ONS says net migration is now beginning to fall but remains high by ‘historic standards’…reports Asian Lite News
Net migration to the UK hit a record high in 2023 of 906,000 in a period covering Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s premierships, revised estimates show. The measure for the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the country then dropped by 20% in the latest period, the 12 months to June 2024, and now stands at 728,000.
The total for net immigration in the year to June 2023 has been revised upwards by 166,000 from the initial estimate of 740,000, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures published on Thursday.
A similar change has been made to the estimate for net immigration in the year to December 2023, which was initially estimated to be 685,000, and is now thought to be 866,000 – an increase of 181,000. The ONS said that while remaining high by “historic standards”, net migration was now “beginning to fall”.
Government spending on asylum in the UK stood at £5.38bn in 2023-24, up 36% from £3.95bn in 2022-23, Home Office figures show.
The ONS has continued to review its net immigration figures as more complete data becomes available and has improved how it estimates the migration behaviour of people arriving in the UK from outside the European Union.
Better analysis of the number of people coming to the UK amid the conflict in Ukraine has also been taken into account. A statement from the ONS said: “Estimates in this release have been updated back to YE June 2021. For example, net migration has been revised upwards by 166,000 for YE [year ending] June 2023 and by 181,000 for YE December 2023. Reasons for these revisions include: more available data, more information on Ukraine visas and improvements to how we estimate migration of non-EU+ nationals.”
The latest tranche of figures cover a period before Labour took power in July. The most recent drop has been fuelled by Rishi Sunak’s policies of banning most international students and health and social care workers from bringing relatives with them to the UK, and hiking the salary required to sponsor a foreign spouse coming to Britain.
The figures covering the previous Conservative government are a reminder of the political repercussions of unkept promises on immigration, according to an immigration thinktank.
Sunder Katwala, director of the migration thinktank British Future, said: “[Keir] Starmer will oversee a continuing fall from the record levels of net migration but his challenge now is to manage the trade-offs on migration for the economy, NHS, universities and social care.
“It remains to be seen how much the public will notice a fall in visa numbers if there is no progress on controlling the much more visible Channel crossings.”
In the year to June 2024, about 94,000 fewer people applied to travel to the UK on study visas than in the previous 12 months, according to Home Office data from earlier this month.
“Study visa” figures include family members or other dependants of students – but from January 2024 many students were prohibited from bringing them with them, under visa changes by the then Conservative government.
Applications for health and care workers and their dependants remained slightly higher in the year to June than in the previous year – mainly driven by a surge in the second half of 2023. But care workers were also barred from bringing in dependants under visa changes in March 2024.
Skilled worker visa applications increased slightly over the same period, with a noticeable rise before a government shake-up of the jobs this visa applies to in April 2024. Applications have since fallen.
Meanwhile, Starmer has accused the Conservatives of running an “open borders experiment” after new figures showed that net migration to the UK hit a record high of nearly 1 million in a period covering Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s administrations.
The prime minister announced a deal with Iraq to tackle people-smugglers and a white paper to overhaul the visa system, before demanding “an explanation” from Kemi Badenoch for her party’s decision to “deliberately liberalise immigration” after the Brexit vote.
His accusation followed the release of official figures that showed the number of people entering the UK, minus those leaving, reached 906,000 in the year ending June 2023. The estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) were revised upwards from a previous estimate of 740,000.
At a Downing Street press conference, Starmer said the failure of successive Conservative governments to control the numbers entering the UK was “unforgivable”, adding: “Failure on this scale isn’t just bad luck. This happened by design, not accident.
“Policies were reformed deliberately to liberalise immigration. Brexit was used for that purpose, to turn Britain into a one-nation experiment in open borders.”
His comments came after Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, signed an agreement with Baghdad to ensure close cooperation to tackle organised crime networks, a faster return of refused asylum seekers and the formation of a new taskforce aimed at breaking up migration routes to the UK..
A total of £800,000 of UK money would be spent on training, support for the Kurdistan regional government and on disruption of organised crime, the government said.
Smuggling networks operating out of Iraq and Kurdistan have been responsible for trafficking thousands of people, including across the Channel to the UK, according to the Home Office .
The Chief Minister commented on the rich and historic relations between the two countries and said that his journey through Germany is a step towards strengthening these relations. …reports Asian Lite News
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav delivered remarks on Thursday during an interactive session in Germany, discussing investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh.
He said, “We want a new kind of partnership with Germany, a partnership that is not restricted to just trade. We want German companies with their advanced technologies, to invest in Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh is a complete investment destination today, it is a big market that is a golden opportunity for investors”.
The Chief Minister commented on the rich and historic relations between the two countries and said that his journey through Germany is a step towards strengthening these relations.
Highlighting the incentives that Madhya Pradesh offers to investors, CM Yadav said, “I want a new kind of partnership with Germany. A partnership that is not limited to just trade. I want Germany’s companies to invest in Madhya Pradesh with their advanced technology.”
He stressed that Madhya Pradesh is “a huge market, which is also a great opportunity for the investors. When I talk about the capabilities of Madhya Pradesh, the figures speak for themselves. Our economy has increased threefold in the last decade. Our economic conditions have increased threefold in the last decade. We are a power surplus state. Madhya Pradesh is the second largest state in the country in terms of the region”.
