Stitching Socialism; Kerala Kamalam; Gravitational Grip
Opinion Watch
Stitching Socialism
The Asian Age has seen merit in the DMK move to bring Opposition parties under the plank of social justice and federalism. In its Editorial, the daily has reasoned that the twin issues have the force to bring the regional satraps along with Congress under one roof.
The daily has given an account of the Opposition conference building on a common plank against the “politics of nationalism and Hindutva” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It reminded that Congress had built an anti-corruption narrative over the Rafale fighter jet deal, but it failed to cut ice with the people.
There are early signs of Congress strategy to revive the UPA kind of an alliance to take on the ruling BJP. But the plank of social justice is too weak, for the aspirational people may not be content with dole outs and rather look for options which could present better future prospects on economic parameters. Politics of social justice has been exceedingly milked.
Kerala Kamalam
The Indian Express has noted in its Editorial that the BJP is making a clear outreach to the Christian community in Kerala. Induction of Anil Antony, son of Congress veteran A K Antony, was marked by assertion of the Christian identity, added the daily.
The Noida-based daily also stated that the BJP would hope to make a dent in the 18 per cent Christian vote base in Kerala where Hindus number almost 54 per cent. It also stated that Christian community in Kerala is not a monolith, and the state may present a challenge to the social engineering for the BJP.
The BJP is certainly eying Congress space in Kerala, which may help the saffron outfit to replicate the success in the Christian dominated Meghalaya and Nagaland in the recent elections. This comparison is faulty. The BJP came a cropper in Meghalaya. Nagaland is a state where all the parties share power, and the ruling dispensation aligns with the regime at the Centre.
Gravitational Grip
The Hindu has said that the timely release of funds for the Cabinet approved Rs 2600 crores facility for gravitational detection will be key to India’s successful participation in the Big Science projects. It will complement the existing US facility for Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO).
The Chennai-based daily at the same time shed light on raging debate over excessive land use diversion for such projects. The daily has exhorted that the project should demonstrate relevance for the communities to find sustenance.
India aspires to be a knowledge-based economy, but the government efforts to nurture the endevours are scanty. The project is welcome. The Ministry of Science and Technology told the Lok Sabha last that the research scholarships in various science streams have been cut down by almost two-third from the level of 2020. Thus, any commitment to scientific pursuit must be welcomed, given that the government is stingy about funding scientific research in the country.
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