‘ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION’ SUBTERFUGE FOR DISMANTLING FEDERAL STRUCTURE: MALLIKARJUN KHARGE

A day after the Centre named an eight-member high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to “examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections” to Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Sunday said the idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is a “subterfuge” for dismantling the federal structure of India.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, said the idea of simultaneous elections was an attack on the states. “INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union and all its states,” he said.

Kharge said the Government will have to make at least five amendments to the Constitution and make massive changes in the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Amendments to the Constitution, he said, will be required to truncate the terms of the elected Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies, as also at the level of local bodies, so that they can be synchronised.

He alleged that the Narendra Modi government wants to slowly turn democratic India into a dictatorship. “Without undermining the wisdom of any individual, is the proposed committee best suited to deliberate and decide on perhaps the most drastic disruption in the Indian electoral process? Should this huge exercise unilaterally be undertaken without consulting the political parties at the national level and at the state level? Should this humongous operation happen without bringing states and their elected governments on board?” he asked.

INDIA WILL BE A DEVELOPED NATION BY 2047: PM MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India’s economic growth is a “natural by-product” of his nine-year-old government’s political stability, as he expressed optimism that it will be a developed nation by 2047 with “corruption, casteism and communalism” having no place in our national life.

In an exclusive interview with PTI late last week, the Prime Minister also stressed on the need for timely and clear communication of policy stance by central banks, and policy actions by each country in their fight against inflation so that it can prevent negative repercussions on others countries.

While most advanced economies are facing an economic slowdown, chronic shortages, high inflation, and ageing populations, the Indian economy is acknowledged to be the fastest-growing large economy with the largest youth population.

“For a long time in world history, India was one of the top economies of the world. Later, due to the impact of colonisation of various kinds, our global footprint was reduced,” he said. “But now, India is again on the rise. The speed with which we jumped five spots, from the 10th largest economy to the fifth largest in less than a decade has conveyed the fact that India means business,” he noted.

Adding a fourth ‘D’ -- development -- to the 3Ds of democracy, demography and diversity, he said the period till 2047 is one of huge opportunity and “Indians who are living in this era have a great chance to lay a foundation for growth that will be remembered for the next thousand years.”

Asked what message had India sent by hosting foreign leaders at G-20 meetings in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, notwithstanding objections by Pakistan and China, the PM said he was “surprised” that he was asked such a question. “Such a question would be valid if we had refrained from conducting meetings in those venues,” he said.

“By 2047, I am sure that our country will be among the developed countries. Our economy will be even more inclusive and innovative. Our poor people will comprehensively win the battle against poverty. Health, education and social sector outcomes will be among the best in the world. Corruption, casteism and communalism will have no place in our national life.”

RUSSIAN ENVOY APOLOGISES FOR COMMENT ON LAVROV

Russian ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Sunday expressed regret over his light-hearted remarks about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that had raised a few eyebrows.

In an interaction with mediapersons on Friday, a journalist asked Alipov about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to skip the G20 summit and jocularly referred to how he was popular among Russian women and that it would have been nice if he had come to India.

In a lighter vein, the envoy thanked the person who asked the question for the remarks and said, “Lavrov is married, but he is coming. He is a womaniser, by the way.”

“I’m sorry that my words had a scandalous tang to some. The only thing I meant is that Lavrov is popular among women as a gentleman,” Alipov clarified on ‘X’, on Sunday. “And he’s much admired by men too for his intellect, charisma and wit,” the envoy added.

Russian President Putin has decided not to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 as he has to focus on the “special military operation” in Ukraine. Russia will be represented at the summit by Lavrov.

AMIT SHAH SLAMS UDHAYANIDHI STALIN’S REMARKS AGAINST SANATAN DHARMA

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday lashed out at the INDIA coalition over DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks against Sanatan Dharma, accusing the Opposition bloc of insulting the country’s culture for vote bank and appeasement politics.

At the launch of BJP’s second Parivartan Sankalp Yatra in Rajasthan, Shah said at a rally in Dungarpur: “I am seeing for two days that you (INDIA coalition) want power, but at what cost? For two days you are insulting this country’s culture, history and Sanatan Dharma.”

He said: “Two major parties of INDIA coalition, DMK and Congress, their senior leaders – one a son of a (former) Finance Minister and the other a Chief Minister’s son – are saying that Sanatan Dharma should be ended. Tell me, are you ready to end Sanatan Dharma?”

After some BJP leaders targeted Udhayanidhi on social media, Congress leader Karti Chidambaram Saturday said in a post on X: “Sanathan Dharma is nothing but code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. All those batting for it are hankering for the Good Ole Days! Caste is the Curse of India.”

Referring to an old statement of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on radical Hindu outfits, Shah said, “They have a prince, Rahul baba, who said that the Hindu organisations are more dangerous than Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rahul baba, you are comparing Hindu organisations with the Lashkar-e-Taiba and your guru and minister used to say that there is Hindu terror. Brothers and sisters, tell me, do you agree to attach the name of Hindu next to terror. This INDIA coalition can stoop to any level to do politics of vote bank and appeasement.”

