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PAGE 50

The art of mediating conflicts

Updated on Aug 25, 2021 05:27 PM IST

In Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress tried different models. It isn’t working

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel with Chhattisgarh in-charge PL Punia leave Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence after meeting him, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)
ByHT Editorial

Oil palm plantations: Don’t ignore the environmental lens

While there is an economic case for pushing for oil palm, the government must learn from the experiences in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula where oil palm plantations have eliminated pristine forests and pushed out wildlife. A rapid change in land use has also left a deep social impact

The government has approved a new <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>11,040-crore National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm to boost domestic production. It has identified the Northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) for the project due to their favourable rainfall and temperature. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 24, 2021 03:22 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Monetise assets, the right way

Be pragmatic, ensure transparency, grant autonomy and focus on the details. With seven months remaining this financial year, a stiff target to meet, and a diverse and wide portfolio of assets across ministries, what is now needed is a proper and detailed operational plan

The national asset monetisation plan can free up the government’s own resources for critical social sector spending. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 24, 2021 03:08 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

A national consensus on Afghanistan

The rise of the Taliban must not be used to create an environment of fear. Cross-party consultations and resisting the temptation to deepen polarisation can help prevent this

External affairs minister S Jaishankar. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 23, 2021 04:28 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The idea of social justice

Caste census is a bad idea. There must be better ways to ensure justice, provide equity, and democratise power than reinforcing, rather than annihilating, caste

Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was a stark reflection of the power of the demand for caste census. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 23, 2021 03:56 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The quest for a united front

It is clear that the most serious attempt at Opposition unity since 2014 is underway. But there are several challenges ahead: Leadership; identifiable issues; and the weak link, the Congress

The Opposition meeting ended with a statement critiquing the Centre’s governance — with a focus on Covid-19 and the vaccine policy, economic management, Pegasus, farm laws, the planned privatisation of public sector units, and erosion of fundamental rights, among other issues. (ANI)
Updated on Aug 22, 2021 09:00 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The mixed legacy of Kalyan Singh

As chief minister, Singh left a rare bright governance legacy — seeking to tackle various syndicates in the state, from education to the crime mafia. But this was tarnished by the Babri Masjid demolition — a criminal act, as per the same Supreme Court verdict that enabled the construction of the Ram Temple.

The BJP’s tributes to Singh are a recognition of his role in expanding Hindutva’s appeal, and an attempt to ensure that his support base stays with the party in the UP elections next year. (PTI)
Updated on Aug 22, 2021 08:54 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Investigate political violence

West Bengal has a history of political violence

The injured being treated after clashes during the fourth phase of West Bengal assembly elections, in Cooch Behar district, on April 10. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 20, 2021 06:15 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

A pathbreaking ruling on equality

The Supreme Court (SC)’s interim ruling allowing women to sit for the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance exam for entry into the Army is a game-changer in eliminating gender discrimination. Opening NDA to women is long due. Armed forces must evolve

The very nature of warfare has changed. To be sure, physical fitness remains a prerequisite for both men and women, but technical expertise, decision-making skills and mental resilience are equally important, none of which are governed by gender constrains. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 19, 2021 06:11 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Walking the talk on climate commitments

India has approved the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the 1989 Montreal Protocol. Ratifying the amendment signifies that India will compete for low-global warming potential refrigerants, which can spur innovation and attract international investments

The 2016 Kigali Amendment aims to phase-down HFCs, a set of 19 gases used by the air-conditioning and refrigerant industry, by restricting their production and consumption. (HT file photo)
Updated on Aug 19, 2021 06:02 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Supreme Court: Bridge the gender gap

Justice BV Nagarathna’s nomination to the top court will mark a significant step in equity. The judiciary must show the way

The Indian judiciary lags greatly in terms of gender parity (Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)
Updated on Aug 18, 2021 08:16 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Don’t believe the Taliban’s rhetoric. Women’s rights are under threat

The international community must make the equal and fair treatment of women a precondition for formally recognising the Taliban regime in Afghanistan — with an enforcement mechanism to ensure that reality matches commitments

A group of women hold a street protest calling on the Taliban to protect their rights, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 17. (SHAMSHAD NEWS via REUTERS)
Published on Aug 18, 2021 04:47 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The Centre must shed its ambiguity on Pegasus

The Centre is tying itself up in knots to evade the central question in this case — did the government of India procure Pegasus, and did it authorise its use?

Israeli company NSO Group is known for its Pegasus spyware for surveillance. (Shutterstock)
Updated on Aug 17, 2021 04:33 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Afghanistan will shape international norms

If the US is not willing to step up to protect minority, women and human rights, and can leave Afghans at the mercy of a brutal regime which has a record of rights violations, it will be hard for Washington to justify its intervention elsewhere in the future on these principles

Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport on August 16, trying to flee Taliban’s feared hardline brand of Islamist rule. (AFP)
Updated on Aug 17, 2021 04:25 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The fall of Afghanistan

The United States has lost. The US exit was understandable. But the way it was managed is unpardonable.The Inter-Services Intelligence has won. And India stares at a crisis

Taliban forces patrol a street in Herat, Afghanistan, on August 14. (Reuters)
Updated on Aug 16, 2021 04:49 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

As Nibri crosses 100, reading the economic signals

There are three key takeaways of Nibri crossing 100 in the week of August 15. One, vaccinations are crucial to restore economic activity. Two, partial lockdowns are preferable to blanket lockdowns from an economic point of view, and three, that this should not make us complacent

Representational Image. (File photo)
Updated on Aug 16, 2021 04:38 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

An ambitious climate blueprint

India is willing to take measures to halt the climate crisis and opt for a less-polluting development pathway

The PM also announced that Indian Railways has targeted becoming a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030 (HT Photo)
Updated on Aug 15, 2021 08:33 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

