to the unrest as soon as possible,” she added.

4 PAK ULTRAS KILLED IN POONCH ENCOUNTER; ARMS RECOVERED

Four Pakistani terrorists armed with AK rifles were on Tuesday killed in a joint operation by the Army and the police in the Surankote area of Poonch district. The Army said the operation had thwarted a possible strike on civilians in Poonch and adjoining Rajouri district, which has witnessed terror attacks in recent past.

Poonch is one of the major crossing points for Pakistani terrorists as the district lies along the LoC. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from their possession.

BJP LEADER KIRIT SOMAIYA’S EXPLICIT VIDEO EMERGES; OPPN MAKES THE MOST OF IT

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Tuesday ordered an investigation after an explicit video clip, purportedly of senior BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya, went viral and kicked up a political storm. 

Speaking at the state legislative council, Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio in Maharashtra, said: “If you have any proof, send it across. We’ll thoroughly investigate the entire issue and no one will be spared. We’ll ensure there is no loophole and the identity of the victims is also protected.”

Fadnavis made his statements after the video sparked a major row on the first day of Maharashtra’s monsoon session.

Somaiya has refuted allegations of having harassed any women.  

The video has given ammunition to the Opposition. In a tweet Monday, Maharashtra Congress president Varsha Gaikwad claimed that the “self-styled torchbearer of probity in governance has now been exposed”.  She was referring to Somaiya’s past corruption “crusades” against BJP’s adversaries.

UP ATS QUESTIONS PAK CITIZEN SEEMA HAIDER, INDIAN PARTNER SACHIN

Pakistani citizen Seema Haider, who entered India illegally in May and is staying with her partner in Rabupura area of Greater Noida, was picked up Tuesday by the Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad and questioned for hours, a second day of quizzing by the agency.

The cross-border couple was first interrogated by the UP ATS on Monday.

Haider (30) and Meena (22) were first arrested by the local police in Greater Noida on July 4 but were granted bail by a court on July 7.

During her interactions with media, Seema said she does not wish to go back to Pakistan and wants to live with Sachin. She also claimed to have turned a Hindu. Back home in Pakistan, the family and neighbours of Seema Haider told a PTI correspondent that they do not want her to return, while a gang of dacoits attacked a Hindu temple with rocket launchers in the Southern Sindh province on Sunday.

SURAT DIAMOND BOURSE PIPS PENTAGON AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST OFFICE BUILDING

A newly constructed building in the diamond hub of Surat in Gujarat has surpassed the Pentagon as the world’s largest office building.

Surat Diamond Bourse, billed as a “one-stop destination” for over 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers and traders, will welcome its first occupants in November, the report said. It features a succession of nine rectangular structures spilling out from — and interconnected via — a central “spine”, and the sprawling 15-storey complex has been built across more than 35 acres.

According to architects, it comprises over 7.1 million square feet of floor space. It is expected to be officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Rs. 32-billion ($388 million) complex also houses 131 eleva­tors, besides dining, retail, wellness and conference facilities for workers.

META LAUNCHES OPEN-SOURCE AI MODEL TO TAKE ON CHATGPT AND GOOGLE

Facebook owner Meta on Tuesday released a new and free-of-charge version of its artificial intelligence model, making a play against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Google.

OpenAI and Google have developed impressive large language models that serve as the foundations of the ChatGPT and Bard chatbots, which have drawn excitement with their capabilities to mimic human creativity and expertise.

Meta meanwhile has avoided releasing generative AI products straight to the consumer, and instead developed Llama, a language model specifically developed for researchers so that they could perfect it.

Crucially, Llama is open-source, meaning that its inner workings are available to all to be tinkered with and modified, unlike the headline-grabbing AIs developed by OpenAI and Google.

"Open source drives innovation because it enables many more developers to build with new technology," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post.

VICTORIA WITHDRAWS AS HOSTS OF 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

The Australian state of Victoria withdrew as hosts of the 2026 edition of the Commonwealth Games after citing a steep rise in projected expenditure to host the Games. Since 1930, Australia has hosted five of the 22 editions. Victoria 2026 was supposed to be the third CWG event they hosted since 2006.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews, while announcing the decision at a news conference, said that their estimates had risen to about Aus $7 billion (nearly $5 billion) to host the Games from the original estimate of Aus $2.6 billion.

“When the CGF approached us last year to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games… we were happy to help out. But not at any price and only if there was lasting benefit for Victorian communities and the whole state. I cannot stand here and say that I have any confidence that even that Aus $7 billion would adequately and appropriately fund these Games. I think it could be more than that. Aus $7 billion is well and truly too much for a 12-day sporting event,” Andrews said.

Victoria’s pullout leaves the Commonwealth Games Federation with a mountain to climb. The rest of the five states in Australia have already ruled out stepping into the spot vacated by Victoria.

Victoria had volunteered to host the 2026 edition only in April 2022. Birmingham, which was tipped to host the 2026 Games, had chosen to replace Durban as the host of the 2022 edition. Birmingham’s elevation to hosts for CWG 2022 had happened in December 2017 after the original choice, Durban, was stripped of the rights to stage the event for a failure to fulfill financial obligations.

'ICONIC PLAYERS’ BAJRANG PUNIA AND VINESH PHOGAT EXEMPTED FROM SELECTION TRIALS FOR ASIAN GAMES

World Championship medallists Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, who led the protests against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, have been handed an exemption from competing in the selection trials for the Asian Games.

However, the same courtesy has not been extended to other protesting wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, or reigning Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya.

While Bajrang won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics as well as last year’s World Championship, Vinesh, too, finished on the podium at the 2022 Worlds. However, as per the selection policy rules, Ravi Dahiya, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is also entitled for an exemption.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of Him. - James Baldwin

OFF TRACK

A married couple, both 60 years old, were celebrating their 35th anniversary. During their party, a fairy appeared to congratulate them and grant them each one wish.       

The wife wanted to travel around the world. The fairy waved her wand and poof - the wife had tickets in her hand for a world cruise.       

Next, the fairy asked the husband what he wanted.       

He said; "I wish I had a wife 30 years younger than me."       

So the fairy picked up her wand and poof - the husband was 90.