He further highlighted that in terms of green energy, Madhya Pradesh is a leading state in India, utilizing green energy while meeting international standards.
CM Yadav remarked that the steps for starting businesses have been simplified in the state, calling these changes “revolutionary.” He mentioned that the process of starting a business has been streamlined, with approvals granted from the necessary departments within a short time span of thirty days.
“We have either eliminated or simplified more than 2000 processes. We have eliminated the principles of many laws that were a hindrance in business,” he stated.
He also noted that Madhya Pradesh has repeatedly been awarded by the Indian government for its efforts in emerging as a leading destination for investors.
“Our special team in the Chief Minister’s office is dedicated to the investors. We say that the investors are not guests but a part of the family. I monitor every project myself. Take a decision today and start your plan from tomorrow,” he said while concluding his remarks.
CM Yadav also invited investors to come to Bhopal in 2025 for the Global Investors Summit.
CM Yadav is currently on a visit to Germany from November 28 to November 29, following his three-day visit to the UK. During his visit, he will attend several events in Munich and Stuttgart. (ANI)
The motion said that the House extends time for the presentation of the report of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, up to the last day of Budget Session 2025. …reports Asian Lite News
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha did not transact any major business for the third successive day on Thursday following adjournments over opposition demands for discussion on the Adani issue, Sambhal violence and Manipur situation.
The two Houses were first adjourned till 12 noon and later for the day.
The Lok Sabha adopted a motion, moved by Jagdambika Pal, chairman of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf Bill, for presenting the report by the last day of Budget Session next year. Opposition members had been seeking an extension of the tenure of the committee.
The motion said that the House extends time for the presentation of the report of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, up to the last day of Budget Session 2025.
The motion was adopted amid din in the House.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to introduce sweeping reforms, including digitisation, stricter audits, greater transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.
Earlier, Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan took oath as Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Opposition members have been continuously pushing to have a discussion on the floor on the Adani issue, Sambhal violence and the Manipur situation, raising slogans in the Parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the opposition saying they were encroaching on rights of members who want the House to function.
Speaker Om Birla had also urged opposition members to not protest over their demands and not disrupt proceedings.
Amid disruptions in Parliament over opposition’s demands, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar said that parliamentary disruption is not a remedy but a malady and urged the members to engage in the “traditional thoughtful discussion” and embrace the spirit of meaningful dialogue.
“Parliamentary disruption is not a remedy, it’s a malady. It weakens our foundation. It slides parliament into irrelevance. We must continue to have our relevance. When we engage in this kind of conduct, we deviate from constitutional ordainment. We show our back to our duties. If parliament strays from its constitutional duty to represent people’s hopes and aspirations, it is our duty to nurture nationalism, further democracy. I urge you all to embrace the spirit of meaningful dialogue. Let us return to traditional thoughtful discussion,” the Vice President said.
Dhankhar, who is Rajya Sabha Chairman, said that 75th National Constitution Day on November 26 was a moment for parliamentarians to send a message of hope to 1.4 billion people.
“Yesterday marked a historic milestone – the beginning of the final quarter-century before our Constitution turns 100. This was a moment for our House of Elders, guided by the spirit of nationalism, to send a powerful message of hope to 1.4 billion people, reaffirming our commitment to their dreams and aspirations and our journey towards Vikshit Bharat at 2047. It is with deep concern, I must say we missed this historic opportunity where there should have been productive dialogue, constructive engagement, echoing the collective aspirations of our people, we fell short of their expectations,” he said.
He said parliament is a platform for productive discussion.
“I plead with you, I request you for cooperation. Allow me to take agenda of the day. Be assured, you shall have opportunity to raise all issues. Parliament is a platform for productive discussion. Question hour is important. I have already taken a call…. I cannot allow this house to get into irrelevance. We should not dishonour the spirit of those who gave us this Constitution,” he said.
Dhankhar earlier said that everyone in the Parliament should have the highest regard for conforming to the rules of the House, as any such deviation in tantamount to being sacrilegious to the “temple of democracy.”
“If we start having our practice my way or no way, that is not only not democratic, that will pose a great challenge to the very existence of this sacred theatre. I have no doubt any deviation from the rules is virtually sacrileging this temple,”he said.
The two Houses of Parliament have been witnessing adjournments since the commencement of winter session of Parliament on June 25.
LS passes motion to extend Waqf JPC term
The Lok Sabha adopted the motion to extend the term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf (amendment) bill on Thursday and to present their report at the end of the 2025 budget session instead.
JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal said that during the meeting held by the committee on Wednesday, it was decided that there are around 6 states where there is a dispute between the state government and waqf board on the ownership of properties, and looking at those disputes, it was decided to get an extension for the JPC.
“The speaker had given a mandate on JPC, but on the meeting held yesterday that since there are certain properties where there is a dispute between the state government and Waqf board, with the board claiming certain properties as theirs. There are 6 such states, we had asked for a reply from them but we haven’t gotten a reply from them,” he told ANI today.
He further said that the previous government had also decided on handing over the government properties to the Waqf board, but that decision had been stayed by the court.
