Left, Right & Centre

Many questions are being raised after the BJP decided to nominate the daughter of one of the convicts accused in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riots. Another such instance is that of BJP nominating CK Raulji as their MLA candidate. Raulji had referred to the accused in Bilkis Bano case as 'Brahmins with good values'. On Left Right and Centre, we discuss if this election in Gujarat will be fought on the bedrock of communal polarisation.

There is an intense debate across the country on the verdict of the Supreme Court releasing 6 people convicted in the assassination case of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. While the DMK has welcomed the verdict, the Congress party for its part has slammed the decision, even though the Gandhis themselves have forgiven the convicts. Should the Rajiv case convicts have been freed?

The polling has concluded for the high-stake battle in Himachal Pradesh -- while the BJP eyes a historic second consecutive term, Congress says the election is on issues faced by the residents of Himachal Pradesh. Will the BJP succumb to the Himalayan state's "rivaaj", or tradition, of changing the government. The answer lies with the voters in Himachal Pradesh who recorded a turnout of 66 per cent on polling day.

Stand-up comic Vir Das's Bengaluru show, set to open today, has been cancelled, the artist announced on Instagram. The show cancellation comes days after a right-wing organisation claimed that Mr Das's show "hurts Hindu sentiments and presents India in bad light". "Due to unavoidable circumstances we are pushing the Bengaluru show. New details and dates soon," Mr Das said, apologising for the inconvenience. Once again, the joke is on us. Remember Munawwar Farooqui, the comedian who was arrested even before he cracked a joke. Who is afraid of jokes and comics?

Nirav Modi, the diamond businessman from Gujarat who fled India after allegedly cheating a government bank of over Rs. 11,000 crore, in India's biggest ever bank scam, has been cleared for extradition to India. The judges didn't accept the argument that he was a suicide risk and that extradition was oppressive. Will there finally be justice in a case in which money just evaporated from a public sector bank and after Nirav Modi, what about other high-profile offenders who have fled India?

A day after the Supreme Court upheld 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections in admissions and government jobs, there are key questions which are being asked on how this will impact millions of students in the country. Will this mean that General category students looking for admission in a university will find it even tougher to get a seat? We discuss on Left Right and Centre.

As the Supreme Court upholds a 10% quota for the poor among "forward" castes, does this help upper castes get the quota pie? Will this order benefit the BJP politically? Or does it open a Pandora's box as parties like the RJD demand a caste census.

As the poll battle is on in Himachal and Gujarat, manifestos have been released by political parties with promises for the people. The 'rewri' or freebies debate makes a return. Is it 'rewri' politics or it is empowerment for the people?

The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged victorious in four of the seven assembly seats whose results were declared today. Uddhav Thackeray's faction won its first election after a BJP-backed coup led by Eknath Shinde split Shiv Sena.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed the BJP had offered him a "deal to spare" his ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain who are embroiled in investigations by central agencies, if the Aam Aadmi Party pulled out of next month's Gujarat elections. But can he back up this explosive claim?