Manish Sisodia in spot; BJP rejigs Parliamentary Board; Heat on J&K electoral roll

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Opinion Watch

The Central Bureau of Investigation came knocking to Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and carried on searches till late in the night on Friday. Sisodia is accused number one in an FIR lodged by the CBI in irregularities in the New Excise Policy of the Delhi government.

The Indian Express and The Pioneer have commented with their respective Edits on the development that made the ruling Aam Admi Party seething, claiming victimhood of vendetta politics.

In its ‘More mud-slinging’ Edit, The Pioneer saw the CBI raids in the context of the growing number of cases against Opposition leaders being filed by the investigating agencies.

The daily stated that both the BJP and the AAP are going ‘high’ on corruption plank, while reminding that once CBI officers used to be incorruptible and efficient though the case is not so now.

The Pioneer cites words of Mirza Ghalib “Hota hai shab-o-roz tamasha mire aage” to stress that political mud-slinging would be norms.

IE in its Edit “Daylight knock” has also turned its focus on actions of investigating agencies against Opposition leaders. The daily argued that the Centre too is in the dock.

The daily asks, is the action of the CBI about policy or politics, or both?

“The costs of this take-no-prisoners aggression shown by the Executive armed with the quiescent Central gency are sobering, especially given that countervailing institutions are falling short in applying the check and balance,” stated the daily, while referring to the Supreme Court upholding the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act.

Both the dailies, interestingly, chose not to probe charges against Sisodia, thus giving him a benefit of doubt, and possibly swayed by the victim card played by the AAP.

BJP rejigs Parliamentary Board    

The Bharatiya Janata Party after several years finally filled up the vacancies in its Parliamentary Board and the Central Election Committee, with predictable caste alignment to suit internal political dynamics within the party.

The Hindu and Deccan Herald have commented on the BJP’s rejig of the two bodies, while headlines had gone for BS Yediyurappa making a strong comeback after being eased out of the office of the chief minister of Karnataka and the exit of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

“The dislodging of Mr. Gadkari, who has maintained an image of relative autonomy as Minister and a party leader, on the other hand, can be interpreted as a stern demand for absolute loyalty. That too is a sign of the changing relationship between Mr. Modi and the RSS, the mother ship of the Sangh Parivar that includes the BJP,” commented the Chennai headquartered TH.

DH has also made its case on similar lines, almost giving out that the Edits are mirror images.

“The omission of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is considered by many Hindutva hardliners to be the latter day ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’ and the party’s PM-in-waiting, may be another message — that there is no room at the top, now and in the near future, for others,” noted the Bengaluru-based DH.

Both the dailies missed out finer elements such as under-representation of the Hindi heartland and traditions given a short shrift.

Heat on J&K electoral roll

The Times of India has called upon the Election Commission to address concerns over the new electoral roll, which is seen to be another controversy in the Kashmir valley following the Delimitation Commission Report.

The daily has stressed on transparency, while also seeking integration of the valley with the rest of the country.

It also cited the CMIE data to argue that unemployment in the 21-29 age group in Jammu and Kashmir is twice the national average.

The valley-based politicians has raised concerns of attempts of demographic changes being pushed through measures such as the new electoral roll that the daily chose to ignore in its Edit.

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