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Indian opposition member Manish Tewari today shocked the country by referring to the popular erotic novel, 50 shades of Grey in the Parliament. The Congress MP from Punjab was debating government’s move to take away Kashmir’s independence and bring it under Delhi’s rule. “There is a book in English, which says there is nothing in black or white. There are ‘50 Shades of Grey’ in between. I believe that Article 370 cannot be scrapped without the involvement of the J&amp;K assembly,” Tewari said, debating government’s move to scrap J&amp;K’s special status and divide it into two union territories. What Tewari might or might not know is that the controversial novel is an erotica where the principal characters vacillate in their relationship, where one of the partner is dominant and the other is submissive. Watch the video from Lok Sabha today. <div type="Youtube" id="HUxGhRQXFbM" title="Watch: Manish Tewari's 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Reference During Kashmir Debate In Lok Sabha" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HUxGhRQXFbM/mqdefault.jpg"></div>

The erotica ‘50 Shades of Grey’ gets whipped up in the Indian Parliament without context

<ul><li>India's Narendra Modi government has made a historic move to annul Constitutional provisions that confer Jammu and Kashmir a 'special' status that allows it to make its own laws and ward off 'outsiders.</li><li>India's Home Minister Amit Shah declared in the Parliament today that Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution will be abrogated.</li><li>The government also informed the Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be split into two Union Territories, which will be the entire region directly under the Centre's rule.</li><li>Ahead of this announcement, Section 144 was imposed in Kashmir valley-- internet services have been suspended, political leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been placed under house arrest-- to prevent any backlash.</li></ul> The Narendra Modi government is keen to create history by putting an end to provisions in the Indian Constitution that confer a special status to state of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been the centre of a conflict with Pakistan as well as a hotbed for separatists in the region. The government's overpowering majority in the Indian Parliament as well as the fact that the state is under President's rule for now, help Modi get his way. India's Home Minister Amit Shah declared in Parliament that Article 35A and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that give special status given to Kashmir -- and rights to make its own laws-- will be abrogated. "The entire constitution will be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir state,” Shah said. In a subsequent order, India’s president approved the government’s changes. He also proposed splitting the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir being one and Ladakh being the other-- bringing the entire region under New Delhi's direct rule and administration. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Shah's declaration was faced with an uproar from the opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad argued that Article 370 has been a crucial factor in keeping Jammu and Kashmir united with India since its independence in 1947. Shah responded saying that Azad's argument was a lie perpetuated by the Congress for decades and Article 370 only managed to isolate Kashmiris from the rest of India. What it means India's first Prime Minsiter Jawaharlal Nehru and Kashmiri icon Sheikh Abdullah agreed to a 'special' status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir to protect the land rights of the 'permanent citizens'. Article 35A prohibits 'outsiders' from owning property, getting government jobs and scholarship, and from settling in the state. The Article, also called the Permanent Residents Law, also prohibits women from inheriting property if they marry someone from outside the state. Apart from the autonomy, Article 370 -- which makes Artice 35A possible-- allows the state to make its own law and also makes it compulsory for the state assembly to agree to any move proposed by the central government in New Delhi. However, as of now, the state is under President's rule and there is no need for consent from the state assembly. Those against the 'special' status given to Jammu and Kashmir argue that Article 370 was a 'temporary' provision but the courts, including the Supreme Court, have held that it is a permanent part of the Constitution, in a judgement as recent as 2018. However, Parliamentarians from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argued in the Parliament the it is indeed a temporary provision, which must be abolished now. So this move by the Narendra Modi government is expected to land in litigation as well draw some international attention. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 It is also claimed by many experts that Article 35A stems from the powers conferred upon the President under Article 370 of the Constitution, and therefore one cannot be annulled without the other. The deletion of Article 370 will automatically render Article 35A null and void. Two Parliamentarians tore up copies of the Constitution in protest of the move to abrogate Article 370 and 35A. Both of them were forced out of the house by the Speaker of Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu, the country's Vice President. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/section-144-in-kashmir-latest-news-developments/articleshow/70529285.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">All that's happened in Kashmir over the last 72 hours – from movement of troops to suspension of internet to political leaders under house arrest</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/jammu-and-kashmir-and-ladakh-will-now-be-two-separate-union-territories/articleshow/70531866.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will now be two separate Union Territories</a>

