Lost Opportunity; Punjab Pain; Pressing Press

Opinion Watch

Lost Opportunity

The Asian Age has questioned the Opposition in its Editorial on the outcome of the ‘No Confidence Motion’ against Narendra Modi-led government, opining that “India’s best public speaker” was given a platform to speak on a platter. The New Delhi-based daily argued that it was a lost opportunity in the backdrop of the quality of debate. It also suggested that Modi got the best stage to kick off the 2024 campaign.

The Opposition voice in the debate was chaotic, incoherent and wayward. Opinionated and argumentative India calls for polished speakers from the Opposition benches. Also, the Opposition suffers from holes in strategies to pin down Modi government on the mat.  

Punjab Pain

The Tribune in its Editorial, quoting a report tabled in parliament, opined that Punjab’s farmers top the list of farmers with largest institutional debt. “Nearly 25 lakh peasants in Punjab have taken loans for agriculture from various banks, with an average loan of Rs 2.95 lakh each,” the Chandigarh-based daily stated, adding that over 1,000 farmers had died by suicide from 2017 to 2021 while 898 farm labourers also had died by suicide from 2015 to 2019.

Politicians in Punjab pampered farmers over the decades to make them addictive to dole outs. Farmers in neighbouring Haryana, in contrast, are more innovative and adaptive to markets. Punjab needs bold reforms, in agriculture and administration.

Pressing Press

The Telegraph in its Editorial has warned that the ‘Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023’ may be exploited as a toll to muzzle press freedom. The Kolkata-based daily opined that not only district magistrate but any entity can call for actions, while the bill envisages provisions for intrusive watch on the press. The daily said that while the ‘Press and Registration of Books Act, 1967’ dealt with registration of periodicals, the new bill will regulate the media.

Space vacated by the decline of print media has been taken by toxic social media, which is full of fake contents. But the government appears to be guided by reasons of control to further check the print media, which functions independently on self-regulation.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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