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Editorials

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Setting out the Budget agenda

Editorials

Published on Dec 25, 2024 08:24 PM IST

The forthcoming Union Budget will be presented in a radically different economic environment compared to its predecessor.

New Delhi, India - Feb. 1, 2023: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Ministers of State Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Pankaj Chaudhary and officials poses for photographs outside the Finance Ministry ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2023-24 at North Block in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. (Photo by Ajay Aggarwal/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

ByHT Editorial

Detention policy is a double-edged sword

The scrapping of the no-detention policy in central schools is welcome as far as the underlying intent is concerned — identifying and remedying learning gaps among students

Ghaziabad India - December 22 2024: School children going to school in light rain in Ghaziabad , India on Monday, Decemberr 22 2024. (Photo bySakib Ali /Hindustan Times)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 25, 2024 08:24 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

The Benegal imprint on Indian cinema

Shyam Benegal, a key figure in the 1970s parallel cinema, reshaped Indian film with strong characters and aesthetics, leaving a lasting legacy.

**EDS: FILE PHOTO** Mumbai: In this June 14, 2024 file photo, filmmaker Shyam Benegal during the release of a special postal cover to mark Film Heritage Foundation's 10th anniversary, in Mumbai. Benegal passes away at the age of 90. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) (PTI12_23_2024_000397B) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 24, 2024 08:59 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Pulls of domestic politics in Dhaka

Bangladesh needs political reforms, surely, but Dhaka’s excessive focus on Hasina, and the targeting of her friends, at home and abroad, India included, is unlikely to help the country stay on course for a democratic overhaul

Bangladesh former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina checks her watch as she waits for the official opening time to cast her vote in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (AP)

Editorials

Published on Dec 24, 2024 08:59 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Forest survey misses the wood for the trees

The need is to assess reafforestation efforts through the prism of preserving and furthering biodiversity and the imprint these have on the climate crisis through the long-term effects on the environment and the way the hydrological cycle is impacted.

An Indian giant squirrel rests on a tree branch in the tribal village of Banagudi in Nilgiris district, India, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) (AP)

Editorials

Published on Dec 23, 2024 09:00 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Making friends in the Gulf region

While India’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the main players in West Asia, are better than ever, it is sound policy to develop equally close ties with the other Arab States at a time when a lot of Indian interests are closely tied to developments in the region

Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah shakes hands with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kuwait City, Kuwait, December 22, 2024. KUNA/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES (via REUTERS)

Editorials

Published on Dec 23, 2024 09:00 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Ways to make our roads accident free

Poorly designed roads, flouting of rules by road traffic, and lack of adequate monitoring form the cocktail that is behind most mishaps on India’s roads

Good design, effective laws, and zero-tolerance of violations can change human behaviour for the better (X.com/@DriveSmart_IN)

Editorials

Published on Dec 22, 2024 08:48 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Towards a simple and rational GST

Indirect tax regime needs to be rejigged and an honest debate on fiscal federalism and the politics and economics of welfare is essential

GST is no longer the Good and Simple Tax it was touted to be. The window for the rationalisation of the tax slabs (currently four) has been extended, and it isn’t clear whether this will even happen (FinMinIndia-X)

Editorials

Published on Dec 22, 2024 08:41 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Not in the name of Ambedkar

The raucous winter session was a disservice to his legacy, the illustrious track record of the Constitution and Parliament

Bengaluru, Dec 19 (ANII): Photos of Dr BR Ambedkar has been placed inside Karnataka Assembly to condemn the Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark in Rajya Sabha over BR Ambedkar, in Bengaluru on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (Congress-X)

Editorials

Published on Dec 20, 2024 08:29 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Dealing with the Dragon

India-China talks show incremental progress on border issues, yet differences in statements indicate ongoing challenges in peacebuilding and trust.

Beijing, Dec 19 (ANI): Indian Special Representative and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with Chinese Special Representative, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office Wang Yi at the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the China-India Boundary Question, in Beijing on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (India in China - X)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 19, 2024 09:12 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Oscars are no yardstick to judge Indian cinema

Laapataa Ladies is a sensitive and layered comedy about the status of women in the Hindi heartland and how aspirations are changing gender relations in rural India, but it arguably lacks the grandeur and thematic and emotional universality to rock global screens

Editorials

Updated on Dec 19, 2024 09:12 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Ashwin, match-winner & innovator for the ages

Ashwin’s variations and constant experimentations kept him ahead of the curve.

TOPSHOT - This picture taken on December 1, 2024 shows India's spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin arriving to attend a cricket warm-up session at Manuka Oval in Canberra. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) (AFP)

Editorials

Published on Dec 18, 2024 08:36 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Raucous debate, lost opportunity

The Constitution debate in Parliament was lost in partisan squabbles instead of discussing new challenges before the nation

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks during the Constitution debate in the Rajya Sabha at the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 18, 2024 08:35 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

When Colombo comes calling

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake assured Modi that Sri Lanka won't host anti-India activities, emphasizing India’s support amid China's growing influence.