Article 370 and Article 35A which give Kashmir a special status will be annulled, Amit Shah tells Indian Parliament

<ul><li>On April 11, two constituencies from the state of Jammu &amp; Kashmir – Baramulla and Jammu – will go to polls. </li><li>For the state, which has been at the centre of terrorist attacks, violence by separatists, civil disobedience and protests, elections hold major significance. </li><li>The separatist mindset however continues to cloud the state’s democratic potential, directly or indirectly. </li></ul>Jammu and Kashmir, home to the world’s highest <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41432568">battleground</a>, has only six seats in the Indian Parliament, but it is almost always at the centre of the country’s political discourse. On April 11, two constituencies – Baramulla and Jammu – will go to polls. Both Baramulla and Jammu are important constituencies with over 1.3 million and 1.8 million voters respectively. For the state, which has been at the centre of terrorist attacks, violence by separatists, civil disobedience and protests, and the major point of contention between India and Pakistan, elections hold major significance. In Baramulla, colleges are shut for 7 days to ensure peaceful polling, whereas high security is in place across the state so as to avoid any violence during the elections. While Kashmiri separatists have called for <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/elections-2019/separatists-call-boycott-lok-sabha-elections-beginning-thursday-1502744485.html">boycott of polls</a>, parties like Peoples Democratic Party and J&amp;K National Conference, have come to <a href="https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/280319/separatists-poll-boycott-call-may-fall-flat.html">realise</a> that the boycott of polls only works in the benefit of other major parties like <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> and the Indian National Congress. The separatist mindset however continues to cloud the state’s democratic potential, directly or indirectly. On February 14, Pulwama saw one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the state with the death toll rising to over 40. Post the terrorist attack in Pulwama, over 100 Kashmiri separatists were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir/more-than-100-separatists-detained-in-kashmir-raids-in-pre-election-crackdown-idUSKCN1QC070">detained </a>by the J&amp;K so that there are no anti-election campaigns. India then retaliated with the Balakot air strike, where Indian Air Force planes crossed the de facto border in Kashmir. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured after the air strike by the Pakistani army, which further riled up the hostility between the two countries. Pakistan had then released the Wing Commander. But for the people of Kashmir, elections mean hopefully making way for an improvement in the situation in the state. Baramulla has been subject to multiple <a href="http://risingkashmir.com/news/baramulla-faces-developmental-challenges">developmental</a> challenges and the people blame the administration for the lack of progress. The voter turnout in the Panchayat (local administration) elections in Kashmir held in December 2018 saw an average voter <a href="https://scroll.in/article/905364/a-closer-look-voter-turnout-numbers-do-not-tell-the-whole-story-of-kashmirs-panchayat-elections">turnout </a>of 74%. The manifestos of the two major political parties – INC and the BJP, both give prominence to Kashmir. However, It will be an uphill task for the BJP because neither of the regional parties are friendly with the incumbent government at the centre. The state has been under President’s rule since December 2018 (which was declared after 6 months of Governor’s rule) and now, the Assembly elections have been reportedly pushed till June 2019. This was because of the fallout in the regional alliance between the central government’s ruling party BJP and the PDP. One of the major reasons behind the fallout between the two parties was the Kathua rape incident where an eight-year old girl was raped. Two senior BJP ministers, Lal Singh and Prakash Chander Ganga had then participated in a rally that supported of the accused in the case. Further, the BJP manifesto’s promise to revoke <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bjp-manifesto-released-for-2019-lok-sabha-elections/articleshow/68774925.cms">the special status of J&amp;K and revoke Article 35-A, </a>which confers special rights on J&amp;K residents especially in the acquisition of property and eligibility for public sector jobs, will also be an overhang on the party’s chances in the valley. However, this is not the first time BJP has promised this. In 2014, the party had put the repealing of Article 370, which gives autonomous status to the state, in its manifesto. But it still managed to gain ground in the state elections held after that. The Congress party has said in its manifesto that the two acts will not be touched while the AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act will be reviewed. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives the Army the power in disturbed areas, was implemented in Kashmir in 1990 and since then, has been a point of debate in the state. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/lok-sabha-election-2019-for-jammu-and-kashmir/articleshow/68637078.cms">Lok Sabha Election 2019 candidate list for Jammu and Kashmir</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bjp-manifesto-released-for-2019-lok-sabha-elections/articleshow/68774925.cms">Narendra Modi's election manifesto packs larger doles and a rosy narrative</a>