“The properties were acquired by the Britishers in 1911 after giving compensation, then in 1970’s the Waqf board claimed that 123 such property is theirs, then as these problems arose when the previous (United Progressive Alliance) government had formed a cabinet just as the elections were going to be announced that they would handover the properties at the rate of Rs 1 per acre per annum. Though the court had stayed that decision, otherwise government property worth around Rs 1 lakh crore would have belonged to Waqf. So we decided it is better to seek an extension,” Pal said. (ANI)
Now, after the fanfare is over, comes the real part of her political journey and the situations that she will have to handle as a MP from the hilly district. ..reports Asian Lite News
With Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday sworn in as Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, curtains have come down on the easy part in her new political journey. It was a foregone conclusion that the Congress scion would win hands down and Priyanka Gandhi did it in style by winning with a margin of over four lakh votes.
At 11 A.M. on Thursday, Priyanka Gandhi who was dressed in a typical Kerala saree, was welcomed to the Parliament with flowers by the Congress-led UDF MPs and was the first to take oath.
Incidentally, she is the only woman MP from Kerala in the Lok Sabha and the UDF has now 18 MPs in the House, with the BJP and the CPI-M having one each.
When Priyanka Gandhi’s name was called out, it was greeted with a resounding applause and after she took oath she walked down and was seen greeting her elder brother Rahul Gandhi who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Now, after the fanfare is over, comes the real part of her political journey and the situations that she will have to handle as a MP from the hilly district.
Wayanad is facing numerous problems, such as lack of proper healthcare facilities, the raging man-animal conflict and not to mention the night traffic from Wayanad to neighbouring Karnataka and numerous other issues.
Incidentally, the biggest campaign point that the ruling Left and the BJP raised during their campaign starting from 2019 when Rahul Gandhi first stood as the Congress candidate and then again in 2024, was that Wayanad needs a full time representative in Parliament and not a tourist MP.
However, all such campaigns on expected lines failed to evoke any response from the electorate as senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi first won with a margin of 4.30 lakh votes that dipped to 3.60 lakh in April 2024 and then Priyanka Gandhi tasted electoral victory with a margin of 4.10 lakh votes.
The first task that MP Priyanka Gandhi has on her shoulders is availing the yet-to-be announced Wayanad package from the Centre.
No relief package has been announced as yet for Wayanad even after three months having passed following the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an on-the-spot assessment of the landslide disaster that washed away four villages in July and left over 400 dead and scores missing.
Meanwhile, there was a modest celebration in her constituency when she was sworn in as MP and Priyanka Gandhi will now be given a rousing welcome when she arrives in Wayanad for the first time after winning the polls.
Posts featuring Rahul, Kharge win hearts on social media
As Priyanka Gandhi took oath in Parliament on Thursday the Wayanad MP’s debut in the corridors of power left the social media flooded with congratulatory messages from party colleagues and supporters.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge led his party in hailing Priyanka Gandhi’s entry into Parliament. In a message written in Hindi on X, Kharge said, “I am confident that Smt Priyanka Gandhi would become a powerful voice of people, especially women, in Parliament.”
“Her leadership, compassion, courage, decency and resolve along with her commitment towards the principles of the Constitution would ensure the welfare of countrymen,” he said.
Kharge’s post on X was accompanied with photos of the Congress President blessing Priyanka Gandhi by placing his hand on her head.
Social media followers also liked a short video on X in which Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi asks his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, to stop on Parliament stairs so that he can capture the memorable moment in his phone’s camera.
Many Congress leaders present at the spot could be seen cheering him and enjoying the moment as Rahul Gandhi is heard saying, “Stop, stop, stop…Let me take a picture.” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate uploaded a photo on X featuring all the three Gandhi family MPs, captioned, “Of The People, By The People, For the People.”
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said in a post on X, “A pleasure to witness first-hand the swearing-in of @incIndia’s newest MP from Kerala, Smt @priyankagandhi. Wishing her great success in representing the people of Wayanad, Kerala and India!” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera expressed deep emotion and pride as Priyanka Gandhi took oath in Parliament.
In a statement on social media platform X, Khera described the occasion as a moment of immense pride and inspiration for the nation. “Since childhood, we have all seen on television the members of the Gandhi family displaying amazing dignity during the tragic assassinations of Indira Ji and Rajiv Ji. The entire country would break into tears, but the Gandhi family, a symbol of unique tradition of sacrificing everything for the country, always considered the country bigger than their personal grief,” Khera recalled.
“When Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took oath as a Member of Parliament for the first time today, with a copy of the Constitution in her hand, all those scenes came back in front of my eyes. Today’s moment is an emotional moment of pride and inspiration not only for the Congress family but for the entire country,” he further said.
Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and other prominent leaders, poured in their congratulations and best wishes to the JMM executive president for being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand …reports Asian Lite News
Days after retaining power in Jharkhand beating anti-incumbency and opposition’s allegations of ‘corruption’, Hemant Soren took oath as the 14th Chief Minister of the state and also assumed office on Thursday.
After taking the oath, he also addressed a press conference and announced Stephen Marandi as the protem speaker of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.
“Stephen Marandi has been chosen as the protem speaker of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. The Jharkhand Legislative Assembly session will commence from December 9-12. Benefits under the Maiya Samman Yojana will be provided from December… The reasons for the deaths of candidates during the physical test in the Jharkhand Police recruitment drive will be done,” said CM Soren.
