opinion

Mann, so far, had also maintained a cordial working relationship with the centre including Prime Minister Modi, and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. That is the natural course for a Chief Minister to adopt, particularly for the one heading a border state like Punjab.However, for the first time, Mann has decided to “boycott” the NITI Ayog meeting.

Some states certainly went ‘unmentioned’ during the FM’s Budget speech, but how far the Union Budget 2024-25 caters to the well-being of every citizen of the country is a matter of perspective.

Most of the prominent leaders in Haryana right now, particularly in the Congress, are second or third and even fourth-generation descendants, having inherited politics by birth, rather than having toiled or laboured for it.

From whether Israel should be a part of the Olympics and concerns over AI-assisted surveillance to Russian athletes participating as neutrals; with less than a week to go, controversies surrounding the Paris Olympics abound.

The budget seeks to address pressing challenges while positioning India for long-term growth and prosperity in an uncertain global financial landscape.

Critics, including prominent industry figures like Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, argue that such quotas could stifle the growth of Karnataka's thriving IT sector and are discriminatory. The concerns are not without merit. The IT sector in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru, has flourished due to its cosmopolitan nature and the ability to attract talent from across the country and the world. Imposing stringent local hiring quotas could deter investment and hamper the sector’s competitiveness.

Some farmers’ organisations have also supported the demand for poppy cultivation in Punjab. This, according to them, will ameliorate the economic and financial condition of farmers, besides helping in reducing paddy cultivation which in turn will help to preserve underground water.

Sukhbir Badal has appeared before the Akal Takht to atone for various “mistakes”, at least on three occasions earlier. First time, Sukhbir, along with his late father and former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal appeared before the Akal Takht, on December 8, 2018, to seek atonement for various “mistakes” committed “inadvertently” in the past.

In the past eight weeks, India has witnessed several deaths due to man-made disasters and preventable tragedies. Is it time to start taking human life far more seriously? 

The outcome of the by-polls narrates a similar ordeal as that of the Lok Sabha Polls 2024.

Even if the ruling party would not have won the Jalandhar West by-election, raising questions on Mann’s future was not quite convincing. Merely because the AAP did not perform well in the General Elections cannot be the sole criterion for reconsidering his role.

This decision marks a progressive step towards the inclusion of vulnerable minority women citizens.  Historically, Muslim women have faced legal discrimination in marriage and family matters due to the absence of reformed and codified personal laws.