Page 14 - The Indian EYE 070921

Op-Ed JULY 09, 2021 | The Indian Eye 14

a Cabinet reshuffle, China and slow vaccination

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

ednesday’s reshuffle Press freedom
revives the old axiom Predation does not obey fron-
Wof the cabinet system tiers. Perhaps that is the principal
of government that a non-per- inference that needs to be drawn
forming minister ought to be from the list compiled by Re-
shown the door. But it would be
foolhardy for anyone to suggest porters Sans Frontieres that has
that the new expanded Cabinet brought together, according to
would be a collective arrange- the international media watch-
dog, the “Predators of Press
ment. Nor can it be argued that Freedom”. In what is another
the new entrants would be in- dubious achievement, the Indian
clined to differ and dissent from
the PMO, thereby providing a prime minister has found himself
much-needed balance and equi- among heads of state and gov-
poise in decision-making at the ernments that are arguably nib-
national level. The governance bling away — with relish — at the
edifice of an independent media.
process would continue to groan Keeping company are North
under Narendra Modi’s over- Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Iran’s Ali
sized political persona. India is still far from achieving herd immunity through vaccination (ANI) Khamenei, Syria’s Bashar al-As-
Worse, if the clued-in polit-
ical pundits are to be believed, er, have gotten very little govern- Beijing doesn’t impose its sad, Myanmar’s army general,
the reshuffle is primarily aimed ment support besides free wheat political worldview on the target Min Aung Hlaing, Brazil’s Jair
Bolsonaro, Hungary’s Viktor Or-
at winning the next round of and rice to struggle through state, is politically adaptable, and bán, among others. None of these
elections in Uttar Pradesh and lockdowns, loss of livelihoods has a high threshold for violence. statesmen can claim to have an
Gujarat; this is a return to the and hospitalization expenses. In Myanmar, for instance, Bei- envious record when it comes
old, familiar and failed tricks of For consumers restless with high jing quickly adjusted to the post
the old India. Any notion that if petrol prices feeding into infla- February-coup realities includ- to upholding the cause of a free
a district-level politician is made tion, there’s a new oil minister. ing the loss of an assiduously cul- and fierce media. Significantly,
a minister of state, he or she Just how former diplomat Hard- tivated ally in Aung San Suu Kyi, the RSF has unveiled the modus
operandi of this transgression
acquires the requisite political eep Singh Puri will persuade a and attacks on its factories by in the Indian context. Flooding
clout is total humbug. Ask a Ji- resource-strapped finance min- protesters. Instead of opting for the media ecosystem with false
tin Prasada or a Milind Deora istry to lower high petroleum negotiations, it doubled down its narratives, unleashing a target-
or a Bharat Solanki. Shelling out taxes is anybody’s guess. support for the junta. In Afghan-
ministerial berths to demanding Twitter Inc. might hope for istan, this means, Beijing will ac- ed witch-hunt against journalists
provincial politicos is very ordi- a de-escalation in its fraught cept the Taliban’s rise, even if it and activists courageous enough
nary politics of the old India. We relationship with the govern- occurs using force and is led by to speak truth to power, the
creation of patronizing — com-
seem to be back to the caste cal- ment, which has accused it of the Haqqanis. Till the time Chi- plicit — relationships to force
culus at the heart of our nation- non-compliance with local rules. na-centric militants are neutral- owners of media outlets to toe
al governing arrangements. So (The U.S. social media firm ized, and Chinese material inter- the government’s line, introduc-
much for all the grandstanding has asked for more time.) Ravi ests – limited and unprofitable
about a ‘New India’.” Shankar Prasad, the information for now – don’t come under at- ing problematic legislations that
seek to clip the media’s wings in
harish Khare, technology minister who led the tack, Beijing will not be deterred. the name of reform, sustained at-
The Wire charge against the microblog- Apart from coordinating with tacks on the credibility of the me-
ging site, has been dropped. Ash- the US and Quad allies, India
Avoid showdown wini Vaishnaw, a Wharton MBA must intensify engagement with dia as an institution — Mr Modi,

There’s no change in the fi- and former civil servant who will Iran. India needs a regional land the RSF argues, has a formi-
nance and commerce teams, so replace Prasad, must avoid an bridge to Afghanistan, and the dable and diverse arsenal at his
presumably Modi is happy with embarrassing showdown that only feasible option is via Chaba- disposal that has been employed
the way the economy is being wouldn’t have gone unnoticed in har or Bandar Abbas. If reports to throttle the fourth estate.
managed, even though more Washington. are accurate, the commander of The Editorial Board,
than 200 million workers have Andy Mukherjee, Iran’s Quds Force, Esmail Qa- The Telegraph
gone back to earning less than The Print ani, was recently in Afghanistan
the minimum wage, or $5 a day. strengthening wartime alliances Every week, we look at what
A combination of loose fiscal China’s policies and exploring new ones within the top commentators in the
and monetary policies is attract- Herein, China’s method of and outside the Taliban. Indian media are talking about
ing day traders to a sizzling stock exercising power in South Asia Avinash Paliwal, and bring to you a slice of their
opinions and comments.
market. The urban poor, howev- is instructive. The Times of India

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