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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CHINA SLIPPING INTO PARANOIA? WANTS PEOPLE TO GUARD AGAINST THREATS TO COUNTRY

Beijing sees forces bent on weakening it everywhere: embedded in multinational companies, infiltrating social media, circling naïve students. And it wants its people to see them, too.

Chinese universities require faculty to take courses on protecting state secrets, even in departments like veterinary medicine. A kindergarten in Tianjin city organised a meeting to teach staffers how to “understand and use” China’s anti-espionage law.

China’s ruling Communist Party is enlisting ordinary people to guard against perceived threats to the country, in a campaign that blurs the line between vigilance and paranoia. The country’s economy is facing its worst slowdown in years, but China’s authoritarian leader, Xi Jinping, appears more fixated on national security and preventing threats to the party’s control. “We must be prepared for worst-case and extreme scenarios,” Xi told China’s National Security Commission in May. He called on officials to “enhance real-time monitoring” and “get prepared for actual combat.”

On high-speed trains, a video on loop warns passengers to be careful when taking photos, in case they capture sensitive information. In government offices where residents file routine paperwork, posters remind them to “build a people’s defensive line.” One local government in Yunnan province published a video of men and women in the traditional dress of the Yi,dancing and singing cheerily about China’s national security law. “Those who don’t report will be prosecuted. Covering crimes will lead to jail,” the performers sang.

Last October, one hotel published an infographic about groups the security ministry had deemed most at risk of co-optation by foreign enemies. They included people who had studied abroad and “young internet users.”

‘WILL BACK TRUMP AS GOP NOMINEE, & WILL PARDON HIM IF I BECOME PREZ’

Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy said on Sunday that while he hopes to become the party’s nominee for the November 2024 US elections, he will vote for Donald Trump if the former president secures the nomination. Appearing on a Sunday talk show, the 38-year-old Indian American entrepreneur told ABC news, “If Donald Trump’s the nominee —yes, I will support him, and if I’m the president, yes, I will pardon him because that will help reunite the country. But it’s not the most important thing I’m going to do as the next president. It is the table stakes for moving this country forward.”

Following his impressive performance in the inaugural Republican primary presidential debate last month, Ramaswamyhas experienced a surge in popularity. He is notably the sole Republican presidential hopeful to openly endorse Trump. “My bottom line is that Iwill vote for the person who I think is best positioned to move this country forward. I do not think that’s Joe Biden. I do not think that is whichever other puppet, Kamala Harris or anybody else, that they roll out after Joe Biden,” he said.

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LAST KUKI-ZOMIS IN IMPHAL LOCALITY SAY THEY WERE FORCEFULLY EVACUATED

In the four months since violence erupted in Manipur, thousands of people from the Kuki-Zomi community in Meiti-majority Imphal have left the city. However, a group of 24 Kuki-Zomis had stayed back in their locality, which they kept guarded with jagged gates.

These 24 residents were evacuated from Imphal by security personnel soon after midnight on Saturday. Jimmy Touthang, who was among them, alleged that the evacuation was forced and that it felt “more like an abduction”.

Around 300-odd Kuki-Zomi residents of the locality had earlier left amid the violence. Touthang and his wife, Neikim, had stayed back to guard their home. They said they were not given any prior notice about the evacuation early Saturday.

“We were not given time to pack our things. We were not even informed where they were taking us. When the vehicle stopped, we found ourselves in Motbung,” he said. Motbung is located in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district, 25 km from New Lambulane.

Before Saturday, Touthang said, personnel from Assam Rifles or police would pay them a visit from time to time, asking them to evacuate. But the 24 residents chose to stay put.

A source in the security forces said the evacuation had been requested by the administration on the grounds that the presence of the Kuki-Zomis in New Lambulane had made them a vulnerable target, and that authorities had received inputs regarding threats to the group of residents.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said in a post on the social media platform X that Saturday’s “forceful” evacuation “means that ‘ethnic cleansing’ is complete in the Imphal Valley that is dominated by the Meitei people”. “A State Government presides over ‘ethnic cleansing’ and the central government claims that the government of the state is being carried on in accordance with the Constitution,” he posted.“There can be nothing more shameful than this development. It marks a new low in India’s descent into lawlessness.”

G20: DELHI POLICE HOLD FULL DRESS REHEARSAL; TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE

The Delhi Police on Sunday held full dress rehearsal for the G20 summit, escorting carcades from different parts in the Capital.

India will host the G20 Summiton September 9 and 10 in the national capital.

The police advised people to follow real-time traffic updates on the ‘G20 Virtual Help Desk’ for route suggestions for commuting to and from the airport, railway stations or bus terminals.

Northern Railways has decided to cancel and divert over 200 passenger trains temporarily from September 8 to 11. Moreover, several trains prescribed to originate or terminate at the New Delhi railway station during that period will now terminate or originate from Ghaziabad or Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations.

The New Delhi G20 summit will see the "biggest participation" in the history of the grouping with arrangements in place for the mega event including that for the stay of leaders of member countries and the invited guest countries.

