Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
C.P. Radhakrishnan chosen as Vice-President
- Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan has been elected as India’s 17th Vice-President. He defeated the Opposition’s candidate, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, by 152 votes. The voting saw 98.2% participation.
- Radhakrishnan, supported by the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), got 452 first-preference votes. Justice Reddy received 300 votes. Out of the total, 15 votes were found invalid and 14 MPs did not vote.
- The electoral college originally had 788 members, but because of six empty Rajya Sabha seats and one empty Lok Sabha seat, the final number was 781. Out of these, 767 voted.
- The NDA was expected to get 439 votes, but it managed 452, meaning 13 extra votes came from cross-voting. On the other hand, the Opposition could not reach its expected number of 324 votes.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message on X (Twitter), congratulated Radhakrishnan and said that he has always dedicated himself to serving the poor. Modi also said he was confident that the new Vice-President would strengthen constitutional values and improve discussions in Parliament.
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also congratulated Radhakrishnan. At the same time, he praised Justice Reddy’s strong fight and reminded Radhakrishnan to respect the Opposition and uphold parliamentary traditions without bending under ruling party pressure.
- Justice Reddy accepted his defeat gracefully. He said that democracy is not only about winning but also about dialogue, dissent, and participation. He repeated his commitment to India’s constitutional ideals of equality, brotherhood, and liberty.
- In his first speech after winning, Radhakrishnan said that “nationalistic ideology” had won. He asked for unity to build a “Developed India” by 2047 and said that everyone should focus on development instead of politics.
- BJP leaders claimed that around 15 Opposition MPs cross-voted for Radhakrishnan. MP Sanjay Jaiswal even suggested that almost 40 Opposition MPs supported him, though some of their votes became invalid.
- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh denied BJP’s claims. He said the Opposition was united and pointed out that they got 40% votes this time, compared to only 26% in 2022. He called BJP’s victory a political setback.
Kathmandu in Turmoil as PM Oli Steps Down; Attacks on Parliament and Supreme Court
- Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned following the death of 19 people in police firing during large-scale, Gen Z–led anti-corruption protests in Kathmandu and other cities.
- Oli submitted his resignation to President Ram Chandra Poudel, stating that the crisis required a political solution. The President urged all parties, including Gen Z protest leaders, to join peaceful talks as demonstrations continued.
- Even though there was a curfew, thousands of people came out to protest. Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel asked everyone to stop violent programmes and reminded Nepalis that it was their duty to keep peace, unity, and security in the country.
- The protests turned violent when angry crowds stormed the Parliament, Supreme Court, and the main government offices at Singha Durbar. They set these buildings on fire, and also attacked government offices in Kathmandu and other areas.
- Protesters also targeted the homes of political leaders. Oli’s residence in Balkot was set on fire, while the houses of Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal were attacked and destroyed.
- Police-confirmed videos showed protesters assaulting Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, a former foreign minister, amid the unrest.
- The protesters also targeted Kantipur Publications, the publisher of The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur, widening their anger against both politicians and the media.
- Kathmandu’s independent Mayor Balen Shah had earlier supported the protests. The main slogan of protesters was against politicians living a lavish life on citizens’ hard-earned tax money.
- Following Oli’s exit, Mayor Shah announced his willingness to hold talks with the Army Chief. This raised speculation that he might lead an interim government in the coming days.
- Meanwhile, RSP leader Ravi Lamichhane, who was in jail for cooperative embezzlement, was released because of security concerns. His possible alliance with Mayor Shah added more complexity to the situation.
- Now, with Oli gone, Parliament not functioning, and no clear plan ahead, experts say Nepal is stuck in a worsening political crisis without direction.
PM Announces Flood-Relief Aid for Punjab, Himachal
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after visiting the flood-affected States, announced ₹1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh and ₹1,600 crore for Punjab as relief.
- The Central government clarified that the amount for Punjab is separate from the ₹12,000 crore already in the State’s disaster fund but did not share any additional details.
- Punjab’s Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said the State already holds over ₹12,000 crore in its disaster fund. He requested the Centre to relax rules so that the money could be used before new relief is given.
- Modi took aerial surveys of flood-hit areas and held review meetings in Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) and Gurdaspur (Punjab) about relief and rehabilitation plans.
- He stressed that recovery should be multi-dimensional. This includes rebuilding houses, fixing highways, repairing schools, giving PMNRF relief, and distributing mini kits for livestock.
- Additional support will also help farmers who don’t have electricity connections so that agriculture can recover. In Himachal Pradesh, damaged houses will be geo-tagged under PM Awas Yojana for better tracking of aid.
- In Punjab, a special project under the PM Awas Yojana-Gramin will be launched to rebuild rural houses damaged by the floods.
- Modi also announced compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives and ₹50,000 for the seriously injured, applicable in both Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
- But Opposition parties in Punjab criticised the ₹1,600 crore package as too small. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal demanded much higher aid and also a one-time farm loan waiver.
- Badal blamed the AAP government for not releasing the available ₹12,000 crore during the floods, calling it “criminal negligence” that made people suffer more.
- Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring criticized the ₹1,600 crore package as far too little, describing it as “a drop in the ocean”.
Important Questions
- How many first-preference votes did C.P. Radhakrishnan receive in the Vice-President election?
- What did Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge remind Radhakrishnan about after congratulating him?
- What slogan did protesters in Kathmandu raise against politicians during the Gen Z–led anti-corruption protests?
- Which government buildings in Kathmandu were set on fire during the protests against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli?
- What special project under PM Awas Yojana-Gramin will be launched in Punjab for rural houses damaged by floods?
- How much compensation did Prime Minister Narendra Modi announce for families of flood victims who lost their lives in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh?
Important Vocabulary
- Participation – the act of taking part in something.
- Constitutional – related to the Constitution (the supreme law of the land).
- Traditions – long-established customs or practices.
- Nationalistic – showing strong support for one’s nation.
- Curfew – official order restricting people from going outdoors.
- Turmoil – a state of extreme confusion, disorder, or unrest.
- Publications – printed works such as newspapers or magazines.
- Speculation – forming opinions or guesses without firm evidence.
- Clarified – explained something clearly.
- Rehabilitation – the process of restoring normal life after damage.
- Applicable – relevant or valid in a situation.
- Negligence – failure to take proper care.
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