Political Diary

New Delhi, 3 March 2026

CBI: His Master’s Voice

 BUREAU OF CONNIVANCE

By Poonam I Kaushish 

With the world in a tailspin thanks to US-Israel war against Iran with Middle East caught in the crossfire, in India BJP-AAP are trading charges over a CBI special court judgment acquitting all 23 accused, including Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal for his role in irregularities and kickbacks in the now scrapped 2021 Delhi excise policy case. Big deal if it led to incarceration of virtually the Party’s frontline leadership. Exemplifying a lexicon: When truth becomes a casualty, you end up with only babble. 

The judge punched so many holes in CBI’s findings that it ended up looking like a sieve. From being described by Supreme Court as a “caged parrot” 2013 to CBI Court’s scathing verdict 2026 of “investigations being pre-meditated and choreographed exercise with no material at all, conjecture” where facts were arranged to support a predetermined conclusion.” 

Adding, it was “conscious abuse of official position” designed to keep prosecution’s narrative fluid and protect the investigator rather than uncover the truth in the excise policy case. Most disquietingly, the Court found the agency misrepresented facts by claiming they had not received a copy of the approver’s statement when the IO had, in fact, signed for it on the day it was recorded.

The Court also slammed the IO for “suppression by obscurity”. Vital legal opinions from former Chief Justices were buried inside what the judge called an “email dump” of more than 14,000 communications. It observed that material described as “vital” was presented in a manner where it was “liable to remain unnoticed”, comparing the search for it to finding a “needle in a haystack”. More embarrassing, court recommended departmental inquiry against case investigators.

The verdict has now called a halt to this saga.  For Kejriwal and Co this is a moment of vindication. For CBI and Government it’s essential reading and a censuring moment sending an unequivocal message: Not without due process. Rebuking the agency, “criminal trials must be about what the defendant did, not who defendant is.”

Obviously, CBI disagrees and will appeal but we may not have a final verdict for years given the 2009 2G scam case is still at high court stage. But that’s not the point. No society is above conspiracies, corruption and crime. Look at US’s Epstein storm. Herein, the case cast a lengthening shadow on Kejriwal’s AAP, weighed down its Government, led to the spectacle of a sitting Chief Minister being sent to jail and was the centerpiece of last year’s Delhi Assembly elections which BJP won.

This explains why our politicians always hoot for CBI investigation. Those in Government use it as its handmaiden to dance to its tune. A toothless tiger to help friends and settle political scores with opponents with hit-ins, clean chits, political cover-ups and fool proof surety for law enforcers to become law breakers legitimizing crime and corruption. 

Allegations abound how the agency has and is being used to intimidate and cow down political opponents. Be it during Congress era or Modi Sarkar. From political partisanship, raids on susceptible opponents, often with a little help of ‘partners’ Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department, filing of FIRs, hours of questioning to a charge-sheet, favouring some, cracking down on others, going slow on key cases, messing up investigations, left half-way or not done at all.

Its inconsequential that in the end the CBI might not find any malfeasance but the calibration of response is what the game is all about. If you fall in line, pressure is eased. If you don’t, pressure is gassed up. A case in point: Whenever Government wanted to put pressure on BSP’s Mayawati CBI was used to pursue cases of disproportionate assets against her. When she came around, cases were but in a thanda baksa. Notwithstanding, scathing criticism from Supreme Court.

Consequently, cases tumble. Hardly one in five rape accused ends up behind bars, murder average is two of five. Why? Because of weak evidence. Example: December a drug runner was acquitted in Jharkhand because cops couldn’t produce evidence as rats had “consumed” 200kg of marijuana!

Sadly, the system has become self-perpetuating whereby a threatened political elite give more and more powers to CBI to get their way and have their say. Your merit and investigative skills don’t really matter. What matters is whether the Central Government, especially your political masters (PMO), think you are loyal and trustworthy enough to be appointed in CBI. 

