 "Best of BS Opinion: Trump, ethanol, RINL, and global uncertainties")
Imagine a pot of milk on the stove, bubbling with potential. You keep an eye on it, but turn away for just a second and in that brief moment, disaster strikes. The boiling milk spills, leaving you with a mess to clean. This is the story of our times — policies, politics, and decisions heating up to their tipping points, at the brink of chaos. Let’s dive in.
Donald Trump’s second term is like turning the heat back on high. His inauguration brimmed with rhetoric of “Golden Ages” while teetering on the edge of legal and ethical bounds. Our first editorial today highlights that from clemency for Capitol rioters to resurrecting fossil fuels and renegotiating global trade rules, the agenda seems ready to boil over.
Meanwhile, in India, ethanol blending aims to cut emissions and reduce oil dependency — a noble recipe. But sugarcane, the backbone of this program, drinks water like a thirsty giant. With maize imports climbing and flex-fuel vehicles barely catching on, this mix risks souring. Our second editorial argues that policymakers must recalibrate the stove’s flame, shifting to sustainable feedstocks before the pot boils dry.
The government’s Rs 11,440 crore bailout for Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited is another kettle altogether. A pivot from disinvestment to state-funded revival raises questions: are we now investing in the very entities once destined for the auction block? The political seasoning, especially with Andhra Pradesh’s coalition pressures, seems to have altered the recipe, reveals A K Bhattacharya in his column today.
Meanwhile, bankers suggest lowering the cash reserve ratio (CRR) further, but experts warn against turning down the flame too much. Liquidity deficits are temporary, and slashing the CRR could destabilise the system, argues Janak Raj in his column. Think of it as letting the milk simmer instead of boiling — enough to stabilise, not spill.
In today’s book review of Salil Tripathi’s The Gujaratis: A Portrait of a Community, Shreekant Sambrani writes that the book starts strong, but its lack of focus makes it feel undercooked. From shallow dives into pivotal figures to indulgent personal anecdotes, the book offers sips of promise but leaves the reader thirsty for more.
Stay tuned, and remember to watch your boiling milk closely — or risk a spill!