1/5 A rather important thread that i hope will be read in our country’s journalism schools:

The last few days have offered an object lesson in how the news is “made“. @IndianExpress wanted to draw attention to their new Malayalam podcast, so they did two somewhat shameless things:

First, they took an innocuous statement (I said i had multiple “options to spend my time” in literary pursuits) and made a headline out of it in English that implied i was exploring other political options. And as usual, the rest of the media reacted to the headline and the political class reacted to the media, and I was left dealing with the mess!

The expression #BreakingNews has multiple meanings after all…
2/5 Second, the Express ran a fake news story claiming i had decried the absence of a leader in @incKerala. This resulted in a front page story in @the_hindu and other media and triggered three days of discussions on Kerala’s television channels. When i challenged this claim, i was provided an English “translation” of my Malayalam interview in which I had allegedly said this. I insisted on seeing the video clip, and was told I would have to wait till Wednesday for its release. When the video emerged yesterday, it was clear that I had said no such thing. A correction has now been belatedly issued by the paper — after all the damage has been done.

A short thread on #Budget2025:

1/4 The media is busy exulting over the prospect of tax relief for the middle class, yet prudence demands we wait for the fine print in next week’s income tax bill — will traditional deductions be affected? We know this government is quite capable of taking away with one hand what it gave with the other. 2/4 What about India’s biggest crisis - unemployment? Last year’s much-touted Employment Incentive schemes have witnessed a botched implementation and reduced allocations, 50% of graduates lack industry skills, & MGNREGA funding is stagnant despite rising demand. With the highest youth unemployment globally, and India holding the world record for college-educated unemployed, where are the jobs coming from?

1/6 Delhi Airport has been in chaos recently. The young professional wanting to go home for Makar Sankranti. The Army officer excited to visit his ancestral village for Lohri. The anxious son trying to get home to take care of an unwell parent. Thousands of peoples’ lives and schedules have been disrupted by a regular, predictable, foggy winter day. It’s a ModiGovt-made disaster, a result of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s neglect and incompetence. See the thread that follows. @JM_Scindia
livemint.com/news/india/del… 2/6 In 2008, at a cost of Rs. 1,000 crore, Delhi IGI Airport got a brand-new CAT III-B compliant runway. CAT-III B is a type of Instrument Landing System, allowing pilots to land even when there is fog or low visibility of 50 metres.


In total, Delhi has 4 runways, 2 of which are CAT III-B compliant. In all its wisdom, the Modi government began maintenance work on one of the two CAT III-B runways in September 2023, fully aware that it would not be ready for the winter!
indiatoday.in/latest-headlin…
economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/trans…

This thread summarises the startling revelations in ex-J&K Governor Satyapal Malik’s interview with Karan Thapar in @thewire_in which has been shamefully under-reported by our media:
1. CRPF asked for aircraft to fly their personnel; this was refused by the Home Ministry. 2. The chosen route was not sanitised. 8-10 link roads that could be used by a potential terrorist to attack the convoy were not manned by security personnel.
3. A car w/300kg of RDX from Pakistan entered J&K &roamed around unimpeded for ten days.
Incompetence or carelessness?

Have written to Kerala's Law Minister P.Rajeeve to consider enacting an anti-discrimination law, as promised in both our parties' manifestoes, that could be a model for the country: thehindu.com/news/national/… India is one of the few democracies without a robust anti-discrimination law. I had introduced the Anti-Discrimination & Equality Bill, 2016, in the LS. Regrettably it was not considered by the GoI. It is clear that a State should take the first step in enacting such a law.

1. W/reference to allegations circulated publicly recently by a member of the ParliamentaryCommittee on IT relating to the #ManipulatedMedia issue, this is to clarify that, given theCmt's inability to meet in current circumstances, it communicates w/Ministries in writing as reqd. 2. On the subject of the Ministry of IT's contacts with @Twitter on #ManipulatedMedia, the Committee Secretariat wrote to MEITY by email on 4 & 25 May & received a detailed & comprehensive reply dated 26 May, which is being circulated to all Members for their information.

I am sure many friends have donated to various organisations& charitable bodies to help people cope with this #covidcrisis. But it’s been particularly satisfying to contribute to #sosiyc whose efficiency has been matched by their courage & initiative. 👏their work. #IStandWithIYC Details of how to contribute:

https://twitter.com/srinivasiyc/status/1386629023279632384?s=21

Had an excellent, lengthy& detailed discussion from my sickbed with @collectortvpm @navjotk28 on the situation in Thiruvananthapuram, based on the reports i receive daily from my constituency. #Covid is still at peak levels of 4000 cases a day & over 40,000 active, 3x last year. @collectortvpm @navjotk28 With a strict lockdown proving more effective this week, she is hopeful that cases will come down in 10-12 days. We discussed the vaccination situation & the shortage of oxygen concentrators in our local hospitals. The need to build up capacity for the long term is also evident.

1. There's understandable anger in India over the US Seventh Fleet sailing near Lakshadweep in waters that are part of our exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). However, there is nothing in UNCLOS (the Law of the Sea) that supports India’s stand on freedom of navigation through the EEZ. 2. So the Americans are essentially doing near Lakshadweep exactly what they are insisting on doing in & through the South China Sea under the same Freedom of Navigation principle (FoNoPs). The US can be accused of not respecting our sensibilities but not of breaking int'nl law.

