Daily Briefing: Govt looks at MSP redressal assurances; RBI holds key rate, says recovery needs support

From PM Modi's announcement on Covid-19 vaccine availability, to the massive BJP surge in the Hyderabad Municipal polls; here are today's top stories.

Good morning,

The Big Story

One of the reasons behind the government softening its stand on the farm laws was ground reports from Punjab about deep resentment among farmers, particularly in the Malwa region. It was also pointed out that had the party’s former ally Akali Dal not channelled that anger, hardline forces may have hijacked the protests.

From the Front Page

At the meeting with leaders of all parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said vaccines against Covid-19 would be ready in the next few weeks and inoculation will begin as soon as scientists give the go-ahead. However, leaders who attended the meeting said the government did not present a roadmap on who would be vaccinated first.

The Reserve Bank of India left key policy rates unchanged for the third time in a row in the wake of persistently high retail inflation, even as it pointed to the economy, which contracted in the last two quarters, showing signs of an early recovery.

In a boost to the BJP’s ambitions of emerging as the “alternative force” in Telangana, the party ended up as second-largest party in the Hyderabad municipal polls, dislodging the ruling TRS from half the seats it had held. And AIMIM was also dealt a blow as it finished behind the BJP in party president Asaduddin Owaisi’s home turf.

Only in the Express

Taking suo moto cognizance of the Indian Express investigation on Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme in Jharkhand, the High Court asked the state to file a ‘detailed affidavit’ into the matter. The investigation exposed a nexus of middlemen, banking and school officials who illegally diverted funds disbursed under the Centre’s scheme for poor minority students.

Legal experts have raised concerns after two online sports betting giants ran direct advertising campaigns during the live streaming of the three match ODI series in Australia, allowing users from India to place bets online using the Indian banking system. Online sports betting is prohibited in all states and union territories other than Sikkim.

Must Read

It was a crisis foretold. The farmer protests on the borders of Delhi and their ongoing discussions with the government are a rerun of the concerns that were first raised in Parliament this September over the three farm Bills, and suggestions which the government chose to ignore.

After their wedding ceremony was halted by the UP police late last month following a complaint by a Hindu outfit under the state’s new ‘love jihad’ law, a Muslim groom and Hindu bride have clarified that they had no intention of converting. Meanwhile, the woman’s mother said that the marriage had their sanction and nobody could stop it.

The Raigad police, in the 1,914-page charge sheet filed in the Anvay Naik suicide case on Friday, have dropped the charge that indicated that the three accused, including Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, together conspired to drive Naik to suicide in April, 2018.

ICYMI

Days after Canada PM Justin Trudeau spoke in support of protesting farmers, India summoned the Canadian envoy and warned that such actions could damage bilateral ties.

The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi won four seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, while the BJP received a jolt after it won just one of the six seats that went to polls.

The Haryana Congress said it will bring a no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP alliance government after its “big mistake” of trying to stop farmers from marching to Delhi.

Arrested 83-year-old tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy moved a plea before a special court seeking an opportunity to be heard if he is to be transferred to another jail.

A turnout of 50.53 per cent was recorded in the third phase of the District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

And Finally…

“There are some questions here. There seems to be less consistency,” Sharad Pawar said in an interview to Marathi newspaper Lokmat when asked if the people of the country were willing to accept Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.

Delhi Confidential: A DMK leader who attended the virtual all-party meeting to discuss the pandemic situation objected to the presentation being made in Hindi without any translation or subtitles. He was later put on mute after raising the issue of farmers’ protests.

Until tomorrow,

Leela Prasad G and Rahel Philipose


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