He further said that the JMM-led government in the state will stand with the families of Agniveers who lost their lives.
“The central government has started a scheme like Agniveer for the security of the nation. There are many questions about the future of the youth… The state government had already decided that it would stand with the families of those Agniveers of Jharkhand who have lost their lives in any incidentm” Soren said.
“Agniveer Arjun Mahto has recently sacrificed his life for the country… We have given an appointment letter to the brother of Agniveer Arjun Mahto, and an ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh has been provided to the family of martyr Agniveer Arjun Mahto,” he added.
After taking oath, he paid tributes to Santhal leaders Siddhu-Kanhu in Morhabadi.
Meanwhile, several leaders from the political fraternity, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Arvind Kejriwal and other prominent leaders poured in their congratulations and best wishes to the JMM executive president for being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
PM Modi congratulated Hemant Soren for taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. He extended his best wishes for his upcoming tenure.
“Congratulations to Hemant Soren on taking oath as Jharkhand CM. Best wishes to him for his tenure ahead @HemantSorenJMM,” PM Modi posted on X.
Governor Santosh Gangwar also extended his wishes for the new government and said, “Best wishes for the new government. I believe that this state will make a good place for itself in the country and make good progress and development.”
Extending best wishes to Soren, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said that his victory is a symbol of the trust of the hardworking people of Jharkhand and his efficient leadership.
He posted on X, “Many congratulations to @HemantSorenJMM on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Your victory is a symbol of the trust of the hardworking people of Jharkhand and your efficient leadership. We wish you all the best as you take Jharkhand to new heights.”
Newly elected Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also congratulated Hemant Soren and the people of Jharkhand for electing the “Abua government.”
In a social media post on X, she wrote, “Many congratulations and best wishes to @HemantSorenJMM and my dear @JMMKalpanaSoren for taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. The people of Jharkhand have once again given INDIA and Hemant Soren a chance to serve. Many congratulations to the people of Jharkhand who elected the Abua government.”
Hemant Soren’s wife and JMM leader Kalpana Soren said that Hemant Soren will fulfil all the aspirations to make Jharkhand a thriving state.
CM’s wife and JMM leader Kalpana Soren said, “It’s a mandate that is given by the people of Jharkhand, and we happily accepted it. There are so many challenges still there. Being a brother and son of Jharkhand, I think that Hemant (Soren) will fulfil all the aspirations to have a thriving Jharkhand.”
Expressing her happiness, JMM leader Mahua Maji said, “What can be more delightful for Jharkhand that Hemant Soren has become the CM for the fourth time. In his tenure, he has made every effort to bring facilities to people. With that, I am fully confident that now Jharkhand will definitely become the number 1 state of the country.”
Soren took oath as the 14th Chief Minister of Jharkhand at a ceremony in Ranchi, following the victory of the JMM-led alliance in the Assembly elections. His oath was administered by the state’s Governor Santosh Gangwar.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at Morabadi Ground in Ranchi with several prominent leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and KC Venugopal from Congress, in attendance.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav also attended the ceremony.
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal, party MP Raghav Chadha and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also arrived at the event to witness the oath ceremony of Hemant Soren.
Notably, this is the first time in Jharkhand that an incumbent government, which has completed five years in office, has returned to power.
Soren himself won from the Barhait Assembly constituency of Jharkhand and took oath as the Chief Minister for the fourth time in Jharkhand.
Soren tendered his resignation as Jharkhand CM to Governor Santosh Gangwar on Sunday, November 24 and staked a claim to form government at the Raj Bhawan.
The JMM steered the INDIA bloc to victory with 56 seats in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly. The JMM won 34 seats, while its allies secured 22 seats. Among the allies, the Congress won 16 seats, the RJD won four, and the CPI-ML won two seats.
The BJP-led NDA won only 24 seats in Jharkhand. The BJP secured 21 seats, with its allies the AJSU party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD-U winning one seat each. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha won a seat with its chief, Jairam Kumar Mahato, emerging victorious in the Dumri constituency. (ANI)
Sreenath Sreenivasan is an expert and scholar in digital communications based in New York city. He is CEO and co – founder of Digimentors. He has also served as the Chief Digital Officer of New York City. He also served as a Professor at the Columbia University graduate school of journalism from 1993 – 2013. In an interview with Abhish K. Bose he discusses India’s descent into a post truth era, the decadence in Indian politics and other related issues.
Excerpts from the interview:
Abhish K. Bose: What are the underlying drivers and consequences of India’s descent into a ‘post-truth’ era, characterised by widespread fact-denial and reality distortion in politics and media, and how specifically has the corporate culture and proliferation of social media platforms since the late 1990s and 2000s contributed to this phenomenon, undermining the foundational principle of ‘facts are sacred, comments are free?”
This is something that we are seeing not just as an India problem, but a global problem. In the United States, we saw the election results. We’re a direct result of the number of lies and misinformation, disinformation, that were directed at American voters. And one of the things we have learned through history is that the more you can convince people that some things are lies, but are not lies, they think that some things are lies, the more they are going to believe everything is a lie.