Questionably, is CBI more sinned against than sinning?  Is the pot calling the kettle black?  The truth is mid-way.  Both work in tandem in furthering their own interest wherein the agency has adopted a brazenly opportunistic policy of playing safe with Governments of the day. 

There are as many as 3211 cases pending against MPs and MLAs in various courts in 19 States. These include cases being on-off investigated by CBI. Thereby, not only sullying the agency’s reputation, replete with its “failure” to back up charges with required evidence but also raising serious doubts about its honesty and integrity of purpose to weed out the corrupt. 

A reminder of the fundamental salience of due process ---- much needed when central agencies are weaponised by the ruling establishment on a witch-hunt against political opponents. When the agency invokes stringent provisions like PMLA with onerous bail conditions, the expectation is that evidence is robust and case watertight. But when these cases collapse even before trial it raises questions of political motives.

Time now, for CBI to set high standards of investigation and have a corrective influence. It needs to remember it derives authority not merely from statute but also from public trust. Inept or motivated prosecutions damage institutional credibility. Certainly, this does not imply that corruption should go uninvestigated or that our leaders deserve special immunity.

On the contrary, accountability is essential. But the agency must be even-handed, transparent and have legally sustainable proof. It should take care to neither act, nor be seen as acting at the behest of its political mai-baaps as such a perception weakens public faith in the rule of law and emboldens the corrupt. Hopefully Kejriwal’s order should have a restraining effect when it next seeks to unleash vindictive politics.

Over the years various Governments talk tall on giving CBI autonomy and improving its functioning from LP Singh Committee 1978, Parliament Estimates Committee 1991-92 even Supreme Court has made attempts to provide CBI insulation it requires, but unfortunately all failed. When push came to shove recommendations remain on paper.

Bringing things to such a pass that instead of becoming more accountable , CBI has been purposely protected from scrutiny. See how it was expressly taken out of the RTI Act’s ambit on grounds of national security.

Prime Minister Modi has oft spoken about ushering in transparency in governance. Time he walked his talk and made CBI independent whereby it stops being His Masters Voice and prevents abuse of power. 

Remember, nothing can be more harmful to democracy. Specially against the backdrop when checks and balances on power are weakening, the Court message is clear: Justice may be delayed, but not denied. The ball is now in Government’s court. Will CBI be guided by law only or by Government? Kiski laathi aur kiski bhains? ---- INFA. 

 (Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Round The States

New Delhi, 28 February 2026

Delhi’s Racism

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, SAYS N-E 

By Insaf 

Three cheers to social media! Notwithstanding the fears of it playing mischief, the recent incident of racism in the nation’s national capital, Delhi, going viral and sparking outrage has served the North-East and more importantly served national interest. On the one hand, the Centre is heavily promoting and trying to integrate the region and on the other we have this horrendous case of a couple, Harsh Singh and Ruby, hurling racist abuses at three women from Arunachal Pradesh living in Malviya Nagar. Connecting occupations like selling ‘momos’ and working in the ‘massage parlour’as hurled against the women,clearly has racist undertones. Intolerable. The behaviour of the couple was outrageous as what led to it was a mere electrical installation wherein some dust fell into the couple’s home downstairs. Fortunately, it raised a lot of dust and heat and should make Delhiites introspect and perhaps feel ashamed. 

The three women too deserve kudos as they protested not just against the racist insults hurled at them but fought for the dignity of their region. Prominent voices from the Northeast and political leadership are demanding strict action against the couple. The couple has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody after a case under sections relating to outraging the modesty of a woman, criminal intimidation and promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between different religious, racial, language, or regional groups was registered against them. And rightly so as an apology simply doesn’t work and the incident can’t be passed off as in “heat of the moment”.The Union minister for NE posted on X “Any injustice against our brothers and sisters from the Northeast will not be tolerated. Their safety and dignity are paramount to us.” Indeed, but it should not be left to just words, long-term strategy to curb this menace is needed.

