Mysterious deletion
The sudden removal of all references to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism from the Centre’s official statement on the telephonic conversation between the Union defence minister, Rajnath Singh, and his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, is intriguing. On July 1, the defence ministry issued a statement saying the two leaders discussed ways to augment defence ties with a focus on expanding industry collaboration. Speaking on Operation Sindoor, Singh was quoted as having conveyed to Hegseth that Pakistan’s track record of cross-border terrorism was well known globally. “India reserves the right to respond and defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter any further cross-border attacks,” the statement quoted Singh as having told Hegseth. However, within 15 minutes, the ministry issued a revised statement, removing all references to Pakistan and India’s commitment to pre-empt and deter cross-border terror attacks and defend itself. The ministry dropped the entire paragraph on Pakistan without explaining why it was removed or who ordered its removal. By the time the revised press statement was issued, the original had already been aired on television channels, news wires, and social media. While Singh did not say anything novel about cross-border terrorism vis-à-vis Pakistan — it has been India’s stated position for long — it nonetheless caused a stir in the corridors of power. People were left wondering whether Singh at all made the remarks.
Hidden potential
Nitin Gadkari, the Union road transport and highways minister,
is perhaps the only leader from the ruling side who wishes every Opposition parliamentarian on X on their birthdays. Opposition leaders have also heaped praise on Gadkari, who does not hide his warm relationship with the Opposition, even at the cost of annoying Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
Nitin Gadkari
A rift is discernible between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, over who should be the next party president. Gadkari is keenly watching the show from the sidelines. The Nagpur Lok Sabha member with deep roots in the RSS seeks to project himself as worthy to lead the party. In 2009, the RSS got him to lead the BJP, ostensibly to break the clout of the Delhi lobby over the party. He couldn’t, however, get a second term as BJP president, as the Delhi lobby struck back by planting corruption charges against him in the media. This time, the RSS is striving hard to break the grip of the Gujarat lobby. Although health and age are not on his side, Gadkari, 68, could be the surprise pick for the BJP president if the RSS has its way.
In the eye of the storm
Kerala’s health sector has been embroiled in a series of controversies over the last few days. First, it was Harris Chirakkal, the head of the urology department of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, who highlighted the red-tapism rampant in state hospitals. He lamented that due to the “system failure”, he had to cancel urgent surgeries. An embarrassed health ministry sprang into action, and within three days of Harris’s outburst, the finance department released pending funds for medical supplies. Second, an old building of the Kottayam medical college collapsed, causing the death of a 57-year-old bystander, while her daughter had to be admitted for surgery. But the health department insensitively maintained that none was injured.
Third, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan went to the United States of America to undergo treatment for cancer despite the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership claiming that Kerala has excellent medical facilities. Fourth, the Nipah virus has returned to the state after a woman from Palakkad was diagnosed with the deadly disease. Tests from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, have confirmed the death of another man from Kozhikode from the virus.
Cash cows
Gaurav Gogoi, the newly-appointed Assam Congress president, has reminded the prime minister of his “na khaunga, na khaane dunga” commitment. The state-backed agriculture project at Garukhuti in Darrang district is in the headlines over the procurement of 300 Gir cows from Gujarat and the allotment of 90 of such bovines to those close to the ruling BJP dispensation. The Congress and other Opposition parties have been demanding a judicial probe into the alleged irregularities over the Gir cows and government subsidy for the dairy sector.
Gogoi upped the ante by dragging Modi into the issue. He said that he hoped the PMO would take steps against the allegations. “PM Modi had said ‘na khaunga, na khane dunga’ but chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is doing the opposite in Assam,” Gogoi claimed. Although Sarma and the Garukheti management have refuted the charges, the Opposition is piling pressure on the government. Gogoi seems focused on making corruption a key poll plank in the 2026 polls.