Everything is not accounted for. Not everything is real. And that’s something that we have to change. If you don’t change it, it means that we’re going to see tremendous damage continue to be done in India and around the world. A lot of this has to do directly with social media and the advent of the internet and WhatsApp in particular. There are so many things that are in fact, uh, become more plausible and possible because of WhatsApp. Good things, but also bad things. And the good things are instant communication, uh, social media. Small businesses using WhatsApp for sales and business, where we’ve seen people keeping in touch. There’s so many good things on WhatsApp, but also so much poison in WhatsApp because of the way that it has been used for misuse. Misinformation, disinformation, and just not understanding what the facts are. And during COVID, we saw Indians pay for this with their lives. And therefore, we must pay more attention and do everything we can to help. India will not be caught up like America and so many other places.
Abhish K. Bose: How can fact-based discourse be revitalized through strengthened fact-checking, media literacy, and transparency measures? What role did the corporate media’s pursuit of profit and influence and social media’s amplification of misinformation and polarization and erosion of trust in institutions played in this?
Sreenath Srinivasan: I’m a big fan of boom, boom, boom. all live and other such efforts in India. Then, they are in fact role models for what should happen in the U S having this quick, rapid response to lies that are circulated is really going to be even more important as we go forward. In elections around the world and just functioning as a civil society, we need to pay more attention to the problem that the ecosystem itself is corrupted and in India we see that there is so much corruption. Attention given to mainstream media outlets that just make so much noise and people shouting at each other and all of this has caused a breakdown in what is truth and what is real in, and that’s, that’s, that’s something that we are going to continue to struggle with as we look at everything that’s happening.
Abhish K.Bose: What are the underlying drivers of the alarming moral decay in politics where leaders sacrifice principles for power and parties compromise, compromise?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: Compromise values for electoral gains. I can tell you that, again, this is a global phenomenon and we have seen the question of country over party. Is that something that politicians are willing to do? There was a time when politicians were willing to have high standards and would, in fact, consider putting their country over their party and their narrow, narrow political, uhm, options and narrow political gains. But that is not the case. We have lost more than moral clarity. We have lost, uh, what are the standards of what makes something right and what makes something for right now. And that’s something we have, we’re missing in global politics and we need to fix that. Unpacking the Moral Guidelines Bankruptcy of Politics,
Abhish K. Bose: What symbiotic relationships between political ideology, social media, institutional decay have normalised the prioritisation of power over principles?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: We have seen this again and again in so many parts of India and how politics works. That, what we have seen, we also want to say that on top of everything else, we have added the issue around, uh, around business interests, infecting the media. Media has become so successful in making so much profit, that it thrives on division. It thrives on anger. And we are seeing that on, of course, on Indian television every night. But also on social media. There’s an old saying about American television, that it makes so much money doing its worst, that it has no incentive to do its best. And therefore, the worst aspects of American television, uh, always come to the forefront. But there was something, as this was said, in the 1950s and 60s, not today. So it has all just become much much worse in the time since this was said.
Abhish K. Bose: What accounts for the alarming erosion of accountability in Indian politics?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: And how do we acco- You know, how do we deal with it? Can you explain this change in culture that trickled this transition? I want to be very careful that I’m not an expert on Indian politics, Kerala politics, beyond what I read and what I understand, but I am paying very, very close attention to the Indian politics, and I need for all of us to be thinking about how do we fix this, and we want to do that by saying that journalists need to go back to their, to the basics. What is real? How do people understand it? And how does it feel? How does it affect people’s lives? Uh, the kind of things that get attention, uh, have always been a problem. There’s an old saying, by the time the truth puts on its pants, the lies have gone around the world. Right? That’s how quickly things move. And this is, again, before, The internet. The internet has just accelerated all of this. On top of this, we need to add the problem of AI. AI is going to make things more real-looking and real-sounding, and that will, therefore, cause more chaos in everyday everything we see. So, how do we adjust the way we think? What is the obligation of journalists and other members of civil society to deal with these issues?
Abhish K. Bose: What are the implications of India shifting democratic landscape on the intersectionality of social justice, economic development and cultural identity? How can policy makers balance competing interests and values to foster inclusive growth and social cohesion?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: I want to say that this is such a refreshing set of questions because I never get questions like this. Thinking about intersectionality, for example, is a new concept, new-ish concept in, uh, uhm, you know, that came in the U.S. It’s been around for a while, but came to the U.S., uh, uh, for people to understand after seeing what happened with the pandemic, that you have, you know, in, uh, there’s an intersectionality of race and class in the health story of the pandemic. America had such deep problems. 5% of the world’s population, 20% of the world’s death, deaths, deaths in COVID. We saw that problem in India as well, that if you aren’t given the right information at the right time, you will suffer. We saw this in the United States, in successive hurricanes that came, uh, just before the election, and because the hurricanes, because so many people in the U.S. Keep saying the governments are bad, politics is bad, don’t trust the government, don’t trust the government, then when the government tells you there’s a hurricane coming, you’re not going to listen. That is one of the issues that we have seen, and we are paying the price for that. Thousands of people are unnecessarily affected by these issues.
