From the GST reforms to the turbulent progress of the voter list revision exercise in poll-bound Bihar, to an apparent breakthrough in the Manipur situation. These were the stories that dominated Urdu dailies through the week, even as they also kept the focus on the Vice-Presidential election involving the ruling BJP-led NDA’s C P Radhakrishnan and the Opposition alliance’s B Sudershan Reddy. While the numbers are clearly tilted in favour of the NDA’s nominee in the high-profile contest, the dailies flagged the Opposition’s framing of the poll as an “ideological battle” and a show of their unity.
Referring to the agreement reached between the Centre and leading Kuki-Zo civil society organisation Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) as well as Kuki militant outfits ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Manipur on September 13, the Bengaluru-based Salar, in its September 8 editorial, writes that this is a crucial breakthrough achieved after a long time, which may lead to a dawn of peace in the troubled state after 28 months. This is going to be the PM’s first visit to the state since the eruption of ethnic conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos in May 2023.
The daily notes that the talks included opening of National Highway-2 for free movement, respecting the territorial integrity of Manipur and relocating some designated militant camps away from areas vulnerable to conflict, although there remain various questions and doubts over the implementation process. “The agreements may not be final or based on a complete consensus between all the stakeholders, but they are significant given the sustained crisis,” it says.
Pointing to the hurdles ahead, the editorial notes that the KZC has issued a clarification regarding free movement on NH-2, emphasised on the buffer zones between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas, and has said that it is the Centre’s responsibility to ensure safe passage along the highway. The edit goes on to ask why the Central government and the state administration could not make such efforts for peace earlier, even as the ethnic clashes killed more than 250 people, saw atrocities against women, and displaced tens of thousands.
INQUILAB
Underlining the challenges facing the Congress in the upcoming Bihar elections in the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, the New Delhi edition of Inquilab, in its September 5 editorial, points out that the party has been mostly in political wilderness in the state since 1990, when it was ousted from power by the Janata Dal, leading to Lalu Prasad’s rise. Jagannath Mishra was then the Congress’s chief minister; no other party leader has become CM since. “This time, the Congress has tried to build up an atmosphere as Rahul’s Yatra and its ‘vote chori’ slogan seem to have gained traction across the state. Still, the Congress cannot claim parity with the RJD in sharing seats. It cannot be claimed either that the Opposition alliance is set to clinch power,” the daily says, noting that the RJD led by Lalu and his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had emerged as the single largest party in the 2020 polls, with 75 of the state’s 243 seats.
One key reason why Tejashwi could not become the CM in 2020 (the Congress and RJD formed a government with the help of the JD-U, with Nitish Kumar becoming CM) was the Congress’s poor showing, the editorial says. The Congress won just 19 seats, down from 27 in the 2015 polls. “However things seem to have changed for the Congress now because of the Rahul Gandhi factor, who is now also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” the edit states. “The point however remains that the Congress organisation has been tottering in Bihar. While Rahul has sought to connect with the people through his march across 25 of 38 districts, the party needs a streamlined organisation and committed workers to turn that outreach into votes,” it says. “And ensuring a robust organisation and motivated cadre cannot be achieved in days or weeks — it will be a long haul.”
Even if it wrestles enough seats from its allies, the Congress faces the challenge of fielding “winnable candidates with a clean image”, the daily says. “Rahul’s Yatra may have raised the morale of the Congress’s rank and file, but the party would have to sustain this momentum in the countdown to the polls. For this purpose, Rahul would need to frequently hit the campaign trail in Bihar,” it adds.
SALAR
Highlighting the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms paving the way for a broad two-slab structure of 5% and 18%, with a rate of 40% only for super luxury and “sin” goods, Salar, in its September 6 leader, says that for the past several years questions have been raised by various quarters over the design and rates of this tax regime. “The Opposition parties have been up in arms against the GST for several years, with Rahul Gandhi calling it ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ for burdening the lives of common people,” it states, adding that the Modi government had earlier trashed such concerns. “Amid changed circumstances following the imposition of high US tariffs on Indian goods, the government has finally gone for the GST’s rationalisation and rate reduction, which has given a big relief to people.”
The editorial states that the Congress has cautiously welcomed GST reforms for “providing some relief to people after a long delay”, but has maintained that “the wait for a true GST 2.0 continues”. “The Congress has held that the rates should be lowered and simplified further and the compliance burden on MSMEs and small businesses eased,” it says. However, the edit notes, the GST reforms cleared by the GST Council comprising the Centre and states / Union Territories (UTs) have made sharp rate cuts for a wide range of daily use items, consumer durables and services, which would benefit the people and stimulate the economy.
The slashing of the GST rates would also bring down inflation, spur public spending, bolster manufacturing, and create options to tackle the Trump tariffs, the daily says. It points out that since its roll-out in 2017, the GST system has undergone several tweaks before the current sweeping reforms. “It will be seen now how the Centre addresses the states’ demands for compensation for their revenue losses due to rate cuts.”