In Focus by The Hindu

The words Congress and crisis go together. Since losing power in 2014, the party has lurched from one crisis to the other, sending warning signals of its imminent demise. Yet, it remains in power in a few states and, perhaps, the only non-BJP party with a national footprint. In the politically significant state of Uttar Pradesh, the party has stuck to its non-player status. 

The Congress has remained without a president after Rahul Gandhi quit the top post. After a long delay, the party has announced that it will elect a president on October 17, but Mr. Gandhi has so far said he will not run again. The Gandhi family is said to favour Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. There are reports that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor may also contest. 

To discuss all these issues, we are joined by Sandeep Phukan, who covers the Congress party for The Hindu.

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On August 26, China’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong published an article in a Sri Lankan newspaper in which he drew parallels between American leader Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, and India’s objections to Chinese tracking tracking vessel Yuan Wang-5 docking at Sri Lanka’s strategically significant Hambantota port. In the article, without naming India, he effectively accused India of bullying Sri Lanka, and interfering with its sovereignty by trying to pressurise it over its decision to allow the docking of the Chinese vessel. He concluded his piece by saying that China and Sri Lanka should join hands to protect their respective sovereignties from countries such as the US and India.

India’s response was uncharacteristically sharp. In a series of tweets, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka charged the Chinese Ambassador with “violating basic diplomatic etiquette”. Is the entire episode, involving India, Sri Lanka and China an outlier, or are we likely to see more such confrontations as the geopolitical competition in the Indian Ocean heats up? What are Sri Lanka’s options in this scenario?

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The United Nations recently released a new report by Tomoya Obokata, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences. The report will be part of the agenda at the next session of the Human Rights Council in September. It focuses on one particular aspect of contemporary slavery -- how minorities are especially vulnerable to it, and what can be done to protect them from falling prey to slavery.

To better understand the implications and recommendations of this report, and why slavery continues to persist, we speak with Dr Prabha Kotiswaran, Professor of Law and Social Justice at Kings College, London.

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Earlier this month, Cricket Australia launched a five-year strategic plan for growing and managing the sport in the country. 

The plan, titled ‘Where the Game Grows’ lays down a roadmap for Australian cricket for the period 2022-2027. It has many ambitious targets, including doubling the number of cricket-playing kids aged 5 to 12 years to 210,000 in five years, and quadrupling the number of girls taking up cricket to 60,000. Among other things, the plan also aims to enhance community participation, increase cultural diversity, and offer outstanding digital and live experiences for cricket fans – all with an eye on making cricket an Olympic sport by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. 

India, as we all know, is a cricket-crazy country, but the fans aren’t a part of the process when the Board draws up its long-term plans, unlike Australia. So there is a lot of curiosity about Cricket Australia’s approach to managing the sport. How did Cricket Australia come up with this plan, what went into it and what are the challenges they foresee? 

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The central government had recently barred State-owned power distribution companies from buying or selling power on the spot exchanges without paying their current dues to power producing firms. Many States have since paid up and have been able to participate in the trades. This is an opportune moment to evaluate whether the legacy problems of State discoms, that have been perennially burdened with inefficiencies and huge debt, are on a path to resolution. To help us with perspectives, we have with us Ms. Vibhuti Garg, Energy Economist, Lead India at Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). 

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The premature release of these prisoners, responsible for heinous crimes, has taken place behind closed doors. It has led to some public outrage and the matter may well go before the Supreme Court for its opinion on whether the State Government operated in a judicious manner. 

To discuss the issues surrounding the release, I am joined by Senior Advocate Rebecca John, who is a well-known criminal lawyer. 

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Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019(PDP Bill). It didn’t give clear reasons for the move, except to cite the detailed recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s report. It has also not given a definitive timeline for when a refurbished Bill will be ready. 

The move to withdraw the PDP Bill has evoked a range of reactions – ranging from puzzlement to disappointment. If the Bill was deeply flawed, was it then not a good move to withdraw it and redraft it again? Or would it have been better to let the draft go through the whole process of Parliamentary debate and amendments, and later, if need be, judicial challenge? Or is this a matter of the government simply buying more time?

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On Monday, China said its industrial output expanded 3.8% in July compared with a year earlier, a tad slower than June’s 3.9% growth. Retail sales too rose a slower 2.7% compared with the 3.1% growth in June.

Media reports quote analysts as saying that loan demand from the real economy remained weak. The country’s central bank cut rates with an aim to spur growth. Like the rest of the world, India’s northern neighbour faces challenges in terms of quickening inflation, growth challenges and the threat of flight of capital. To help us understand China’s imperatives, we have with us today,  Santosh Pai, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi.

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On August 16, FIFA, world football’s governing body, suspended India citing “undue influence from third parties” in the functioning of the All India Football Federation. This ban, if not lifted soon, could mean that India wouldn’t be allowed to host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled for October this year.

FIFA’s statement also laid down two conditions for the lifting of the suspension: one, repeal of the Supreme Court’s order mandating the setting up of the Committee of Administrators, or CoA, that is currently supervising AIFF’s functioning, and two, the AIFF must regain full control of its daily affairs. 

The government of India immediately requested the Supreme Court for an early hearing, and on August 17, the Court passed an order directing the government to work proactively with FIFA and ensure that the AIFF suspension is lifted and the Under-17 Women’s World Cup takes place as scheduled. 

What sparked this suspension by FIFA? Why did the Supreme Court want a CoA to be set up to oversee reform of the AIFF? Does the current crisis represent an opportunity for India to fix football governance in the country?

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It's a debate that refuses to go away. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi lit into the culture of government "freebies" or Revdi as he called it in Hindi, the matter has now gone to the Supreme Court.

What is the difference between freebies and welfare? In a poor country like India, isn't State intervention for, say, scholarships for students not in the public interest? Who decides what is a freebie and what is welfare? Can a court of law do it or should it be in the domain of individual governments and local bodies?

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