Abhish K. Bose: To what extent has the neoliberal economic order contributed to the commodification of politics in India? And how is this impacting the representation of marginalised groups and the delivery of public services?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: I think, India and America, this is one way in which things are different. In America, there are so many regional and local news outlets that cover these issues. Just a town, a city, a neighborhood, uh, a state in very tight, very, uh, intentional terms so that people can understand what’s happening. Accountability journalism is big in the U.S. now. India, as we know, has such a strong media system, but so much of it is national, so much of it is regional, but it isn’t accountability journalism, and that’s one of the things we’ve lost. There’s some, but nothing to the extent we need. In America, we have those things, and have also seen 2,900 newspapers fold in the last 25 years. Just think about that. 25,000 journalists have lost their jobs in the 21st century. Imagine the chaos that would be there in India if those were the rates at which these publications were closing. So we need to be paying more attention to that. All of this is directly tied into politics as well.
Abhish K. Bose: How has the digital revolution reconfigured the relationship between citizens, the state, and information in India? What are the trade-offs between digital governance, surveillance, data privacy?
Sreenath Sreenivasan: These are such important items, and India needs to be a leader in this, to say that we are going to make sure that our, there’s better hygiene in our information ecosystem. That itself will help. So thank you very much. Uh, so is the problem with seedless dates? So, if you buy a date and it’s seedless, there’s a good chance that in a factory somebody chewed the seed out and then put it into the system to sell these dates. Now, let’s presume for a moment that somehow this happens, that people are biting, putting it in their mouth. It is so unlikely that this is happening, but let’s say it’s happening. If you, as a consumer, cannot distinguish between a chewed version of a date or a pre-chewed version of a date, no matter how lightly chewed, then that’s on you. So, these ways in which things are sent out, and they are sent to divide, they’re sent to cause anger, they’re sent to hurt. They’re sent to trouble. And we need to check every time before we hit forward on WhatsApp, is this true? Do I trust this? And will my circulating this further help my family, my neighborhood, my city? My country, or will it just make things worse? My philosophy about this has been true since the year 2000. If it’s too good to be true, or it’s too bad to be true on the internet, it probably is. Because the more it inflames, the more unlikely it is to be accurate. That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems that should be reported on and should be shared, but what is your role in that? And that’s one of the questions we need to ask much more in India and elsewhere. Thanks.
Threats were made against at least nine people chosen by Trump to lead the Departments….reports Asian Lite News
Several of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and picks for his White House team have been targeted by bomb threats. The FBI said it was aware of “numerous bomb threats” as well as “swatting incidents”, in which hoax calls are made to attract a police response to the target’s home.
Threats were made against at least nine people chosen by Trump to lead the Departments of Defence, Housing, Agriculture and Labor, as well as his pick for US ambassador to the United Nations, among others.
Police are investigating the incidents, which happened on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, said the Trump appointees “were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them”. She said “law enforcement acted quickly to ensure” the nominees’ safety. “With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” she said.
Neither Leavitt nor the FBI identified any of the targets by name. New York Republican Elise Stefanik, who Trump has named to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, was the first to say her family home had been targeted by a bomb threat.
Her office said the congresswoman was informed of the threat while she was driving with her husband and three-year-old son from Washington DC to New York for Thanksgiving. Defence secretary nominee Pete Hegseth later confirmed that he was also targeted.
On X, he said that a police officer had shown up at his home on Wednesday morning, as his seven children were sleeping inside to notify him they had received “a credible pipe bomb threat”. “I will not be bullied or intimidated. Never,” he wrote. “President Trump has called on me to serve – and that is what I intend to do.”
Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during his campaign, was not among those who received the hoax calls, law enforcement sources told US media. He has received genuine threats recently, according to officials in Arizona who arrested a man earlier this week for posting videos on a “near-daily basis” in which he threatened to kill Trump and his family.
None of those targeted this week were protected by the US Secret Service, according to media reports. Lee Zeldin, who Trump has nominated to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, also confirmed he was targeted, saying a “pipe bomb threat” was sent to his home with a “pro-Palestinian themed message”.
“My family and I were not home at the time and are safe,” he said. “We are thankful for the swift actions taken by local officers.” Brooke Rollins, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Agriculture, posted on X to thank police in Fort Worth, Texas, for their “swift efforts” to investigate a threat to her family on Wednesday morning. “We were unharmed and quickly returned home,” she wrote.
Scott Turner, Trump’s pick for Department of Housing, and Lori Chavez-Deremer, his pick for Labour Secretary, also posted on social media that they had been targeted. They each vowed that they would not be deterred by the threats. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incidents, the White House said in a statement.
“The White House is in touch with federal law enforcement and the President-elect’s team, and continues to monitor the situation closely.” US Capitol Police, which protects Congress, said in the statement that it was working with federal law enforcement agencies on any “swatting”, but declined to provide further details “to minimise the risk of copy-cats”.
Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, who recently dropped out of the running to become US attorney general, was also targeted. The sheriff’s office in Florida’s Okaloosa County confirmed that a bomb threat targeted an address in the town of Niceville.
Trump names Bhattacharya as NIH chief
Donald Trump has named the Kolkata-born Jay Bhattacharya, who raised questions about Covid policies, to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the medical research powerhouse. Trump announced Tuesday night that he was “thrilled to nominate” him for the job of directing the “nation’s medical research and to make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives”.