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Assam‘Hate Speech’

Assam Chief Minister HimantaBiswaSarma needs to ‘restrain’ himself and watch out his words, which are being viewed as alleged ‘hate speech’. On Thursday last, the Gauhati high court issued a notice to him following a bunch of petitions against his public statements and a now-deleted controversial BJP video on its official X account, purportedly showing him taking aim and firing with a rifle at members of a particular community, wearing skull caps. The division bench also issued notices to the Centre, state government and DGP, saying it appears there’s a “fissiparous tendency, Let’s see what they have to say.” Earlier, Supreme Court declined to hear the petitions seeking registration of FIRs and setting up of a SIT against Sarma and asked them to approach the state HC. Importantly, when the HC was asked for an interim order restraining Sarma from making such statements in future, the court said “At this stage, let notices be issued first. It will be a normal restraint while this petition is pending consideration…” With Assembly polls due to be held in March-April, the court’s next date of hearing is March 21. Much can happen within this period, a close watch is vital.

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Drama OnSimla Highway

The high drama of Youth Congress activists ‘shirtless protest’ at the recent AI Summitand their subsequent arrest continues to simmer. In fact, it led a high-voltage standoff with the Himachal Pradesh police registering a kidnapping case against Delhi Police personnel and “detaining” their vehicles at the Shogi border near Shimla on Wednesday last. After dramatic 24 hours, it came to an end with the Delhi police being cleared to head back to the national capital with the three Youth Congress activists, who had fled to Rohru in the Congress-ruled state.The determined Himachal police team is said to have “detained” them for 5-odd hours even after procuring the requisite transit remand from the ACJM, at 1.30 a.m., after undergoing medical examinations at a Simlahospital. For the Delhi police it was a relief as some members were asked to stay behind and cooperate with the probe into the kidnapping case against them. In all 11 people have been arrested, which is unseemly and disturbing, to say the least. It was their way of a protest, even shirtless, and the BJP government needs to accept that every protest is not an insurrection against it and “anti-national.” Sooner the better.

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‘Keralam’ It Is

God’s own country, Kerala,will finally berenamed Keralam. The Union Cabinet gave its nod on Tuesday last after the first initiative was taken by Kerala Assembly three years ago. Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan had infact moved two resolutions, one in 2023 and another in 2024, urging the Central government to amend the Constitution as required and change the state’s name to Keralam. The first resolution noted the Malayalam name of the state is Keralam and that states were reorganised on linguistic lines as on November 1, 1956, observed as Kerala Piravi (Kerala Formation Day). The second resolution was moved correcting earlier discrepancies in the process.But New Delhi then paid no heed. Why now, is the big question. Guess, the answer lies it was given an unexpected push from state BJP, wherein in January, BJP state President Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to Vijayanextending support. With this backing will BJP potentially influence the upcoming Assembly elections due in April?

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Raj Village ‘Brotherhood’ 

Kudos to the ‘brotherhood’ in Tonk’sKaredaBuzurg village in Rajasthan. On Monday last, Hindu residents condemned the insult meted out to their Muslim women, by BJP leader and former MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria at his blanket distribution programme. In a video which went viral, Jaunapuria is seen asking one of the women: “Kya naamhai (What is your name? Move, step aside” before turning to one of his aides and telling him, “Mat de (don’t give)”. And says to those gathered there that those who “abuse Modi” have no right to take the blankets. Angry Hindu villagers say, “Be it Diwali, Holi, or Eid… we celebrate together… We don’t differentiate.” The former MP defends his action saying he was distributing blankets in his ‘personal capacity’. Not justified? It remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Modi, who is scheduled to visit Ajmer on Saturday, will address the situation or ignore it?---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Economic Highlights

New Delhi, 2 March 2026

NMP Raises Indirect Tax

CITIZENS TO PAY TO MORE!