From 75 to 100, India’s future

By focusing on a policy agenda at Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did well. The challenge is in execution

As is the right of the head of the government, PM Modi sought to highlight the improvement in governance in the past seven years, with a focus on welfare delivery (HT Photo)
Updated on Aug 15, 2021 08:32 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

When companies exercise control

To understand the controversy around Twitter’s decision to lock Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s account — he had posted a picture which revealed the identity of relatives of a minor rape victim, an offence under Indian law — it is important to go back to first principles

Representational image. (Shutterstock)
Updated on Aug 13, 2021 04:36 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The story of local successes in water management

Clean water and sanitation, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been rightly focused on, including through the Jal Jeevan Mission, has enormous impact on both health, economy, gender equality and education

In India, accessibility to clean water and water pollution are two big challenges. Less than 50% of the population has access to safely managed drinking water. Water pollution is a serious problem as almost 70% of its surface water resources and a growing percentage of its groundwater reserves are contaminated by biological, toxic, organic, and inorganic pollutants, says an IDFC report. (sunil)
Updated on Aug 12, 2021 08:04 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The outcome of the Monsoon Session

The monsoon session of Parliament has ended, cut short by the continued standoff between the treasury and Opposition benches

A view of the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on Wednesday, August 11. (PTI)
Updated on Aug 12, 2021 06:09 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

A new Afghan war

The war will persist and there will be instability. Whether this instability remains confined within Afghanistan’s border or spills over to Iran or Central Asia or Pakistan itself or Kashmir, or all of the above, is to be seen. India has a limited role, but must continue to support the Afghan government in this war while engaging with all relevant actors to secure its interests.

Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint in Kunduz city, northern Afghanistan, August. 9, 2021. The militants have ramped up their push across much of Afghanistan in recent weeks, turning their guns on provincial capitals after taking district after district and large swaths of land in the mostly rural countryside (AP)
Updated on Aug 12, 2021 10:25 AM IST
ByHT Editorial

The climate crisis threatens Indian agriculture and livelihoods

India must work on a war-footing to mitigate the dire consequences of the climate crisis that could push millions into poverty, and also lead to food insecurity and under-nutrition.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released on Monday, has highlighted the stark reality of global warming and its dire consequences — altered rainfall patterns, rising seas and temperatures, deadlier heat waves and glacial melts (PTI)
Updated on Aug 12, 2021 10:26 AM IST
ByHT Editorial

The century’s most pressing crisis is here

The new report comes less than three months before a key climate summit in Glasgow, and is a wake-up call. India has made progress in its efforts towards decoupling economic growth from emissions and has played a leadership role in launching several green initiatives. But there is scope to do more

Trees and vegetation burn outside the village of Galatsona, on Evia island, Greece. The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth assessment report on Monday. The predictions are calamitous. (Bloomberg)
Updated on Aug 10, 2021 07:31 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

The SC takes on abuse of power

By disallowing states to withdraw criminal cases against legislators, the Supreme Court has done well

By pointing to the need for public and timely disclosure of criminal antecedents, quick disposal of cases, and instituting checks to ensure that political interference does not lead to erosion of law, the court is seeking to ensure a healthier democracy. (HT Archive)
Updated on Aug 10, 2021 07:59 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

When the political class unites

The constitutional amendment on OBC reservation was needed. But it also shows the limits of political imagination

The amendment will restore the power of states to draw and maintain their own list. And in that respect, the bill is necessary. The Centre cannot be the sole authority in determining backwardness, especially when there are widespread local variations. A caste group in one state may, due to historical reasons of backwardness, classify as OBC but not in another. (HT Archive)
Published on Aug 09, 2021 08:01 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Act against rising communal rhetoric in Delhi

The primary responsibility for keeping the peace lies with the BJP, as the ruling party at the Centre. It must rein in local elements at the forefront of the politics of hate

In this file photo from February 26, 2020, firefighters stand near a fire rescue vehicle as they douse burnt-out market premises. In early 2020, the national Capital witnessed its bloodiest riots in 25 years. The riots happened soon after prolonged protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, a polarised election with communal rhetoric, and the failure of the law and order machinery to anticipate and then tackle the violence. (AFP)
Published on Aug 09, 2021 07:54 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Tokyo 2020: A new era begins

Neeraj Chopra, a truly gifted athlete who has made the nation proud, also got lucky in some ways. He was spotted early, at 16, by a great coach; he had time to build on the fundamentals, and was then carefully nurtured by a succession of great coaches. India’s success, both visible and invisible, can mark the start of a new journey

Neeraj Chopra, a truly gifted athlete who has made the nation proud, also got lucky in some ways. He was spotted early, at 16, by a great coach; he had time to build on the fundamentals, and was then carefully nurtured by a succession of great coaches. (Getty Images)
Updated on Aug 08, 2021 07:00 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

There will be more floods. Be prepared

Floods happen due to both heavier than normal rainfall, and the limited capacity of rivers, drainage and water harvesting structures to withstand and discharge excess rainwater. The climate crisis is causing substantial disruptions in monsoon patterns, and scientists warn that floods will only become more frequent and powerful.

An aerial view of the flood-affected area, Shivpuri, August 8, 2021 (ANI)
Updated on Aug 08, 2021 06:56 PM IST
ByHT Editorial

Reward champions, men and women

In the Indian sporting system, a medal at the Olympics results in a windfall for the athlete, or in this case, a team. This rationale should also be extended to the Indian women’s hockey team, who did not win a medal and lost in the bronze medal playoff to Great Britain

Indian players react after losing 1-2 against Argentina during women's field hockey semifinal match, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on August 4. (PTI)
Updated on Aug 06, 2021 06:27 PM IST
ByHT Editorial
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