Dahi politics
Being a regulator in India is no easy task given the varying linguistic preferences of Indians. Food regulator FSSAI recently found this to its dismay after its order on labelling in Hindi the term “ dahi” created a push back and a political storm, below the Vindhyas!
With the governments of a few southern States crying foul over this move and describing this as an indirect “Hindi imposition”, the FSSAI promptly retracted on its earlier order and allowed the use of regional names on labels of curd packets.
While the storm may have blown over, but many economy watchers see this dahi controversy as a “comic relief”, and were quick to cheekily point out that “a curd is a curd is a curd is a curd”, by whatever name it is labelled!
Just a rumour
It’s no secret that there is no love lost between TN BJP president K Annamalai and AIADMK supremo Edappadi K Palaniswami. But when Annamalai thundered a few weeks ago that he would quit as president if the party continued its alliance with AIADMK for the 2024 general elections, the rumour was that his tough stance had the complete backing of the powers-that-be in Delhi.
In the end, it proved to be just that: rumour. With Home Minister Amit Shah categorically stating a few days ago that the BJP-AIADMK alliance will continue, talks of Annamalai breaking away and floating a new party (though the proposition is a tad fanciful) have regained momentum.
As candid as she can get
It is now well-documented as to how the ongoing second leg of the Budget Session is being conducted — without any discussion, amidst sloganeering and ruckus created by the Opposition on their demand for a JPC on the Adani issue.
What was most remarkable this past week was how Lok Sabha Speaker Rama Devi sought to put the ruckus-creating Opposition members in their place.
She bluntly told those showing placards and shouting slogans in front of her to quieten down and return to their places, reminding them that if they continue such acts the people of this country will not elect them again to the Lower House next time round!
Poll ‘holiday’
When it comes to voting in elections, urban voters lag behind rural voters. With Karnataka all set to witness election for the legislative assembly on May 10, the focus this time round is on urban voters, especially in Bengaluru. In his recent press conference, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, said one of the reasons to consider May 10, a Wednesday, for polling was to prevent urban voters from going on a trip to other places on polling day.
An urban voter may not take the risk of taking leave from mid-week and go on an extended week-end trip. Polling on a Monday would have helped the voter combine the weekend with the poll holiday, and venture out. Rajiv Kumar said an additional day’s leave too would have helped a person to go out of Bengaluru — if the polling was scheduled for Tuesday, that is. That is one of the reasons for scheduling the polling on a Wednesday, he added.
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