By Shivaji Sarkar 

Indians may soon be paying more taxes — not through Parliament-approved hikes, but through toll gates, power bills and user fees. 

With the expansion of the National Monetisation Pipeline-2(NMP-2), the government has effectively introduced a new asset-monetisation regime that risks raising the overall tax burden quietly and pervasively. What is presented as innovative financing could, in practice, function as an additional layer of indirect taxation embedded into everyday life. 

This marks more than a change in how infrastructure is funded. It signals a structural shift in taxation itself — away from transparent, legislated taxes toward charges that citizens pay daily without debate or scrutiny. 

India already derives nearly 45 percent of its tax revenues, as per the Economic Survey, from indirect levies such as GST and excise, the most regressive form of taxation. Monetisation threatens to push that share even higher, to above 47 percent. For poorer households, nearly half of every rupee spent could carry some tax or fee component. For middle-class families paying both income tax and consumption taxes, the cumulative burden may absorb most of their incremental earnings.In practice, it feeds inflation, erodes disposable incomes and dampens growth. 

The government calls it “monetisation”. Citizens may soon experience it as extraction. A tax that bypasses Parliament for raising revenues, which would be shown as fees. 

Indirect tax collections for FY 2024-25 are driven by robust GST revenue hit a record high of Rs 22.08 lakh crore (9.4% increase). Total indirect tax collections for FY25 are estimated at Rs 18.37 lakh crore, with the overall indirect tax-to-GDP ratio standing at 4.9percent. 

The government had estimated around Rs 2.58 lakh crore in customs and Rs 3.36 lakh crore in excise duty for 2025-26. But customs collection dropped by 7.3 percent to Rs 1.43 lakh crore, till November. Excise accrual grew by 7.9 percent. 

The NMP-2 numbers alone explain why alarm bells should ring. In the Union Budget 2025–26, the government set a Rs10 lakh crore target for NMP 2.0 covering FY26–30. It estimates a total monetisation potential of Rs 16.72 lakh crore — 2.6 times larger than the first phase. 

Invisible Extraction

Highways, power grids, railways, ports, mining blocks and pipelines — assets built with taxpayer money over decades — will be leased to private operators. Ownership remains public, we are told, but control, pricing power and revenue streams shift to profit-maximising entities.

A low-income household pays the same GST on cooking oil or transport as a wealthy one. The poor therefore surrender a larger share of their earnings. 

The expanded NMP 2.0 risks deepening this imbalance.By leasing infra and assets to private operators and allowing them to recover investments through user charges, the state is effectively embedding a new layer of quasi-taxes into everyday life.It is a shift from visible taxation to invisibleextraction. 

The logic

When Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the monetisation plan, the rationale appeared straightforward: lease operational public assets, raise upfront resources and reinvest the proceeds into new infrastructure without expanding fiscal deficits or debt.In accounting terms, the approach seems prudent. Instead of borrowing, the government “unlocks value” from existing assets.But economically, the distinction is less benign. 

If the programme seeks to mobilise Rs16.72 lakh crore between FY26 and FY30 — more than twice the earlier phase — those funds must ultimately come from users. Infrastructure assets generate revenue only by charging citizens.Thus, what appears as non-tax revenue in the Budget is, in practice, indirect taxation through tolls, tariffs and service fees. 

A lease that functions like a sale

The government emphasises that ownership remains public and assets revert after concession periods. Legally, this may be accurate.For citizens, however, that distinction is immaterial.Once a private operator controls a highway or transmission line for decades, pricing decisions move beyond public accountability. The asset stops functioning as a public good and becomes a commercial revenue source.Users must pay each time they access it.Infrastructure built with taxpayer money begins charging taxpayers again. 