Elections 2019: Democracy’s appeal is under test in the shadow of the world’s highest battleground

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6358301" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon">Monsoon</keyword> Session of the <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword> commenced today and will have a sum total of 18 working days. </li><li>While the proceedings will be derailed by a vote of <keyword id="123465" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="no-confidence">no-confidence</keyword> against the government, a number of key bills could be passed. </li><li>Around 28 bills are slated for discussion, including the <keyword id="6360066" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="triple-talaq">Triple Talaq</keyword> Bill, the Women’s Reservation Bill and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill.</li></ul>The Budget Session of the Indian Parliament might have proved to be <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mKrTrXeVAIIOMEIhmYYNYZpiXoqx7j4fuDZgGdYcuZk/edit">a washout</a>, so here’s hoping that the short Monsoon Session, which started today and goes on till 10 August, doesn’t follow suit. From the outset, it will be hard to get a lot done, given that the session has only 18 working days and a number of issues that are slated for discussion are mired in partisanship. But here’s what could be in store for the next few weeks. The return of the no-confidence motion Proceedings will be derailed again by a vote of no-confidence. The no-confidence motion against the government in the last session didn’t get anywhere as a result of disorder in the House. Hence, a new one was moved by the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> and Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and is scheduled for discussion within the first hours of the session in Lok Sabha today itself after receiving more than 50 signatures. It will likely be debated within 10 days. The TDP raised the motion in response to the government’s refusal to grant special category status to the state of Andhra Pradesh, following its split into two states in 2014. The party is seeking additional funding from the central government for its spending, saying that it had been given assurances in this regard. Of course, the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> won’t be too worried about the motion, other than the points raised in the debate which could lead to bad press. In order for the no-confidence motion to pass, it needs the support of the majority of the house. In the 539 member house, the BJP currently has 275 seats excluding those belonging it to its allies, so the motion will, in all probabilities, fail. A lot of arguing Barring the no-confidence motion, a lot of issues will be argued with varying degrees of anger and/or disagreement. With less than a year to go for the national elections, the Opposition will take any chance it can get to single out the government’s failures. Blame for the recent spate of lynchings in Maharashtra as a result of the circulation of fake news on Whatsapp will be placed squarely on the ruling party in the state - the BJP. Other issues which will likely get significant airtime include the rise in fuel prices, the depreciation of the rupee, the build-up in bad loans, the dissolution of the government in Jammu &amp; Kashmir and the non-feasibility of the minimum support price scheme. Discussion on a number of key bills Amidst all this arguing, the government will try and muster support for pending bills. Prior to the commencement of the session, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached out to a number of leaders of Opposition parties, seeking their help for the passage of important bills. Around 28 bills are slated for discussion in this session. These include the extremely contentious Triple Talaq Bill, the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, the Transgender Rights Bill and amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the Right to Information Act. For its part, the BJP has reportedly said that it will pass the Women’s Reservation Bill, which reserves 33% of all seats in the Parliament and state assemblies for women, in exchange for the Congress’s help in passing the Muslim Women Bill, which bans the practices of instant divorce (triple talaq). If the Congress does play ball and a fair degree of order is maintained, a lot of politically significant decisions could come out of this session. If not, well, we’ll just to have wait until the Winter Session to do this all over again.

