Mohammed Basil: 'Disability does not matter'

In an interview on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju shared insights into his long association with the leader. Reflecting on their early interactions as party general secretaries in the late 1990s, Rijiju highlighted how Modi instilled discipline and target-bound execution. Rijiju stated, 'Modi Ji's time you can't make a mistake.' He noted that Modi ended VIP culture, introduced a round-the-clock work ethic, and completely transformed national governance after 2014. Discussing national security during his tenure in the Home Ministry, Rijiju recounted firm decisions taken after attacks on security personnel and observed that major Indian cities have become safe from frequent terror attacks. Rijiju also emphasized Modi's long-term roadmap toward a developed nation by 2047, describing him as a compassionate listener, a decisive visionary leader, and a statesman representing India globally.

A political faceoff has intensified over the Merchant Discount Rate charges on Unified Payments Interface transactions exceeding 2,000 rupees. The Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress of hypocrisy, noting the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance pushed for a tiered fee framework without dissent from its members. Meanwhile, the opposition labelled the charge a 'Modi Tax', claiming external pressure behind the decision. Defending the move, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri stated that running the digital payment system incurs costs and the government cannot subsidise everything indefinitely. Authorities maintain that charges will only apply to high-volume merchants, leaving consumers and person-to-person transfers entirely exempt.

The Tata Sons board has approved the reappointment of N. Chandrasekaran as chairman of the Tata Group for another five-year term. All board members voted in favor of the resolution except Noel Tata, who serves as the chairman of Tata Trusts. The reappointment requires ratification at the upcoming annual general meeting of Tata Sons. The disagreement between the two stems from concerns regarding the financial performance of key entities such as Air India, Tata Digital, and Tata Electronics, alongside high capital expenditure levels. Tata Trusts holds a two-thirds stake in Tata Sons.

Discussions regarding the formation of a Third Front ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections are gaining momentum as the DMK explores options to create an opposition alliance without the Congress party. Following a meeting with Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, DMK MP Kanimozhi is likely to meet Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. The political shift comes after tensions between the DMK and Congress following Tamil Nadu Assembly election dynamics involving the TVK. Regional parties are considering strategies to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party independently while sidelining Congress nationally, which could potentially impact the broader opposition bloc's electoral prospects.