Best of BS Opinion: A lighter touch makes things easier all around

From the sight of chained and cuffed Indians to electoral campaign, to the regulatory space, our articles today argue that a light touch, firmly enforced, can go a long way

Hello, and welcome to BS Views, our daily roundup of Business Standard’s editorials and opinion pieces.  

Enforcing the law may be a good thing, but it is equally true that sometimes a light touch is more effective and salutary than the boot. Most of our articles today look at different issues and argue that  enforcement of rules, done lightly, may be more effective.  

The symbolism of over 100 Indian immigrants to the US returning chained and handcuffed was not lost on anyone who has followed US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on illegal aliens. Our lead editorial insists that India object to such treatment of its citizens. The government would do well to create job opportunities to prevent such immigration, it says, while calling for the dismantling of networks that aid and abet it.   

Has the ban on campaigning 48 hours before polls outlived its utility? Our second editorial argues that with schedules announced way ahead of the polls, these restrictions are moot. The multi-phase polls only benefit national parties with deep pockets it says, pointing out that social media influencers who speak on politics remain untouched by the ban, making a mockery of it.   

Nivedita Mookerjee notes that both the Economic Survey and the Union Budget 2025 have made a case for reducing regulation to make both business and investing easier. While she commends the idea of light-tough regulation, she argues that regulations in consumer-facing services need a review. Cab aggregators, in particular, who have clear-cut regulations to follow, have failed to do so or even enact a modicum of self-regulation, often leaving riders at the mercy of indifferent so-called driver ‘partners’, who are effectively gig workers.   

In his column today, Janak Raj says that the government has rightly given a tax rebate to push consumer demand. At the same time, it is also aiming for a lower fiscal deficit of 4.4 per cent for FY26. It is time, he argues, for the private sector to step up their capex spending to complement the demand push. Else, it could end up exacerbating macroeconomic challenges.   

In today’s book review, Ranjona Banerjee dives into ‘Harry Hobbs of Kolkata and Other Forgotten Lives: some unusual Caucasians of 19th century Kolkata and their intriguing tales,’ by Devasis Chattopadhyay. The book is an eclectic collection of little-known stories about real people in imperial Calcutta (now Kolkata). The eponymous story in the book captures the live of Hobbs, a piano-tuner who became an excellent chronicler of his times. She points out that efforts like Mr Chattopadhyay’s, with its excellent research, open our eyes to the past in lively and engaging ways.