Monopoly economics

The inflationary risks stem from the nature of the sectors involved.Highways, railway stations, ports and power networks are natural monopolies. Consumers cannot easily choose alternatives. Once such assets are leased, pricing power becomes concentrated.Private concessionaires paying large fees must ensure returns. The simplest route is periodic increases in tolls and tariffs. Transfer-Operate-Transfer models incentivise revenue maximisation. 

Efficiency improvements is more an adage, but they rarely translate into lower charges.  The outcome is predictable: steadily rising user fees. 

From user charges to inflation

These higher charges ripple through the economy.Costlier highways raise freight expenses, which feed into food prices. Power tariff revisions raise industrial costs. Port and logistics charges inflate imports and retail goods. Mining costs affect steel, cement and housing.The impact is cumulative. This is classical cost-push inflation. 

The Reserve Bank of India may attempt to manage inflation through monetary tightening, but interest rates cannot reduce tolls or cap port charges. Monetary policy cannot address monopoly pricing. The present rates are around 4.2 percent.If infrastructure becomes permanently expensive, inflation becomes structural.Structural inflation steadily erodes purchasing power. 

Paradox of revenue abundance

The turn toward monetisation is puzzling given strong tax collections. GST accruals are about 40 percentof the revenues, averaging Rs1.68 lakh crore a month. Indirect tax receipts have grown consistently and the tax base has expanded.The government is not facing a collapse of revenues.

If additional funds are needed for capital expenditure, progressive direct taxation or better compliance could distribute the burden more fairly. Instead, the system becomes less equitable even as collections rise. 

Growth implications

There is a clear macroeconomic trade-off. Higher tolls, tariffs and user charges shrink disposable incomes, weakening consumption and hurting small businesses first. Rising logistics and energy costs erode competitiveness, compress manufacturing margins, raise export prices and slow investment. Infrastructure is meant to lower the cost of doing business; when it raises costs, growth suffers. 

There is also an institutional risk. As monetisation becomes routine, governments may rely on leasing assets to plug fiscal gaps, turning public wealth into recurring revenue streams — closer to mortgaging than recycling. Repeated monetisation turns public assets into fiscal crutches, encouraging more leasing instead of reform, raising user charges and costs for citizens. If the NMP lifts living expenses, it becomes hidden tax burden, not reform, hurting growth prospects long term.---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

Round The World

New Delhi, 27 February 2026

Modi’s Visit to Israel

What is the Controversy?

By Dr. D.K. Giri

(Prof of Practice, NIIS Group of Institutions) 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel has sparked geo-political controversy in addition to criticism from the Opposition at home. Prime Minister Modi is currently on a 24-hour stand-alone visit to Israel to upgrade bilateral relations. The controversy consists of timing of the visit, undermining Palestinian cause and the imminent attack on Iran by Israel and the United States. While the reactions to the visit may have a moral undertone in view of Israel’s ‘dispossession and displacement of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank’, whether Modi’s visit aligns with India’s national interests, is the question that is worth investigating. 

On the timing of the visit, the criticism is that tensions are escalating in West Asia. Indians are being advised to pack-off from Iran where Israel and United States are planning air assaults. It is no secret, according to the main Opposition, Indian National Congress, that India’s strategic interests, including energy security, diaspora welfare and connectivity projects are closely tied to regional stability. India has significant energy and trade ties with Iran, and any escalation could disrupt these interests. 

At the time of an impending war against Iran, Modi’s visit to Israel, one of the two warring countries, could affect ties with the former, a country that borders South Asia and has offered energy and connectivity to India for a long time. As such, under pressure from Donald Trump, Modi government had stopped importing Iranian oil since 2017. Trade and investment had declined considerably and the progress of Chahbahar Port with major Indian investment is stalled. Only the last month, New Delhi cancelled or put off a scheduled visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. 