Happy #RepublicDay2021 ! ये गणतंत्र दिवस बहुत ही खास बनने वाला है
दिल्ली की सड़कों पर, इतिहास बनने वाला है
आज होगा असली #JaiJawanJaiKisan

1. I have got hold of an advance copy of @BarackObama's #APromisedLand & though i haven't read every page, I did read every bit on India flagged in the Index. Big news: There isn't much. Bigger news: in 902 pages, @narendramodi is not mentioned by name at all. 2. Huge praise for Dr ManMohan Singh who is warmly described as "wise, thoughtful, &scrupulously honest", "a man of uncommon wisdom& decency" with whom he enjoyed "a warm & productive relationship" though MMS was "cautious in foreign policy". His regard & respect shine through.

Should such reputable companies be financing hate through ads on RepulsiveTV?: Raymonds, MuthootGroup, Jio, MaxBupa, Kent, AirIndia, Star Health Insurance, Nissan, Dabur, Mahindra, Amazon, Samsung, Sony, Maruti, Nerolac, Toyota. Can they find the moral courage to be like Parle? These are no better since they pay for news on TimesNow: Cadbury, Toyota, Hyundai, Nerolac, Birla Group, Amul, Skoda, Mercedes, Ceat, Samsung, Bluestar, HDFC, Sony, TCS. They "fund the toxicity, the hatred and bigotry, which our news channels spew 24x7": avayshukla.blogspot.com/2020/10/trps-c…

ShriRam is not the property of BJP. He is the ideal man whose image is deeply etched in the hearts&minds of millions. Gandhiji always sang his hymns& died w/"Hei Ram" on his lips. He talked about a RamRajya where all would live in peace&prosperity. Can't let His name be hijacked! The universal appeal of Ram & SanatanDharma cannot be commandeered by those who chant either hymns or slogans. He belongs to all humanity. For Hindutva, Ram is a God to be worshipped; for Gandhiji Ram represented ideal qualities that every person should practise &seek to emulate.

There is much to welcome in what we have seen of the #NewEducationPolicy2020 announced by @DrRPNishank. A number of suggestions made by some of us seem to have been taken into account. However,the question remains why this was not brought before Parliament first for discussion. I've advocated revision of the 1986 National Education Policy since my days in MHRD, to bring it into the 21st century. I am glad the Modi Govt has finally grasped the nettle, even if it took them six years to do so. Challenge is to ensure aspiration is matched by implementation.

1/3 Shocked to learn that Thiruvananthapuram MedicalCollege Police have registered a case against students for crowding at the entrance of StMary'sSchool, Pattom,on the day of #KEAM exam, alleging violation of #Covid19 protocols. They have demanded names& addresses. I'm outraged. 2/3 The student community &political leaders, including myself, had requested the Govt of Kerala to postpone this exam in the wake of the pandemic gripping the state. They unwisely went ahead,& several students who appeared for the exam have tested positive in the last 48 hours.

This thread deals w/the unfortunate developments in & around Poonthura, a lovely fishing village that has become the centre of a #Covid19 controversy in Thiruvananthapuram district that erupted in a most unfortunate manner yesterday & earlier today. I condemn the unpleasant incident that occurred yesterday at Poonthura against our selfless health workers,who are risking their own lives to save others. It is our responsibility as a society to protect them&provide them a safe working environment. What happened was regrettable.

1/8 A scurrilous tweet by a BJP MOS, @VMBJP , accusing me of “lying” about donating 1 cr to the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram, prompts this detailed clarification. The grant was authorised on 30 March before GOI suspended MPLADS funds. 2/8: Given the institution's strong history of path-breaking innovation and the calibre of its scientists,I was confident that this would be successful & allocated this amount to the institute as the attachment shows.

Had a good conversation w/ @CMOKerala @vijayanPinarayi about a large number of complaints streaming in from students: university students being obliged to take exams despite major challenges,&schoolchildren asked to study online or byTV when many don't have basic facilities2do so I have urged him to relax both sets of requirements during this unnatural #COVID19Pandemic period. Postponing exams & reducing the burden on schoolkids are essential even if it means truncating the following academic year. He has agreed to consider the issue sympathetically.

GOI's draft Environment Impact Assessment notification makes it easier for businesses to obtain environmental clearances. It legitimises some actions that are currently categorised as violations, eg in construction. Streamlining regulation is OK, but damaging environment is not. The draft notification reduces the frequency of compliance reports required from project owners from once every six months to once every year. Again, that's fine only if environmental safety is assured. Have experts been asked?

Coronavirus: India gets 'faulty' testing kits from China Isn't it time we MPs ask -- Did the Govt take away our MPLADS funds to pay for faulty testing kits from China? Who is responsible for wasting public money & putting public health at risk? 1/9 Been reading the comments on this issue on social media. This thread responds, disregarding the usual whataboutery & lame refs to "70 years of @INCIndia rule" (though i didn't know Vajpayeeji had joined our party: posthumously, seeing what's happened to BJP, he well might!)

Centre's decision to cut salaries &pensions of MPs is welcome. It's a good way for us to show solidarity w/people suffering across the country. But the Ordinance ending MPLADS funds for 2 years &pooling them into a Consolidated Fund run by the CentralGovt is problematic: [contd.] MPLADS is the only means for an MP to direct development resources to his constituency. An order to earmark all MPLAD spending for #COVID19 related measures would have been OK; I used mine to get urgently-needed #rapidtestkits & PPE to Thiruvananthapuram's health workers.[contd.]