Accepting the offer, Bhattacharya said on X: “We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again!”
Directorship of NIH is not a cabinet-level post, but would require Senate approval and have an enormous global impact because of the range of its research that has cascading effects around the world. Trump said that Bhattacharya would work with Health Secretary nominee Robert F Kennedy, Jr, to restore NIH “to a gold standard of medical research as they examine the underlying causes of, solutions to, America’s biggest health challenges, including a crisis of chronic illness and disease”.
Bhattacharya is a multi-disciplinary academic at Stanford University holding professorships in medicine, economics, and health professorship, holding a medical degree and a PhD in economics. He shot to national prominence during the Covid pandemic by questioning the prevalent orthodoxy of the government health establishment of imposing extended broad lockdowns to fight the disease and went head-to-head with Anthony Fauci, who was acclaimed as the architect of the official policy.
Bhattacharya has asserted that he was the victim of government censorship because Twitter placed him on its “Trends Blacklist” under official influence limiting his reach on the social media platform. now renamed X.
Earlier on Wednesday, PTI announced a “temporary suspension” of its “do-or-die” protest after a midnight crackdown by law enforcement agencies that led to the dispersal of PTI workers….reports Asian Lite News
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur stated on Wednesday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest is ongoing, asserting that only party founder Imran Khan has the authority to call it off.
Speaking at a press conference in Mansehra, Gandapur claimed that the party had been subjected to severe oppression, accusing the government of registering baseless cases against PTI members, Geo News reported.
He said, “Our party has faced coercion. Our leader [Imran Khan] is in jail, and even his wife [Bushra Bibi] was imprisoned.” Gandapur emphasised that PTI is a peaceful party that consistently advocates for the supremacy of the Constitution, despite the challenges it faces.
Earlier on Wednesday, PTI announced a “temporary suspension” of its “do-or-die” protest after a midnight crackdown by law enforcement agencies that led to the dispersal of PTI workers. The decision came amid rising tensions following the three-day-long Islamabad protest, which began on November 24.
The move sparked a sharp response from Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who criticised the PTI leadership. “Such a colossal failure has become their fate. This was not the final call, but merely a missed call,” he remarked, also mocking KP CM Gandapur by suggesting his name should be “Ali Amin Bhagoora (deserter) instead of Ali Amin Gandapur.”
In the wake of the crackdown, PTI claimed that eight of its members were killed in clashes with law enforcement, while government officials reported that three Rangers personnel and two police officers lost their lives during the stand-off.
PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai voiced disappointment over the abrupt end to the Islamabad protest, expressing frustration at the lack of clear direction from party leadership, reported Geo News.
Speaking on Geo News’ program Geo Pakistan, he said, “The party leadership had failed to provide clear guidance during the protest.”
Gandapur also used the press conference to attack the government’s handling of PTI activities, accusing it of consistently denying PTI permission for rallies and processions. “Whenever we announce a rally or procession, we are denied permission. Even the courts are not providing justice,” he stated. The chief minister reiterated that the sit-in would continue as per Imran Khan’s directives, emphasising, “We announced a peaceful protest for the Islamabad march, and our founder allowed us to proceed to D-Chowk. Let me make it clear: the sit-in is ongoing.”
Highlighting the violence that marked the protests, Gandapur claimed that PTI workers had been subjected to unprovoked aggression. “Several of our workers have been martyred, and hundreds have been injured. Why were we fired upon and subjected to violence when we remained peaceful?” he asked, adding that had there been no violence against PTI, their workers would not have retaliated.
The CM also detailed personal attacks against him during the protests. “I was personally targeted, there was an attempt to abduct me, and even a failed assassination attempt,” he revealed. Gandapur pledged to file an FIR for the violence against PTI workers and hold those responsible accountable.
He also announced financial compensation for the families of the slain PTI members, saying, “I am announcing PKR 10 million for each of our martyred workers’ families,” Geo News reported.
Concluding his remarks, Gandapur asserted the strength of his province, stating, “This province knows how to claim its mandate and rights. The nation cannot be enslaved through bullets and violence.” (ANI)
Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss express opposition to change in law as MPs prepare to vote…reports Asian Lite News
Three former Conservative prime ministers are against the assisted dying bill, it has been revealed. Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have expressed their opposition to a change in the law, days before MPs vote on assisted dying proposals affecting patients in England and Wales for the first time in almost a decade.
May was expected to vote against Friday’s bill, the Daily Telegraph reported, noting her position had not changed since she voted against the legislation in 2015.
Johnson cannot vote because he is not a member of parliament, but he said he would not support the legislation as it stands. Rishi Sunak previously said he would back a change in the law over assisted dying, but it has been reported that it does not necessarily mean he will support the bill.
Truss said she was “completely opposed” to the bill saying: “It is wrong in principle: organs of the state like the NHS and the judicial system should be protecting lives, not ending them. No doubt, as we have seen in Canada, vulnerable people would be put under appalling pressure to end their lives early. The law would be ripe for being exploited by the unscrupulous. MPs should vote this terrible bill down and instead focus on improving health services.”
The former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown last week declared his opposition, saying the death of his newborn daughter in January 2002 convinced him of the “value and imperative of good end-of-life care”.