Here’s what to expect from the Indian Parliament this Monsoon Session

New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> is set to present the <keyword id="15626720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024" source="Orion">Union Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament today, marking her seventh consecutive budget and eclipsing the late Moraji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets, which is likely to focus on changes in the income tax structure and improving the ease of doing business in India. At 11 am today, the much-awaited full budget for 2024-25, the first under the Modi 3.0 government, will be presented on the floor of the Parliament. All eyes will be on the major announcements made by the finance minister and the government's forward-looking guidance about the overall economy. Sitharaman will lay on the table a statement (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the government for the year 2024-25 in the Rajya Sabha. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111946291" title="Union Budget 2024-25: Focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>She will table the budget one hour after the conclusion of the presentation of the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Minister also lay on the table, under subsection (1) of Section 3 of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003, a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers: medium-term fiscal policy strategy statement and macro-economic framework statement. The Finance Minister will further lay on the table statements (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures (2024-25) of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (with the legislature). The interim budget, tabled on February 1, took care of the financial needs of the intervening period until a government was formed after the Lok Sabha polls, after which a full budget was to be presented by the new government. With this upcoming budget presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will surpass the record set by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual budgets and one interim budget between 1959 and 1964 as finance minister. The <keyword id="105431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-session" source="Orion">budget session</keyword> of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12. Before presenting the Budget, the finance minister will go to the North Block, where the Ministry of Finance is housed. She will meet the secretaries of her ministry, and later, along with them, she will reach the President's residence to get permission before presenting the Budget. About half an hour before the budget is presented, a Cabinet meeting headed by the prime minister is usually held, where ministers are briefed about the budget and Cabinet approval is taken. Putting aside the details of the upcoming budget, let us review the budget-making process and sequence of events typically followed. The Ministry of Finance typically issues circulars to all ministries, Union territories, States, and autonomous entities to send their demands and recommendations for the Union budget around September-October, with budgets typically tabled on February 1. Another key event before the budget presentation is the 'halwa ceremony'. A few days before the budget is presented, the government has a tradition of conducting a 'halwa ceremony', marking the start of budget document printing. The Halwa ceremony is significant as it also marks the beginning of a lockdown at the finance ministry, meaning no official is allowed to leave the ministry compound. Everyone on the budget team is allowed to leave only after the financial document is presented in Parliament. The printing of the Union Budget inside the basement located in the North Block has been a permanent feature since 1980. A day before the budget is scheduled to be tabled, the government typically releases its Economic Survey. This year, too, the same norms were followed. The Economic Survey serves as a crucial input for budget formulation. It is prepared by the Chief Economic Advisor and provides an overview of the country's economic performance, prospects, and policy recommendations, including future outlook. India is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in 2024-25, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said in a press conference after the tabling of the Economic Survey. The Economic Survey tabled projected India to grow at 6.5-7.0 percent in 2024-25. As per the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Indian economy is on a strong and stable footing, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. The first Economic Survey reportedly came into existence in 1950-51, when it used to be a part of the budget documents. In the 1960s, it was separated from the budget documents and presented a day before the Union Budget. The budget, once it is presented, is then subjected to detailed debate and discussion in both houses of Parliament, allowing members to scrutinise its provisions, raise concerns, and propose amendments. Following its presentation and approval by Parliament, the Union Budget sets in motion a series of post-budget activities aimed at implementing its provisions and achieving the outlined objectives. Like the previous few full Union budgets, the Budget 2024 will also be delivered in paperless form. An Interim Union Budget 2024 was presented on February 1, as the country was due for general elections later in the year. All the Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as the Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), and Finance Bill, as prescribed by the Constitution, will be available on the "Union Budget Mobile App" for hassle-free access to budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public. The app is bilingual (English and Hindi) and available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in). SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: PM Modi arrives in Parliament ahead of Budget 2024 presentation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/why-did-the-latest-economic-survey-of-india-heavily-shun-the-western-ways-of-climate-action/articleshow/111947230.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Why did the latest Economic Survey of India heavily shun the ‘Western ways’ of climate action?</a>

Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today

Opposition leaders in the <keyword id="48510" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> asked the government on Thursday to restore status quo ante as on April this year on the India-China border. Cutting across party lines, members in the Upper House of Parliament expressed their solidarity and support to the armed forces, which are facing a standoff situation against the Chinese army in eastern Ladakh. Leader of Opposition <keyword id="6360065" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ghulam-nabi-azad">Ghulam Nabi Azad</keyword>, <keyword id="6409376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="anand-sharma">Anand Sharma</keyword> and former defence minister A K Antony of the Congress asked the government to take efforts to restore the status quo ante of April and resolve the over-three-month-old border standoff. Some members such as Prasanna Acharya of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and <keyword id="6355496" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Raut">Sanjay Raut</keyword> of the Shiv Sena cautioned the government while entering into any agreement with China over the present situation. Defence minister <keyword id="6355121" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajnath-Singh">Rajnath Singh</keyword> made a statement in the Rajya Sabha after the government and opposition agreed that there will be no discussion on the sensitive issue. Chairman M <keyword id="74369" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Venkaiah-Naidu">Venkaiah Naidu</keyword>, however, allowed the members to seek a few clarifications on the statement, which was almost identical to the one Singh made in the Lok Sabha on September 15. Sharma said the country is proud of its Army and the sacrifices made by the soldiers to protect the border. "There should be no doubt on this and the entire nation would stand together," he said. Referring to the recent talks between the Indian defence minister and foreign minister with their Chinese counterparts and a statement on September 11, Sharma asked: "Do we understand that the restoration of the status quo ante will remain a non-negotiable and final objective for India?" Antony sought a clarification over Singh's statement in the Upper House. "You have to clarify that sovereignty means status quo ante as on the middle of April. That is the meaning of sovereignty," he said. Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh was never a disputed site, the former defence minister said. "Even at Galwan Valley, our soldiers are now not allowed to patrol at the point at which they used to patrol earlier. In the Pangong area, in a more than eight-kilometre area they are not allowing us to patrol, the area which we used to patrol. Previously, we used to patrol till Finger 8 and now we are not being allowed to patrol till Finger 8," he added. The Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) should be allowed to patrol at the point where they used to patrol earlier, the Congress leader said. Azad said he stands with the armed forces and salute their valour. Being a citizen of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Azad said the people from there are ready to sacrifice themselves to defend the territory and integrity of the nation. "On behalf of my party, I would say at least on this China issue, we stand with the government. There should be no compromise. They should go back to the position where they were in April," the Congress leader said. RCP Singh of the Janata Dal (United) said China is an "ungrateful' country that always follows a "policy of aggression". He suggested that the government should negotiate with the neighbouring country from a position of strength. Tiruchi Siva and P Wilson of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) expressed their solidarity with the armed forces. Raut said patience and valour are the traditions of India, but not of China. The neighbouring country has a "tradition of betrayal and we should always be careful with them," the Shiv Sena leader said. BP Baishya of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said the people of the northeast are with the armed forces and salute their sacrifice. Ravi Prakash Verma of the Samajwadi Party (SP), K Keshava Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Binoy Viswam of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Elamaram Kareem of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Veer Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also participated in the debate and expressed their solidarity with the armed forces. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/first-intact-planet-found-circling-a-dead-star-this-jupiter-sized-anomaly-is-in-orbit-rather-than-being-pulled-apart-at-the-seams/articleshow/78166938.cms">First 'intact' planet found circling a dead star — this Jupiter-sized anomaly is in orbit rather than being pulled apart at the seams</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/hcl-tech-enters-the-list-of-top-10-most-valued-companies-in-india/articleshow/78165311.cms">HCL Tech enters the list of top 10 most valued companies in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/latest-updates-on-india-china-border-issue/articleshow/78162853.cms">India will take necessary steps against China — 'We will not back down,' asserts Rajnath Singh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/muthoot-finance-says-this-years-growth-is-likely-to-exceed-guidance/articleshow/78159469.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Muthoot Finance says this year's growth is likely to exceed guidance</a>

Opposition demands India-China border status quo to be restored to what it was three months ago

142 million voters go to polls today in 20 states—  here’s a look at the key issues in every state