The second set of criticism is about Israel’s conduct in the region and India’s commitment to Palestine as an independent state. The Congress Party contends that Israel’s attacks on civilians in Gaza continue mercilessly, since the war that began two years ago, more than 70,000 were killed. Yet, “the Modi government makes cynical and hypocritical statements on its commitment to the cause of the Palestinians. The reality is that the Modi government have abandoned them”. India was among the first few countries to recognise the state of Palestine on November 18, 1988. New Delhi’s present stance marked a departure from its long-standing position. 

The third allegation about Modi’s posture towards Israel is related to the conduct of Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. He faces very serious corruption charges. Reportedly, sections of the Israeli Opposition had threatened to boycott Modi’s address to Knesset, the Parliament of Israel. The Opposition leader, Yair Lapid had specifically said that he would not attend the address unless the Supreme Court chief is invited, citing protocol. They consider it as an attempt to undermine judicial independence. This coincides with Netanyahu’s plans to extend control over more territories under the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, which has incurred international condemnation. About 100 countries signed a joint statement at the United Nations criticising Israel’s violation of International Law in seeking to expand its territories in the state of Palestine. India did sign the statement one day later than others did without explaining the reason for the delay. 

India’s participation in the US “Board of Peace” as an observer will be watched as Modi talks to Netanyahu. The Board of Peace, created at the behest of USA in early 2026 for reconstruction, administration and peace-keeping of the Gaza strip. India did not join the Board as countries inimical both to Israel and India, like Pakistan and Turkey, joined the Board. India had initially refrained from sitting around the same table as Pakistan, a known sponsor of terrorism, but later agreed to join as an observer in order to maintain balance between USA ants its antagonists. In particular, India has deepened defence and technology cooperation with Israel, aligning with US strategic interests. At the same time, India’s relations with US and its allies may be impacted if New Delhi does not align with their stance on Iran. 

Another possibility to watch is the proposed ‘Hexagonal Alliance’ Israel is contemplating with India, Greece, Cyprus and some unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries against both radical Sunni and Shia axes. This will be watched more closely by those countries which appear to be targeted by this alliance. They include Iran, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, each of which has historical and complex ties with India. Prime Minister Netanyahu had told his cabinet on 22 February while announcing Modi’s visit that, “the idea here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges and goals against the radical axes – both Shia and the emerging Sunni. 

Critics however argue that India’s shift towards Israel is driven by the desire to strengthen military and strategic ties, rather than upholding humanitarian principles. The visit is seen as a significant shift in India’s foreign policy with Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) envisioning India as a Hindu homeland, echoing Israel’s self-image as a Jewish state. Prime Minister Netanyahu described the visit as historic and path-breaking. Other countries in the region have reacted cautiously. Iran, as expected, has expressed concerns about the visit. Not to forget that Iran is a long-time ally of Palestine. Other Arab states have maintained a neutral stance. The UAE and Saudi Arabia which have been strengthening ties with India, have not publically commented on the visit. So the reaction is mixed reflecting the complex geo-politics of the Middle-East. 

The potential implications of the visit at this time could be energy security risk as any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could impact India’s oil imports. New Delhi stares at the safety of over 9 million Indians in the region. The major connectivity project the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) may be affected. As usual, India maintains a neutral stance urging de-escalation and diplomacy. At the same time, India seeks to maintain ties with multiple players. 

All foreign policies are conducted on the basis of respective national interests. Remember the saying by Lord Palmerstone, the former British Prime Minister, “there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests”. It is an ideal situation when interests and principles coincide. In this case, Israel has remained a friend of India for a long time. In fact, India could count on Israel more than any other country when its security is threatened. In the past, as India has been at war with Pakistan and China, it is Israel that has stood by India. In the war against China in 1962, the Soviet Union had said that India is a friend whereas China is a brother. It is Israel which supported India by supplying ammunitions etc. 

Therefore, Modi’s pivot to Israel in the Arab world and elsewhere cannot be faulted. Of course, he has to balance it with a principled position, plain speaking and being a part of the solution to the protracted problem of Israel-Palestine conflict. ---INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)