Brown said the assisted dying debate was moving too fast given the “profound ethical and practical issues” involved and called for a commission to devise a “fully funded 10-year strategy for improved and comprehensive palliative care”.
Tony Blair is yet to express his view on the issue, while Keir Starmer said he favoured a change in the law but also has not revealed his position. However, the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock privately told colleagues he would support a change in the legislation and would vote for it in the Lords.
On Tuesday night, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said he opposed the bill because of his fears around coercion and a feeling of guilt among terminally ill people. Khan told the London Standard: “If I was a member of parliament, I’d be voting against the assisted dying bill. That’s not to say that those who feel strongly in favour of it are wrong.
“I think it’s right that the government has made this a free vote so MPs aren’t being whipped. I think it’s right that it’s a matter of conscience. But I’ve got real concerns in relation to the lack of palliative care available to those who are terminally unwell. I’ve got concerns about the state of the NHS. I’ve got concerns about the state of social care provision. I am concerned not just about coercive control, I am concerned about some of the guilt those who are terminally ill may well have. For those reasons, if I had a vote, I’d be voting against.”
Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP who is part of a cross-party group of parliamentarians who backed an amendment that would “decline” to give a second reading to the bill if it is selected by the speaker on Friday, expressed her concern about the process of how the bill is to go through parliament.
The amendment, which could be considered on Friday, has also been backed by new Labour MPs Anna Dixon, Polly Billington, Josh Fenton-Glynn and Uma Kumaran, as well as the Conservative Ben Spencer.
Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who proposed the private member’s bill, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme MPs had “absolutely” been given enough time to digest the details of the bill.
She added: “If this bill does pass the second reading, the government mechanisms will then start to kick in, basically, and we’ll start to look at what the implementation would look like. The debate will continue … and the advantage we’ve got … is that there are other countries around the world which have got a version of assisted dying, and we can learn from those.”
Less than six months after its general election the U.K. has been tipped headfirst into a fraught debate on a matter of life and death. The landmark piece of legislation currently dominating the nation’s attention does not concern the state of the economy, the NHS, the courts system, housing or welfare.
Instead, MPs will vote Friday on a bill that would for the first time give terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to die at the time of their choosing.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill is being treated as a matter of conscience, meaning MPs will be given a free vote and do not have to make their choices along party lines.
The bill was introduced by a backbench Labour MP, Kim Leadbeater, rather than by the government, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised ahead of the summer general election to allow the issue to come before parliament.
The question has engendered deep divisions among those with responsibility for deciding and carrying out the potential change in the law.
Starmer’s Cabinet is split in two, while MPs from all the major parties find themselves in disagreement with close colleagues. Medical specialists have also made interventions both for and against the bill.
A recent YouGov study showed that 73 percent of Britons think assisted dying should be legal. However, 19 percent said that while they support assisted dying in principle, they oppose it in practice because they don’t believe adequate laws can be created to regulate it. As Leadbeater attempted to drum up support for the bill in the final days of campaigning, she told the BBC she thought the vote would be “very close.”
Shinde is expected to leave for Delhi later on Wednesday and a meeting of all Yuti allies with PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is also on the cards. …reports Asian Lite News
As the uncertainty over the Maharashtra Chief Minister post continues, the caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday that whatever decision Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes, he will abide by that.
He added that whoever is elected as the Chief Minister by Mahayuti, Shiv Sainiks will lend their support to that person.
“I have told the Prime Minister that if there is any problem in forming the government in Maharashtra because of me, then do not bring any doubt in your mind and whatever decision you take, that decision is acceptable to me,” Eknath Shinde said in a press conference in Mumbai.
Shinde is expected to leave for Delhi later on Wednesday and a meeting of all Yuti allies with PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is also on the cards.
“You (PM Modi) are the head of our family. The way people of BJP accept your decision, we will also accept your decision in the same way. I made a phone call to PM Modi and HM Amit Shah yesterday and told them that there will be no problem in forming the government because of me,” Eknath Shinde added.
The Sena leader, said that he never considered himself a Chief Minister but as a common man whose job was to work for the citizens of the state.
“I have always worked as a worker. I never considered myself a Chief Minister. CM means Common Man, I worked by considering this… We should work for people. I have seen the pain of citizens, how they ran their households,” he said.
“Whoever is elected as the CM by Mahayuti, Shiv Sainiks will support him,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis headed to the national capital, New Delhi. He is expected to meet the BJP top brass in an effort to resolve the impasse over the decision of who will be Chieg Minister of the state.
On being asked about the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Fadnavis said that the answer would be given soon and a decision was being taken on the same.
“The answer to this will be given soon. All senior members of the three parties of Mahayuti are taking a decision on this together.,” Fadnavis said while speaking to the media.
Speaking on the decision for the posts of the other ministers, Fadnavis said that the decisions for the Chief Minister would be taken first after which the rest of the decisions would be taken.23.
The election results for Maharashtra were announced on November 23 but the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is yet to decide on the Chief Minister. The BJP emerged as the biggest winner with 132 seats out of 280 member Maharashtra assembly, while its allies–the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar–won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20, and the results were declared on November. (ANI)
