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Bail conditions in India may be getting weirder. I mean, I’m sure you’re used to reading about odd crimes, but what’s most strange in this particular case from Madhya Pradesh is not the crime itself but the punishment. A man accused of shouting a pro-Pakistan slogan in Bhopal was granted bail on the condition that he salute the national flag 21 times, twice a month, while saying ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’! On that note, let’s get into today’s edition, where we cover: Jammu and Kashmir’s six-year wait ended on Wednesday with National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah taking oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory. Abdullah took oath with five other ministers making up his cabinet. Balancing act: In his first comments after oath-taking, Abdullah said: “We will not let Jammu feel that they do not have a voice or representation in the current government. We have brought in a Deputy CM to ensure this…” That happens to be Surinder Choudhary, a former member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and an MLA from Nowshera. Taking the backseat: While the NC and Congress fought the J&K polls as partners in a pre-poll alliance, the Congress has decided to stay out of the government . The party says it will continue to fight for J&K’s statehood, and provide outside support to Omar’s government. Behind Congress’s move: Congress has been demanding restoration of statehood to the Union Territory from the Centre, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also promised the same several times, but to no avail. Abdullah, meanwhile, has denied any rift between the parties. An opening: The first direct talks between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan after nearly a decade seemed to have opened a window. With External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar speaking on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, there are indications that their talks explored the idea of resuming cricketing ties between the two countries. The talks could signal a baby step in putting an end to the guessing game around India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy In Pakistan early next year. Express interview: Behind the thawing of a diplomatic freeze between the two nations, is Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar – key to the preparation of the SCO’s public and international outreach. Tarar spoke to the Indian Express on the key takeaways of the SCO summit and Jaishankar’s significant visit. Trading in times of crisis: India’s trade deficit has finally hit a five-month low, courtesy increase in exports driven by textiles, engineering and electronic goods and a sharp decline in gold imports. Amid several geopolitical challenges, India’s exports managed to register a slight increase in September, reaching $35 billion compared to $34 billion last September. A consistent rise in engineering goods exports to Russia and Europe, where military spending is increasing, and export of electronic items such as mobile phones to the US, added to total exports. Environment nod to defence push: The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife has cleared five key road stretches — four passing through the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary along the Line of Actual Control — including on a route to the country’s northernmost military outpost in Ladakh and location of its highest airstrip. Why is this important? Because the nod is a shot in the arm for the Ministry of Defence which has expedited infrastructure building along the LAC in the aftermath of the 2020 clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan valley. Passing the baton: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has finally named his successor — Justice Sanjiv Khanna. With Chandrachud retiring on November 10, he has written to the Centre suggesting Justice Khanna’s name. Justice Khanna had started off at the district court in Delhi and was among the few who were elevated to the Supreme Court even before becoming a Chief Justice of any High Court. He has been part of a number of significant rulings, including upholding the abrogation of Article 370, and striking down the 2018 electoral bonds scheme. Climate change and security: In today’s Opinion section, Syed Ata Hasnain writes on why climate change is a national security issue. “Insurance can mitigate vulnerabilities to unpredictable events, climate disasters. It’s important to realise that human security holds the key to national security, especially in regions where proxy wars, based upon terrorism, abound.” Why is Trudeau doing what he is? India and Canada have been going back and forth for some time now over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. As Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of the murder, New Delhi hit back, calling it part of “the political agenda of the [Justin] Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics”. With Khalistani separatism on Canadian soil long been in Trudeau’s blind spot, this week’s escalation is best seen as his last play of the dice to remain in power. Hitting the jackpot: If a rags to riches story had to be told, the name of Amir Ali would surely be part of it. From helping his father at their garage in Lucknow , Amir was now picked by the yet-to-be-named Visakhapatnam-based team for Rs 34 lakh in the Hockey India League player auctions. And less than a decade ago, none of this seemed possible. And the shock of the news was well seen in his reaction: “This is my biggest earning through hockey. I don’t know what I’ll do with it.” Last week, 57-year-old former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba passed away in a Hyderabad hospital. Saibaba, who had 90% disability due to a polio infection he contracted during his childhood, had spent nearly a decade in jail for alleged Maoist links. In today’s edition of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we talk about the case and what it tells about the state of Indian judiciary. Ayesha works as a Senior Sub Editor at news desk. She is interested in current affairs, climate change, politics and artistic expression of all kinds. She did a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts, with a major in English and a minor in Politics, from King's College London. At Express, she writes for the morning newsletter, The Daily Briefing, and a weekly climate newsletter, The Icebreaker. Previously, she worked at The Quint. You can reach out to her at ... Read More None
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