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QBullet: Kerala Bar Scandal Probe, BJP Introspection and More

QBullet: Read the top news and views of the day from across the papers. 

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1. Kerala CM ‘Interfered’ in Bar Bribery Probe

An investigation by The Indian Express suggests that Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had a role to play in the clean chit that state finance minister KM Mani initially got. The report says that the state Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau had watered down the report, which was later criticised by the Vigilance court.

The Director of the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau, Vinson M Paul, told The Inidan Express that Chandy had called “many times”. He also specified that the calls were not to instruct him to give Mani a clean chit but to finish the probe before the state assembly session began.

Read the full story here.

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2. Congress Hails Rahul as Grand Alliance ‘Architect’

When Nitish Kumar broached the subject of a Grand Alliance to take on the BJP in Bihar, the Congress party was the first to take up the offer. The Hindustan Times reports that party Vice President Rahul Gandhi had a significant role to play in bringing the Congress into the picture. Congress leaders too, are now proudly announcing that he was indeed the ‘architect’ of the alliance.

The party was aware that it had no political clout in the state and was completely dependent on JDU and RJD for all the legwork. Hence, despite Rahul Gandhi’s uneasy relationship with the RJD chief, he perhaps saw that this was the party’s only chance at beginning to strengthen itself in Bihar. Going by the results, he was quite right. And that confidence showed when he slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the media after results were announced.

Read the full story here.

3. Vijayvargiya’s Dog Comment Gets Brickbats from JD(U) Leader

Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi criticised senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya’s comment comparing Shatrughan Sinha to a dog on the road. Tyagi added that the saffron party has lost ‘mental stability’ after its dismal performance in Bihar elections.

First the Prime Minister’s remark on minorities, then VK Singh’s remark on Dalits, and now Vijayvargiya ji is comparing his senior party leaders with dog. This is disgraceful, he (Sinha) is a senior party leader and a veteran actor, such statements do not suit a politician.
KC Tyagi, JDU Leader

Shatrughan Sinha himself was not going to stay silent. But his reaction this time hinted at putting an end to the whole controversy. ‘Shotgun’ Sinha had the last word on Twitter.

Read the story on The Quint here.

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4. Bihar Saw Strong Anti-BJP Verdict, not a Pro-Nitish Vote: Dipankar Bhattacharya

Amid the Grand Alliance’s victory in Bihar, the CPI(ML) won three seats. At the party’s two-storey headquarters in east Delhi’s Shakarpur, general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya spoke to The Indian Express about the victory and the challenges faced by the Left.

It was more of a national election than a state election. In that context, this is a very strong anti-BJP verdict. I don’t agree with the view that this was a pro-Nitish and pro-incumbency verdict.  
Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(ML) General Secretary

Read the full interview here.

Also Read The Quint’s For the Left Front in Bihar, Reddest Was Best

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5. Farooq Abdullah Says Autonomy Must Be Restored in J&K

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently in Srinagar addressing a mega rally in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the BJP-PDP combine came to power. It was no ordinary day for the state as Modi also announced a Rs 80,000 crore financial package.

A day after that announcement, The Hindu caught up with National Conference President Farooq Abdullah. He spoke at length about the Indo-Pak talks, Kashmir and of course, the phrase, “winning the hearts of Kashmiris”.

Read the interview here.

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6. Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD Heads for a Full Sweep in Myanmar Polls

The National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, claimed victory on Monday in virtually every seat in four states where results of Myanmar’s historic parliamentary election were known. The party signalled a sweep that could give it the presidency and further loosen the military’s hold.

The NLD said it had won 44 of the 45 lower house seats and all 12 of the upper house seats from the party stronghold of Yangon. The trend is expected to continue in the remaining states.

Read the full report on The Quint here.

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7. Clearing The Air

Just ahead of Diwali, Sanjoy Hazarika writes that the rising levels of pollution are a warning sign for the government of India to prepare a roadmap for emission standards. To strengthen that argument, Hazarika cites the World Health Organisation’s report that says 13 out of the 20 international cities with the world particulate matter are in India, and Delhi, as the writer so directly put it, “ranks as the top offender”.

Read the full piece here.

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8. The Heroes We Garland

Gopalkrishna Gandhi writes that for decades, Nehru’s birthday was a celebrated event, while that of Sardar Patel’s was slowly being forgotten. In the more recent times, a sort of a correction has taken place with the government bringing Patel back into focus but only to make “Nehru look puny”. Gopalkrishna writes that if the Congress rises above this trend this November 14, it would be doing the nation a huge favour.

Read the full piece here.

Also read from The Quint’s Archives Stamped & Stomped: The Nehru-Gandhi Legacy

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9. Persistent Sexual Harassment Is Criminal Assault: Bombay HC

Sexual harassment in the newsroom and the media world is the proverbial elephant in the room. For a multiplicity of reasons, victims are compelled to bury the hatchet, and pushed to forget the offences against them. But a recent ruling by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court could provide courage to victims to bravely speak up and seek legal redress.

Read the full story on The Quint here.

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(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)

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