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (PTI Photo)(PTI12_16_2024_000391A) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 17, 2024 09:12 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Ministerial blues haunt Mahayuti

Dissent in Mahayuti rises after CM Fadnavis' ministerial expansion, with heavyweights like Bhujbal excluded, causing unrest and protests among supporters.

Nagpur, Dec 15 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addresses a press conference ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the ministers of the Mahayuti alliance government, in Nagpur on Sunday. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar are also present. (ANI Photo) (Snehal Sontakke)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 17, 2024 09:12 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Wah Ustad! A global musician from India

Ustad Zakir Hussain was sure of his genius, but as a refined percussionist, he took care not to overshadow the musician he accompanied.

(FILES) Indian musician, percussionist and tabla exponent Zakir Hussain performs during a concert at the Indian Music Experience (IME), the country’s first interactive music museum, in Bangalore on July 27, 2019. (Photo by Manjunath KIRAN / AFP) (AFP)

Editorials

Published on Dec 16, 2024 08:16 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

The gains of going it alone

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal ruled out an alliance with Congress for Delhi elections, focusing on welfare schemes and targeting non-ideological Hindu voters.

New Delhi, India - Dec. 12, 2024: Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal Announces <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>2,100 Per Month For Women Ahead Of Delhi Assembly Polls during a function at AAP Headquarters in the presence of Delhi CM Atishi , in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, December 12, 2024. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 16, 2024 08:16 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Winter, Budget reins on rate cut

Inflation remains tethered to food prices; rate action will rest on winter-crop yield and the fiscal stance adopted in the Union Budget in February.

A more aggressive fiscal consolidation could nudge it to adopt a more supportive role vis-a-vis growth (Hindustan Times)

Editorials

Published on Dec 15, 2024 09:11 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

A coming of age for Indian chess

D Gukesh’s rise as the youngest world championis a tale with two pieces — one of individual and family sacrifice, and the other of legend Viswanathan Anand’s payback to Indian sport

Singapore: India's D Gukesh during the Closing Ceremony of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024, in Singapore, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh on Thursday became the youngest world chess champion at 18 years after beating Ding Liren of China. (FIDE/Eng Chin An via PTI Photo) (PTI)

Editorials

Published on Dec 13, 2024 10:35 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Nudging government to conserve wetlands

The SC's order to states to protect 30,000 additional wetlands, over the 2.01 lakh already being conserved under a 2017 order, is a timely intervention

Pulwama: Migratory birds at a wetland in Pampore area of Pulwama district of south Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 3, 2024. (PTI Photo/S Irfan) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 12, 2024 08:51 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Supreme Court draws the line

Directive to lower courts to keep off pleas seeking to undermine the Places of Worship Act is timely

Supreme Court of India (Mohd. Zakir/HT file photo)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 12, 2024 08:51 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Targeting the RS chairperson

The move against the vice president is the fallout of a breakdown in communication between the treasury and Opposition benches

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts proceedings in the House during the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (PTI Photo (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 11, 2024 08:30 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

A timely push for the digital rupee

Moving to the digital rupee for subsidy payments, a course the Centre is considering, could deliver multiple benefits

Editorials

Published on Dec 11, 2024 08:30 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

New RBI guv must keep macro picture in sight

The change of guard in Mint Street comes at a point when the central bank has steadfastly held interest rates till inflation aligns itself with the 4% target.

Sanjay Malhotra speaks during the 67th Foundation Day of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in New Delhi, India December 4, 2024. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS (via REUTERS)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 11, 2024 06:36 AM IST

ByHT Editorial

Mending Delhi’s ties with Dhaka

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Bangladesh highlights strained ties, with concerns over minority safety and refugee influx impacting relations.

Dhaka: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri with Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus during a meeting, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 10, 2024 08:30 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Speech that doesn’t befit a judge’s office

Justice Yadav should introspect on whether he is being true to his oath of office when he appears to single out a single community for censure

The judiciary has helped this Republic defy the odds and thrive. Its majesty is undermined by sectarianism and hate speech (Pexels)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 09, 2024 08:31 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

On the road to Damascus

Syria's Baathist regime has fallen, leading to a power shift favoring rebels aligned with HTS, raising concerns over stability and regional implications.

