Media Watch

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of of power marked India’s 69th Republic Day Parade in New Delhi. Its unique feature this year was the presence of ten heads of state or government from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Guests of Honour instead of the solitary invitee of former years. Their presence of far-reaching significance for the region, an affirmation of India’s diplomatic, economic and strategic outreach into the Indo-Pacific sphere to the mutual benefit of the parties (TV channels January 26)
 
Biggest jihadi catch
Abdul Subhan Qureshi, 46, software engineer, one time head of the Student’ Islamic Movement, co-founder of the Indian Mujaheedin, mastermind of bombings across India that had claimed hundreds of innocent lives, was finally caught in Delhi, where he had come to revive his defunct  organizations, collect money and recruits for his cause.
Run to ground
Deputy Commissioner, Special Cell, Pramod Singh Kushwah, said: ‘We had  heard that he’d come to the Paper Market. After a brief exchange of fire, he was nabbed around 8.15.’ (Monday, January 22).
‘He had gone to Saudi Arabia to meet the other founder of the IM Riyaz Bhatkal to arrange finances and revive the IM in India,’ said Commissioner Pramod Singh Kushwah (Hindu January 23).
Ashok Chakra for IAF Commando
Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala,  an Indian Air Force Garuda commando, died in the call of duty in Kashmir, tackling a jihadi unit ensconced in a village in the valley. Laying an ambush, Narula led the attack, killing all six jihadis in an exchange of fire, dying of his wounds. The Ashok Chakra, awarded posthumously in the Republic Day honours list, is the highest award for gallantry in peacetime (Hindu January 26).
India fifth best place to invest: Global CEOs
Reports from Davos, Switzerland, where the world’s great and good congregated to discuss the well-being of humankind, indicate that India had moved up a place, replacing Japan, as the fifth favoured investment destination for global CEOs. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Indian economy will rebound to a 7 plus percentage growth from the next fiscal starting April, 2018, and will climb steadily as the world’s fastest-growing large economy (Times of India January 23).
Tata’s buoyant
‘It has been a good year [2017], a year full of satisfaction. We have embarked upon a number of initiatives. We have looked at building the team… we are systematically active about restructuring some of our businesses…including the expansion of our steel business.’ So said  N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons Ltd, the holding company of the Group, speaking from Davos.
Looking ahead
The Tata Group has set out its stall. It will concentrate on around a half dozen verticals including consumer, retail, financial services and infrastructure, apart from steel. motors and informational technology  (Mint January 23).
HDFC’s third quarter profit hailed
Amitabh Chaudhry, Managing Director and Chief Executive, of mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corporation Life, expressed delight at the company’s third quarter growth [ending December 31]. He said: ‘If you look at our overall premium, it grew at 20 per cent but if you break down that number into its elements, our Individual Weighted Received Premiums (WRP) grew at 46 per cent. Our Group Credit Protect, which is our protection side of the business grew 57 per cent.’ (Mint January 23).
Bangladesh aborts China road project
A China-funded road project in Bangladesh ran into a bribe bumper and got stuck, much to the embarrassment of Chinese officials. The China Harbour Engineering Company which had tendered for the project offered a senior Bangladesh bureaucrat a five million taka bribe to get the contract. The Highways Division Secretary Nazrul Islam promptly informed his minister Obaidul Quader. Eventually, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was brought into the loop. The money was returned to the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.
Narayanan’s groundless apprehension
A few weeks ago, K.R. Narayanan, a former Indian Intelligence Bureau chief, had aired his concerns, in an edit-page article in the Hindu newspaper, about Chinese activity in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to India’s detriment. Asian Voice had refuted his statement, arguing, correctly, that both neighbours could be relied upon to protect their national interests, in which the relationship with India played a key role. The bribery affair in Bangladesh is proof, if proof were at all needed (Economic Times January 19).
Indian scientists’ discovery
Indian scientists studying three generations of a family in Maharashtra discovered a cluster of genes whose aberrations may hold the clue to the cause of dyslexia, a learning disability that affects one in ten persons across the world. The scientists led by Subrata Sinha and  Nandini Singh of the Maneswar-based  National  Brain Research Centre found a strong correlation between certain variations in the gene cluster called proto-cadhern gamma and dyslexia. The scientis, however, were quick to point out that their study was based on a single family. Their paper appeared in the journal EBioMedicine. (Business Line January 22).
Bull run scales new high
Markets continued to break records with the Nifty breaching the 11,000 mark and Sensex closing above 36,000 for the first time. Renewed strength in foreign fund flows into Indian stocks boosted belief that the ongoing record-breaking run is here to stay, despite some fears of a bubble in the making. (Economic Times, Hindu, Mint January 24).
Panagariya upbeat on economic prospects
Professor Arvind Panagariya of Columbia University and formerly top advisor to the Government of India, before returning to academic life, expressed optimism about the direction of the country’s economic prospect at the first  New India lecture  at the Indian Consulate in New York. He said, ‘India is back on its growth trajectory, and if the current government in office is in place for a long time…India will grow consistently for the next several decades…I have no doubt that it will get back to the 8 per cent. India today is probably the only game in town.’
Potential for enhanced growth
Asked if India could achieve double growth [10 per cent or more], Professor Panagagariya answered that this depended on further deep reforms such a change in labour laws and easier land acquisitions, along with a trimmed bureaucracy and a greater role for the private sector (Hindu January 24).
Rajan’s warning to West
Dr Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, back in Chicago University as one of its top brains, addressing the World Economic Forum at Davos, said the western powers must realize that they cannot go a long way without the help of the emerging economies, that no one would be capable of resolving the problems of a ‘fractured world’ if things are not set right soon. With an ageing population, the demand for western products would be met by the emerging economies.
Crisis in West
A London-based columnist, Marc Champion, pointed to the West’s disarray. President Trump was at odds with the rest of the world and a divided America, Chancellor Merkel leads a headless government in Germany, and Teresa May, caught in the coils of Brexit, in the UK (Mint January 24).
India’s air traffic doubles
India’s domestic air traffic nearly doubled to 117 million passengers in 2017 with 100 fights taking off every hour compared with 67 in 2011 according to data released by Directorate  General of Civil Aviation. Growth is likely to slow without the necessary infrastructure. Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir were able to fly fuller flights in 2017. Flights were also 86 percent full compared with 75 per cent in 2011(Mint January 24).
Supreme Court dismisses Padmaavat appeal
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed the appeal of  the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh governments against its ruling that the film Padmaavat be shown in these States, that freedom of expression and the rule of law must prevail over mob disorder. Chief Justice Dipak Misra declared: ‘Our order is to be complied by one and all…the Supreme Court has passed an order. These people had better abide by it (Hindu January 24).
Tarun Vijay scorns intolerance
BJP MP Tarun Vijay writes: ‘Opposing Padmaavat is neither a patriotic act nor does it serve any service to Rajputs. When the movie has already been cleared by the   Central Board of Film Certification, and when the Supreme Court has insisted it be exhibited, ‘those threatening damage…should carry on with their lives and avoid a film they find abhorrent. India can’t be an India where filmmakers only make films I want to watch or write books and articles I want to read.’ (Economic Times January 24).
Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh disgraced
The violence that broke out in craven  BJP- ruled Rajasthan, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh shamed the country. When a school was attacked and its bus carrying children stoned in Guragaon, Haryana, by an unruly mob, shame gave way to outrage across India. Uttar Pradesh, also under BJP dispensation, led by Chief Minister Adityanath, cracked the whip early during the anti-Padmaavat agitation and upheld the rule of law and public order.