Left, Right & Centre

India was the world's eighth most polluted country in 2022, dropping from fifth place the previous year. While PM 2.5 level dipped to 53.3 micrograms/cubic metre, that is still over 10 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit. The ranking was decided by Swiss firm IQAir in its "World Air Quality Report" and is based on the level of PM 2.5, a pollutant closely tracked by scientists and health experts. Significantly, the report indicates that 39 of the 50 most polluted cities in the world are in India. In broad terms, what can this potentially mean for millions of residents of major Indian cities?

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's comments in the UK about "Indian democracy coming undone" triggered a new flashpoint in parliament today. The ruling BJP demanded his apology, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saying Mr Gandhi insulted India during his visit to London and that these remarks needed to be condemned. The opposition hit back, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying, "Those crushing and destroying democracy are talking of saving it." 

The final arguments over legal recognition to same-sex marriages in India will be heard on April 18 by a five-judge Constitution bench, the Supreme Court said today. Any decision on the subject would have a huge bearing on society, the Supreme Court said. The hearing will be live-streamed on the Supreme Court website and on YouTube. The centre argued that same-sex marriage is not compatible with the concept of an "Indian family unit".

The central government on Sunday filed an affidavit in Supreme Court ahead of a hearing of a plea on legalising same-sex marriages. The Centre's affidavit opposed the plea - saying that 'same-sex marriage is against the Indian concept of a family', and that the traditional definition of marriage 'ought not to be disturbed or diluted'. Tonight on Left, Right & Centre, we ask - is India ready allow the right to love and marry the person of one's choice?

K Kavitha, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate officials for nine hours in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam case and has been asked to return for another round of questioning on March 16. A key focus of the investigation into the Delhi liquor policy case is on an alleged network of middlemen, businessmen and politicians which the central agencies have called the "South Group". The ED alleged the liquor policy was tweaked to help companies of the "South Group" and Manish Sisodia diluted the policy in their favour without any consultation. But the question is, are central agencies fighting corruption or is it just vendetta politics? Watch Left Right and Centre.

The United States Intelligence Community in a report to the US Congress has warned of the possibility of confrontation between India and China. The report comes at a time when the Australian Prime Minister is in India. Australia is India's strategic ally, which has aired serious concerns about China. On Left, Right & Centre, we ask - is an armed confrontation between India and China a strong possibility?

"We can't breathe," say residents of Kerala's Kochi as smoke and strong odour of burning plastic persist over the city after a massive fire engulfed the Brahmapuram solid waste management plant on Thursday. While the court has slammed the municipal body, saying the aftermath of the fire has turned Kochi into a "gas chamber", on Left, Right & Centre, we ask who is to blame for triggering a health crisis in the city?

With China's Foreign Minister warning of a path to confrontation and conflict with the US, it's important to look at one of the areas where the United States and China are in clear competition - military growth. The speed of China's expansion as a world class military power has surprised nations around the world. Shashank Joshi, the Defence Editor of the Economist, speaks to NDTV about the emerging nature of the Chinese military threat. 

China has warned the United States to change its distorted attitude or risk a conflict after the Chinese Foreign Minister stated that Washington's perception of Beijing was "seriously distorted" which is why ''conflict and confrontation" could follow.

 

Rahul Gandhi's comment in London that India's democracy "has come undone" has provoked a backlash with the ruling BJP accusing him of "shaming the country" on foreign soil by "seeking foreign intervention".  Rahul Gandhi had questioned at an event in London "why Europe and the US, the defenders of democracies, were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India had come undone". Rahul Gandhi's comments - do they defame India .. should this have been said overseas or is the BJP overreacting?