<ul class="generic-article__summary--ul content--ul"><li class="generic-article__summary--li content--li">With at least two major regional elections in 2020, all eyes are on how the BJP will arrest the fallout from the citizenship act and local poll defeats.</li><li class="generic-article__summary--li content--li">Analysts say the BJP will concentrate on centralising power and a hardened focus on Hindu nationalism.</li></ul> December was a difficult month for <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/india" class="link-text">India</a> Prime Minister <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/narendra-modi" class="link-text">Narendra Modi</a> and Amit Shah, his top lieutenant in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The BJP is facing the biggest challenge of its five-and-a-half-year rule as it scrambles to defuse crises on multiple fronts. How Modi and Shah, the home minister, respond to these problems could determine whether the party maintains its comfortable political edge over rivals, observers say. The current problems – <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3043741/thousands-take-part-rival-protests-over-indias-citizenship-law" class="link-text">mass protests</a> over a controversial <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3042045/modis-surgical-strike-muslims-puts-india-war-itself" class="link-text">citizenship law</a> and back-to-back state election defeats – are seen in some quarters as an early sign that the public is pushing back against their aggressive advocacy of the Hindu nationalist agenda over broader national interests. Activists wear masks of Home Minister Amit Shah, Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh during a protest against the citizenship bill. Photo: AFP The two men are lifelong members of RSS, the hardline Hindu nationalist group that serves as the ideological fountainhead of the BJP. Political researcher Neelanjan Sircar said the state election defeats also happened “due to the BJP’s desire to centralise power in Modi and Shah. It does not want strong regional leaders and units”. At the moment, the biggest headache for the BJP going into 2020 is the mass protest action around the country over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which was passed on December 12. The law paves the way for immigrants from non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and <keyword id="6354759" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword> to obtain Indian citizenship. Demonstrators, many of whom are students, say the legislation brings out into the open what they claim is the BJP’s plan to systematically drive out the country’s 200 million Muslims as it seeks to create a Hindu Rashtra, or a Hindu nation. The belief is that the CAA, along with the government’s plan to initiate a National Register of Citizens, will create a scenario wherein Muslims who do not have documents to prove their citizenship will be declared illegal immigrants. Hindus and other minorities will not face such a predicament. Modi and Shah have found themselves in an embarrassing bind over this issue because while Shah had explicitly outlined this plan in multiple speeches – saying it targeted “infiltrators” and not Muslims – Modi came out after the protest to directly contradict this position. The prime minister declared his government had no plans to implement the National Register of Citizens. ELECTION SETBACKS If this was not enough of a quandary, the BJP is also reeling from two setbacks in state elections. Earlier in December, the BJP’s oldest ally, the regional party Shiv Sena – with which it has partnered for 25 years – cut ties with the Modi administration and formed a coalition government with the opposition Congress to govern the state of Maharashtra following state polls there. On Christmas Eve, the BJP lost power in Jharkhand, a small but crucial state which holds 40 per cent of India’s mineral wealth. Despite ruling the state for five years, the BJP could only manage 25 seats in the 81-member assembly, while the Congress and its ally got 46 seats. This was its fifth major loss in regional polls in the last year. