Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has suggested that the armed forces should be brought in to quell the violence. But shouldn’t matters related to maintenance of law and order be left to the police? The more pressing need is for all sides to step back so that the tempers are lowered and violence brought under control. This applies to all stakeholders, including protesters, the police, political leaders, and civil society at large.

Mint Views Daily Dispatch

59: Should army be called in to contain violence in Delhi?

US President Donald Trump is on a visit to India. Besides the broad continuity in the India-US ties, what does it mean for the domestic politics in the US? Trump, who recently came out of an impeachment trial, could use the visit to bolster his image in the run-up to the 2020 Presidential election, particularly among the Indian diaspora in the US. But could it also affect the bipartisan nature of India’s relationship with the American polity?

58: Trump’s extravaganza in India: What it means for politics in US?

The Supreme Court has ruled that all women officers shall be considered for permanent commission in the army and will be eligible for both ‘command’ and ‘criteria’ appointments. Technically, the order paves the way for India to have a woman general leading our army someday. On the ground, though, implementation may pose challenges due to sexist biases and prejudices prevalent among our people. 

57: SC orders Centre to give permanent commission to women in Army

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept back to power for the third time in a row in Delhi. The triumph owes mostly to welfarism and effective governance that trumped the nationalistic campaign pitch of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Could this act as a template for other states to follow?

56: Should other states replicate Arvind Kejriwal led AAP’s governance model?

Elections in Delhi is just round the corner. Both AAP and BJP has been quite robust in their campaigns. While the former confined their narrative to local issues and governance , the latter clearly put more emphasis on certain national issues. The point we discuss and analyse is whether it will be local or national issues that would determine the outcome of this election? 

55: Local Vs National issues: What will Delhi vote on in the upcoming polls?

Budget 2020 hasn’t done much to address concerns over economic slowdown. With a nominal growth of 10% GDP growth translates into 5.5%-6% real GDP growth rate. The question is should we accept this rate as the new normal? This budget has seen a massive push to social sector and infrastructure through government spending. But the point is can we experience growth without the private sector? According to the latest Purchasing Manufacturer’s Index (PMI) private sector investment has shown a surge in eight years. Here is a discussion on the concept of growth and the current economic scenario.

54: Budget 2020: Is economic growth possible without push to the private sector?

Budget 2020 hasn’t done much to address concerns over economic slowdown. With a nominal growth of 10% GDP growth translates into 5.5%-6% real GDP growth rate. The question is should we accept this rate as the new normal? This budget has seen a massive push to social sector and infrastructure through government spending. But the point is can we experience growth without the private sector? According to the latest Purchasing Manufacturer’s Index (PMI) private sector investment has shown a surge in eight years. Here we discuss and debate the concept of growth and the current economic scenario.

53: Budget 2020: Is economic growth possible without push to the private sector?

All eyes are on finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman who will present the Union Budget on Saturday. A ramp-up in fiscal spending to revive growth seems likely. With key indicators including GDP, exports, investment showing poor numbers what can be done to increase consumption and revive growth? Greater infrastructure spending would help drive investment. On the other hand, a tax cut for the salaried could stimulate spending. Some argue it may be better to put money in the hands of the poor who have a greater tendency to spend. The choices are many, and Sitharaman has an unenviable task. 

52: As the Budget drumbeat rolls, what are our expectations?

IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have barred Kunal Kamra from flying with them after he heckled Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami onboard a flight. Kamra reportedly confronted Goswami with multiple questions and mocked him even as Goswami chose to ignore him. Such behavior can be a nuisance for other passengers besides posing security risks. But is the ban too harsh a step?

51: Kunal Kamra banned by three airlines; is the action justified?

The European Parliament is set to debate on resolutions that centre on India’s amended citizenship law and the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy. The most critical of these resolutions is the one on the citizenship law, which an overwhelming number of members of the European parliament consider discriminatory. A European Union spokesperson has clarified that the resolutions do not reflect the official position of the 28-member bloc. But the question remains: Do these resolutions pose diplomatic challenges to India and can they impact India-EU ties?

50: Will the EU resolutions on CAA & Art 370 affect ties with India?

In a fresh effort to sell Air India, the government has invited bids for a 100% stake in the national carrier. Not only has the complete stake been put on the table, the government has also made other relaxations, such as significantly reducing the debt burden that the buyer will have to take on. The question is, will this be enough to attract buyers to the loss-making airline, and can the deal indeed be completed by March, as the government is targeting?

49: Will Modi govt’s sweet deal on Air India help attract bidders?

The coronavirus has claimed 17 lives and infected hundreds. In China, authorities have put the city of Wuhan, from where the outbreak originated, under lockdown. Several other countries, including India, are screening passengers coming from the city. Thankfully, no case has been detected in India so far, and there is no reason for us to be alarmed. But it would be advisable to stay on alert so that we are well-prepared was the outbreak to grow into a global health emergency.

48: Are we prepared to deal with the new coronavirus outbreak?

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth is in the eye of a storm over his recent comments about Dravidian icon E.V. Ramasamy, fondly called Periyar. The veteran actor had claimed that Periyar at a rally in 1971 had desecrated images of Hindu deities. While his comments have upset Periyar supporters who deny any such thing happened, he has stuck to his claim. By bringing in Hindu deities, he seems to be playing the right-wing religion card. So, is he finally ready to take the political plunge?

47: Is Rajinikanth on the verge of entering politics

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has said that the only way for India to end terrorism is by acting against it in the same way as America did after the 9/11 attacks. The question is does India have the global or military heft needed to carry out such aggressive campaigns. Even if it did, is such a strategy really advisable considering the huge financial costs America had to incur?

46: Should India replicate US post 9-11 war against terror

India is reportedly planning to step up the heat on Malaysia by imposing fresh restrictions on the import of microprocessors and telecom equipment, as Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s repeated statements against some of India’s internal policies hurt bilateral ties. India has reportedly also privately signaled to palm oil traders not to import from Malaysia. The question is, should differences on the diplomatic front be allowed to spill over to trade relations? Mint Views Daily dispatch brings you scenes from the Mint edit table where ideas are mooted, discussed and debated before they make it to the coveted editorial page of the paper.

45: After palm oil, India set to impose new curbs on imports from Malaysia

In this podcast, listen to a panel discussion of Mint View's editors on important issues of the day. This is a livemint production, brought to you by HT smartcast.

hubhopper

Mint Views Daily Dispatch

hubhopper