The Group of Twenty (G20) includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, US, UK and the European Union.

India has also invited Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE as guest countries for the mega event.

TELECOMMUNICATION BILL: USER VERIFICATION MAY BE MUST FOR MESSAGING APPS

The final version of the telecommunications (telecom) Bill is likely to regulate internet-based calling and messaging services, such as WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet, and Telegram, requiring authorisation from the government and mandatory verification of users on their platforms, informed sources.

The new draft of the Bill, in its final stages, has introduced a differentiated regulatory regime for different communication services. This is contrary to the expectation that the final Bill may provide significant relaxations for internet calling and messaging applications, also known as over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms.

Last year, the government proposed to include internet-based communication services, in-flight and maritime connectivity services, interpersonal communication services, machine-to-machine communication services, and OTT communication services within the ambit of telecom services in the draft Bill floated for public consultation.

The term “OTT communication service” has been replaced by “number-independent services” that are not interconnected with the public switched telephone network, said a person aware of the matter.

The new telecom Bill seeks to replace three laws: the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885; the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933; and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950.

SOLAR MISSION: FIRST EARTH-BOUND MANOEUVRE OF ADITYA L1 PERFORMED SUCCESSFULLY, SAYS ISRO

ISRO on Sunday said it has successfully performed the first earth-bound manoeuvre of the country’s maiden solar mission, Aditya L1.

“Aditya-L1 Mission: The satellite is healthy and operating nominally. The first Earth-bound maneuvre (EBN#1) is performed successfully from ISTRAC, Bengaluru. The new orbit attained is 245km x 22459 km. The next maneuvre (EBN#2) is scheduled for September 5, 2023, around 03:00 Hrs. IST,” ISRO said in an update on ‘X’, formerly Twitter.

INDIA'S ECONOMY 16.5 YEARS BEHIND CHINA'S, SAYS BERNSTEIN RESEARCH REPORT

India is a median 16.5 years behind China on broad business and economic parameters, according to latest research by Bernstein which suggested that the country has much catching up to do.

The brokerage firm looked at various yardsticks that included patents, FDI, forex reserves, nominal GDP, and exports.

Its report found that India is behind China by 21 years when it comes to patents, 20 years in FDI, 19 years in forex reserves, and 17 years in exports. On nominal GDP and per capita income, India is 15 years behind. In consumption expenditure, it is 13 years behind. On gross fixed capital formation, it is 16 years behind.

Bernstein has based its analysis on data from the RBI, the China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the World Bank and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

SUNNY DEOL STARRER GADAR 2 CROSSES RS 500 CR MARK

Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 was long pegged to cross the Rs 500 crore mark by trade pundits, however, it was only a matter of when. The film has finally achieved the feat on day 24 of its release. The film helmed by Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel released alongside Akshay Kumar's OMG 2 which too has registered a decent business at the box office.

In the domestic market, Gadar 2 is running neck and neck with Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan. While Pathaan had collected Rs 508.1 crore nett in India at the end of 24-day, Gadar 2 early estimates stand at Rs 500.87 crore. Pathaan collected Rs 543.09 crore during its theatrical run in India. It will be interesting to see if Gadar 2 can cross the benchmark set by Pathaan.

Will Gadar 2 cross Pathaan's lifetime collection record in India?

The momentum around Gadar 2 is still strong and trade pundits are hopeful of the film crossing Pathaan's lifetime collection record in India. Sunny Deol's film took the release clash with OMG 2 head-on and kept moving ahead at the box office despite competition from the new release Dream Girl 2. The only factor that could dent Gadar 2 wave at the box office is SRK's Jawan which is slated to hit the screens on September 7. Gadar 2 is yet to rake in over Rs 43 crore to beat Pathaan's lifetime collection record in India and the journey ahead will be challenging given the hype around SRK's film.

Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar's OMG 2 has a total collection of Rs 146.36 crore in India over the course of 24 days.

BANGLADESH CRUSH AFGHANISTAN TO KEEP ASIA CUP HOPES ALIVE

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto delivered when it mattered the most by hitting centuries as Bangladesh registered an emphatic 89-run win over Afghanistan to keep themselves alive in the Asia Cup in Lahore on Sunday.

While Miraz amassed 112 runs off 119 deliveries, Shanto picked up where he left off in the previous game, with a 105-ball 104 to take Bangladesh to a commanding 334 for 5 after opting to bat.

Bangladesh bowlers, led by Taskin Ahmed (4/44 in 8.3 overs) and Shoriful Islam (3/36 in 9 overs), then joined the party as they struck at regular intervals to bowl out Afghanistan for 245 in 44.3 overs despite the best efforts of Ibrahim Zardan (75 off 74) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (51).

After the victory, Bangladesh were in second spot in Group B, while Afghanistan need to win their final game against Sri Lanka for a chance to progress in the Super Four stage.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

For every complex problem, there is an answer that is simple, clear and wrong. - H L Mencken

OFF TRACK

According to geologists, about 100 million years from now, Asia and the Americas will smash together to form one giant supercontinent. The good news for America: Maybe all those jobs that went over to Asia will finally come back.