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a rally to launch the BJP campaign for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. Photo: EPA-EFE With at least two major regional elections in 2020, in the capital New Delhi, and in the eastern state of Bihar, all eyes are on how Modi and Shah arrest the fallout from the citizenship act saga and the poll defeats. Also weighing on their popularity is the slowing economy, which grew at its lowest rate since 2013 in the July-September quarter. Sircar, an assistant professor at the Ashoka University in the state of Haryana, cautioned against using state poll results as a crystal ball into Modi and Shah’s longer term fate as the ruling party had been struggling to win state elections even before it cruised to a general election victory in May. The Congress, which held power for decades and which continues to be led by the country’s influential Nehru-Gandhi clan, swept regional polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan months before the general election. But what the results do reveal is that local elections are no longer swayed by Modi’s popularity alone, said Sircar, whose research interests include studying election data. After 2014, when Modi first came to power, his party won state elections in most major states and governed over 70 per cent of India’s land mass until March 2018. This has now come down to half, partly due to the BJP’s efforts to centralise power in the two leaders, said Sircar. Meanwhile, continuing confusion in the opposition ranks is harming efforts to build an anti-BJP front. The Congress, for instance, still has a temporary party chief in <keyword id="689" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonia-Gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> after her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi quit, taking blame for its election defeat. The fragmentation of opposition unity is likely to rear its head during the upcoming Delhi elections, in which the Congress might not want to ally with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to defeat the BJP. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and ex-party president Rahul Gandhi (L) attend a sit-in protest. Photo: AFP HONEYMOON PERIOD Another crucial reason why the current situation might not affect the BJP’s long-term standing is timing. There is an important reason it introduced the legislation in the first six months of its five-year term. “The BJP has been very effective in setting its own narratives and winning elections. Hence, while it does seem like the BJP is floundering, it is too early in its term for it be considered a threat to their popularity,” said Sudha Pai, a retired professor in political science from New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. Pai points to the 2019 elections, when Modi managed to divert attention away from issues such as development, infrastructure, a slump in the economy and the highest unemployment rate in 45 years, to rake up nationalism against Pakistan and come back to power with an enhanced margin. The BJP has probably learned this from experience. In 2016, India’s campuses were rocked with student protests against the government but this did not feature in the discourse during the general elections. The face of the protests, youth activist Kanhaiya Kumar, lost by over 400,000 votes to a controversial BJP leader, Giriraj Singh. A man wearing a mask of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves the BJP flag during a rally in New Delhi. Photo: AP COURSE CORRECTION? Since Modi’s re-election in May, his government’s two major moves – the decision to revoke <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/kashmir" class="link-text">Jammu &amp; Kashmir’s special status</a> and bifurcate the state, and the citizenship law amendment – have seen a similar approach being employed. Both were passed in Parliament without much debate, despite acrimonious opposition.Even in the face of the protests, Modi and Shah have remained defiantly supportive of the police action, which has so far resulted in 23 deaths. Most of these occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, where the BJP’s controversial chief minister <keyword id="43254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yogi-Adityanath">Yogi Adityanath</keyword> hailed the police crackdown. But both Pai and Sircar believe the protests and Jharkhand defeat will come as a rude shock to the BJP. “No matter what the final outcome is, there is a sense that the mood in the country is changing, that nationalism might not be enough to win elections any more and that the BJP is not invincible,” said Pai. Such widespread protests have not occurred in the last few decades. “Somewhere, this is affecting Modi’s popularity, bit by bit,” Pai said. Indian Prime Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi. Photo: DPA Opinions are mixed on whether these issues will result in a course correction in the next four years of the BJP’s term. Sircar does not see a shift by the BJP any time soon. “I don’t see the BJP’s model changing. Centralising power in their own hands is a very important project for both Modi and Shah. Taking decisions without consultation is also integral to it; to consult means to slow down the process,” said Sircar. Pai, however, is slightly more optimistic, but also believes the next four years will see a hardened focus on Hindu nationalism. “It depends on what happens with the protests and how long they sustain. But I think the BJP will realise that nationalism and warmongering have diminishing returns. It will have to deliver.”