A sign reading 'Syria I love Damascus' is on display outside a bakery in Neukolln district in Berlin, Germany December 9, 2024. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner (REUTERS)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 09, 2024 08:29 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

The new AAP with old non-AAP faces

The change of track suggests that the AAP now recognises that it needs local leaders with their own support base to supplement the party’s influence

New Delhi: AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal's supporters during his ‘padyatra’ in Karol Bagh area ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Editorials

Published on Dec 08, 2024 10:16 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Slow and steady on China front

De-escalation, restoration of status quo and normalisation of bilateral ties need to be addressed with clarity and coherence

Indian and Chinese army greet each other along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Karakoram pass in Ladakh on October 31, 2024, on the occasion of Diwali. Chinese troops greeted Indian soldiers and exchanged sweets on October 31 at two points along their contested border to mark a major Indian festival, army sources said, a week after leaders of the Asian rivals held their first bilateral meeting in five years. (Photo by Indian Army / AFP) (AFP)

Editorials

Published on Dec 08, 2024 10:16 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

Stalled demand, sluggish growth

RBI holds interest rates steady, revises growth forecast down to 6.6% for 2024-25, citing demand-side issues, while inflation remains a key focus.

Mumbai: Security personnal outside the Reserve Bank of India headquarters, in Mumbai, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. The RBI on Friday raised the inflation projection for current fiscal year to 4.8 per cent from 4.5 per cent with Governor Shaktikanta Das saying lingering food price pressures are likely to keep headline inflation elevated in the December quarter. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) (PTI)

Editorials

Updated on Dec 06, 2024 08:54 PM IST

ByHT Editorial

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News / Editorials

Editorials

The forthcoming Union Budget will be presented in a radically different economic environment compared to its predecessor.

The scrapping of the no-detention policy in central schools is welcome as far as the underlying intent is concerned — identifying and remedying learning gaps among students

Shyam Benegal, a key figure in the 1970s parallel cinema, reshaped Indian film with strong characters and aesthetics, leaving a lasting legacy.

Bangladesh needs political reforms, surely, but Dhaka’s excessive focus on Hasina, and the targeting of her friends, at home and abroad, India included, is unlikely to help the country stay on course for a democratic overhaul

The need is to assess reafforestation efforts through the prism of preserving and furthering biodiversity and the imprint these have on the climate crisis through the long-term effects on the environment and the way the hydrological cycle is impacted.

While India’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the main players in West Asia, are better than ever, it is sound policy to develop equally close ties with the other Arab States at a time when a lot of Indian interests are closely tied to developments in the region

Poorly designed roads, flouting of rules by road traffic, and lack of adequate monitoring form the cocktail that is behind most mishaps on India’s roads

Indirect tax regime needs to be rejigged and an honest debate on fiscal federalism and the politics and economics of welfare is essential

The raucous winter session was a disservice to his legacy, the illustrious track record of the Constitution and Parliament

India-China talks show incremental progress on border issues, yet differences in statements indicate ongoing challenges in peacebuilding and trust.

Laapataa Ladies is a sensitive and layered comedy about the status of women in the Hindi heartland and how aspirations are changing gender relations in rural India, but it arguably lacks the grandeur and thematic and emotional universality to rock global screens

Ashwin’s variations and constant experimentations kept him ahead of the curve.

The Constitution debate in Parliament was lost in partisan squabbles instead of discussing new challenges before the nation

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake assured Modi that Sri Lanka won't host anti-India activities, emphasizing India’s support amid China's growing influence.

Dissent in Mahayuti rises after CM Fadnavis' ministerial expansion, with heavyweights like Bhujbal excluded, causing unrest and protests among supporters.

Ustad Zakir Hussain was sure of his genius, but as a refined percussionist, he took care not to overshadow the musician he accompanied.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal ruled out an alliance with Congress for Delhi elections, focusing on welfare schemes and targeting non-ideological Hindu voters.

Inflation remains tethered to food prices; rate action will rest on winter-crop yield and the fiscal stance adopted in the Union Budget in February.

D Gukesh’s rise as the youngest world championis a tale with two pieces — one of individual and family sacrifice, and the other of legend Viswanathan Anand’s payback to Indian sport

The SC's order to states to protect 30,000 additional wetlands, over the 2.01 lakh already being conserved under a 2017 order, is a timely intervention

Directive to lower courts to keep off pleas seeking to undermine the Places of Worship Act is timely

The move against the vice president is the fallout of a breakdown in communication between the treasury and Opposition benches

Moving to the digital rupee for subsidy payments, a course the Centre is considering, could deliver multiple benefits

The change of guard in Mint Street comes at a point when the central bank has steadfastly held interest rates till inflation aligns itself with the 4% target.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Bangladesh highlights strained ties, with concerns over minority safety and refugee influx impacting relations.

Justice Yadav should introspect on whether he is being true to his oath of office when he appears to single out a single community for censure

Syria's Baathist regime has fallen, leading to a power shift favoring rebels aligned with HTS, raising concerns over stability and regional implications.

The change of track suggests that the AAP now recognises that it needs local leaders with their own support base to supplement the party’s influence

De-escalation, restoration of status quo and normalisation of bilateral ties need to be addressed with clarity and coherence

RBI holds interest rates steady, revises growth forecast down to 6.6% for 2024-25, citing demand-side issues, while inflation remains a key focus.

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