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Some random thoughts..

Fuel prices not raised for 4 years. But not raising prices now with crude > $90-100 for weeks is sending wrong signals encouraging consumption when curtailing is need of hour. Most analysts are saying petrol is underpriced by Rs 18-20 and diesel by Rs 30-35. This is the math. Whether Govt raises prices or not is a policy call. But not moderating consumption during an energy shock will create more challenges later.

TN Elections 2026 1pm Status: 2016 - 42.10% - 2.45cr votes 2019 - 39.49% - 2.36cr votes 2021 - 39.61% - 2.48cr votes 2024 - 39.51% - 2.46cr votes 2026 - 56.81% - 3.25cr Votes

The recent order that all taxi drivers in Mumbai learn Marathi is silly linguistic chauvinism. India is one country with many languages. How many languages will workers need to learn to find work outside their home state?

Samsung, Hyundai, LG together take out massive profits from Indian consumers every year. When Lee Jae Myung lands in Delhi today for the first state visit in 8 years, the pitch is $50bn bilateral trade by 2030. But if the gap stays 3:1 in Korea favour, that just means India sends even more money out. Trade targets mean nothing without fixing the ratio. India imports $19.2bn from Korea and exports just $6.4bn back. That is a $12.8bn trade gap running for decades now. The K9 Vajra deal is $850m for 100 more units, and Hanwha still gets roughly half that money for supplying kits to L&T. Indigenisation went from 50% to 60%, which sounds nice, but the engine, fire control core, and gun system still come from Korea. India is now talking about a third batch of 200 more units plus air defence systems from Hanwha. Every new order deepens the dependency on Korean sub-systems instead of building that capability at home through DRDO or Bharat Forge. Korea runs the same pattern with every partner. Sell finished goods, take the surplus, invest just enough locally to keep the orders coming. Samsung alone treats India as its second biggest phone market after the US. Hyundai lists its India unit separately to raise capital from Indian investors. The money flows one way. If India is buying defence platforms worth thousands of crores, the bare minimum ask should be Korean procurement of Indian IT services, pharma, and auto components at real volume. Not MoU photo ops. Korea just playing nice boy Game from LG IPO to Hyundai >>>

हंगरी के चुनाव में पब्लिक मीडिया पर केवल ऑर्बान की पार्टी का ही विज्ञापन चल रहा था। विपक्ष को जगह नहीं दी गई। शर्मिंदा हो कर वहां के चुनाव आयोग ने कह दिया होगा कि विपक्ष को भी जगह मिलनी चाहिए। तब भी हंगरी के पब्लिक मीडिया पर विपक्ष को बराबरी की जगह नहीं मिली। लेकिन यह भारत है। हंगरी नहीं है। हम चुनाव आयोग से उम्मीद नहीं करते हैं कि वह प्रधानमंत्री के भाषण को लेकर कार्रवाई करेगा। सरकार को आदेश देगा कि जितनी देर तक प्रधानमंत्री ने भाषण दिया है, उतनी ही देर तक नेता प्रतिपक्ष को भाषण देने का मौका मिले। सरकार भले चुनाव आयोग के आदेश को न माने। लेकिन ख़ुद और सभी से यह उम्मीद ज़रूर करते हैं कि आचार संहिता के खंड 7 के बारे में पता होना चाहिए। पता होगा तभी हम चुनाव आयोग की निष्पक्षता का मूल्यांकन कर सकेंगे। शनिवार रात जो हुआ वह दुखद था।

Over half of women MPs in the Lok Sabha come from political families. Why have reserved seats for them when there is already powerful patronage?

When I think of Lok Sabha strength being increased from 543 to 850, my first thought is not smaller constituencies, more responsive representatives, and all that. It is - 307 more VIPs. That many more entitled rulers, free tickets, perks, security, expense, sigh.

Nitish Kumar, votary & inheritor of Lohiaite socialism and secularism, has done it: he has handed over the proud secular state of Bihar to the BJP's waiting arms. His legacy, such as it was, has been besmirched irrevocably by this last act. History will remember him for it.

Having worked on this matter representing the wife, this is definitely very bad agenda driven reporting to draw attention from men’s rights groups!

Foreign Hand in Northeast Terror Plot? Six Ukrainians & 1 American Arrested Over Terror Charges India's NIA has arrested six Ukrainian nationals and one American, Matthew Aaron VanDyke, on charges of conspiring to conduct terrorist activities in Northeast India. The group allegedly entered India on tourist visas, traveled to restricted areas in Mizoram without permits, and illegally crossed into Myanmar to train ethnic armed groups (EAGs) linked to Indian insurgents. They are accused of supplying weapons, smuggling drones from Europe for warfare training, assembly, and jamming operations targeting the Myanmar junta, with potential threats to Indian security. ​ Three Ukrainians arrested at Delhi airport, three at Lucknow, and the American at Kolkata on March 13, 2026. ​ A special NIA court granted 11 days of custody until March 27 under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. NIA probes funding, direct contacts with AK-47-armed terrorists, and support for proscribed Indian groups. Ukraine lodged a formal protest with India over the arrests. The US Embassy stated it is "aware of the situation" but declined further comment due to privacy reasons. Matthew VanDyke, the American detainee, is a known mercenary with a history in global conflicts, labeled by some as a "CIA asset" or linked to controversial groups. This raises questions about foreign involvement in Northeast insurgencies amid Myanmar's instability. Credit : CNN News18.