After a torrid December, how will India’s Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the BJP fare in 2020?

Labour member of parliament Jo Cox, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/breaking-news-jo-cox-has-been-shot-and-stabbed-2016-6">who died after being shot and stabbed on a Yorkshire street on Thursday</a>, made her <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-06-03b.674.0">maiden speech in the House of Commons in June last year</a>.Cox, who was the Labour member of parliament for Batley and Spen in the north of England, was born and raised locally.In her maiden speech she spoke of her pride in being "made in Yorkshire."She also discussed how her constituency was "deeply enhanced by immigration," the need for a shift in attitude towards regional economic generation, and whether the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> government's actions would match its "northern powerhouse" rhetoric.Here is the transcript below in full, as per the <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-06-03b.674.0">They Work For You website</a>:Thank you, Mr Speaker; it is a great privilege to be called to make my maiden speech in this most important of debates, and I congratulate many others who have made outstanding maiden speeches today.I am sure that many right hon. and hon. Members will claim that their constituencies consist of two halves or numerous parochial parts; I am another in that respect, and Batley and Spen is very much that kind of constituency. It is a joy to represent such a diverse community.Batley and Spen is a gathering of typically independent, no-nonsense and proud Yorkshire towns and villages. Our communities have been deeply enhanced by immigration, be it of Irish Catholics across the constituency or of Muslims from Gujarat in India or from Pakistan, principally from Kashmir. While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.My constituency is also home to Fox's Biscuits and Lion Confectionery, so I am sure you will not think it an indulgence, Mr Speaker, if I describe Batley and Spen as a constituency with an industrial heart wrapped in a very rich and pleasant Yorkshire landscape-geographical, historical and cultural.The spirit of non-conformity is as prevalent now in my part of west Yorkshire as it was in the time of my two immediate predecessors, Mike Wood and Elizabeth Peacock. They were both known for offering their own brand of independent, non-conformist service, albeit in very different ways. I intend to maintain that established tradition in my own unique style.Of course, Batley is a town that has sent Labour MPs to this place for the best part of a hundred years. One of them, Dr Broughton, is of course famously credited with bringing down a Government, so I respectfully put the right hon. Members on the Front Bench opposite on notice. The Spen valley has a far more chequered political history, alternately sending Labour and Conservative MPs here to Westminster for much of the 20th century. Nothing made me prouder on 8 May than to be sent to this place with an increased Labour majority, proving again that in my neck of the woods non-conformity is what we do best.As I have already alluded to, we make things in Batley and Spen; we do so now, just as we did historically. Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision engineering. We manufacture all sorts, from beds to biscuits, and from carpets to lathes. We also have some of the best fish and chips in the country, and some of the best curries in the world.However, what many of our businesses are lacking is confidence: confidence to expand; confidence to borrow; confidence to grow; and the confidence to fuel a real economic recovery that benefits everybody, offering decent jobs, paying decent wages and bridging the skills gap. Key to changing that situation is a fundamental shift in attitude towards regional economic regeneration. It is time to give city and county regions the powers and resources they need to promote growth, and I will happily work with all of those who are genuinely committed to building an economic powerhouse in the north. This agenda has to have at its centre a commitment to connect towns and villages in constituencies like mine to thriving city hubs, and to deliver a financial offer in the forthcoming July Budget that gives this worthy goal a real chance of success. Yorkshire folk are not fools: talk about devolving power to cities and regions, while simultaneously stripping them of the resources to deliver and subjecting northern councils such as Kirklees to the harshest of cuts, is not compatible with a worthy commitment to building a northern powerhouse to drive growth and prosperity.Businesses in my constituency want help to address the skills mismatch at local level which leaves employers with staff shortages and young people without jobs. They want access to reliable sources of finance, including a network of local banks. They want to connect to a regional infrastructure that works for them, not rail price hikes of more than 126% and endless delays to key transport projects such as the electrification of the line from Manchester to Leeds. Many businesses in Yorkshire want the security and stability of Britain's continued membership of the European Union, a cause I look forward to championing passionately in this place and elsewhere.The key question is: will the Government's actions match their northern powerhouse rhetoric? HS2 is not the only acid test. There are two bigger challenges. First, will the Government really devolve all the powers and decisions that could and should be taken locally and regionally? My test will be this: if there is a compelling reason for this to be a national decision then so be it; if not, it should be devolved. Secondly, will the Government really take the whole range of their decisions-on transport, research and development, planning, education and skills-in the interests of rebalancing the economy and growing the north?I am Batley and Spen born and bred, and I could not be prouder of that. I am proud that I was made in Yorkshire and I am proud of the things we make in Yorkshire. Britain should be proud of that, too. I look forward to representing the great people of Batley and Spen here over the next five years. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-wwe-vince-mcmahon-2016-6">Donald Trump's history with WWE explains a lot about his persona</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Fkc2QzMTE6Y-AsNDkseGQbTp57hESZU9" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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