What slowdown? Industry events continue to be extravagant affairs

While India Inc routinely emphasises the need for austerity, the extravagance and pomp on display during industry events present a stark contrast. At a recent exhibition and conference organised by an infrastructure firm in Noida, there was a special programme even before the formal launch event. There was a digital launch when tablets were handed out to ministers. A special mobile app replaced the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gigantic screens across the hall were lit up, displaying what many thought were “needless graphics” accompanied by dancers wearing body-lights. The drama lasted for a full 10 minutes, during which the crowd wondered if there was indeed a slowdown. Not to mention, all this razzmatazz caused delays and chaos for visitors.

Shah & CAA

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has rolled out a pan-Indian itinerary to counter the Opposition narrative around the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The campaign will kick off in Uttar Pradesh with Union Home Minister Amit Shah (pictured), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, etc addressing pro-CAA rallies. On January 21, Shah is arriving in Lucknow to address a public meeting, one of the six planned for UP in this phase. The rally will cover all the districts in central UP’s Awadh region. The state party organisation has started preparing for the mega event to showcase the BJP’s purported stand that the silent majority was always supportive of the new Act.

Pressing matter

Representative bodies of journalists are bracing themselves to legally contest entry curbs imposed by the government on accredited finance ministry reporters on entering North Block. The Press Council of India (PCI) has decided to hear a complaint from various journalist bodies, including the Press Association, Press Club of India, and Foreign Correspondents’ Club against the finance ministry, which imposed these curbs in July last year. The Press Association has been summoned by the PCI for a hearing on Monday and journalists may argue that the diktat has sparked a fear in the minds of bureaucrats to officially meet them. They may also make a strong case that most other ministries have no such restriction for accredited journalists.