Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 (the Rule) is tailor-made for his loyalists — there are larger-than-life moments, bigger action sequences and fiery dialogues. When Arjun enters in slow motion, the theatre is filled with whoops, whistles and screams. This isn’t just the case in cinema halls in the South. Similar scenes played out in the North, particularly the heartland states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The reason for this “pan-India” appeal is part good old filmy masala and part business tact.
Moving on to today’s edition.
Amid the growing scrutiny around the Adani Group, here’s another piece of the puzzle: The Indian Express found that the Union government waived transmission charges for states buying electricity from Adani Green and Azure Power.
Why? The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a public sector entity, awarded a 12 giga-watt project to Adani Green and Azure Power after it floated a tender in 2019. With distribution companies (DISCOMs) not interested in buying, the Union government sought to sweeten the deal.
The YSRCP-led Andhra Pradesh government pounced on the chance and signed a deal with the SECI to buy power within hours of the waiver.
Questions galore: The deal has come under scrutiny following an indictment by US prosecutors. They charged the Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar and six others for their roles in a multi-billion dollar scheme to obtain funds from investors allegedly based on misleading statements. Among those, were the false statements made to investors over alleged bribery to the SECI. Interestingly, these bribes were allegedly paid when SECI was unable to sign agreements with state DISCOMs.
Only in Express
India’s fight against Tuberculosis saw some bright spots last month with the World Health Organisation noting the 18% dip in cases and a 24% reduction in deaths over the past 10 years. India was above the global average in both metrics. The government has had its work cut out: eliminating TB by 2025.
However, an investigation by The Indian Express found that in the mission to end TB, states now face one battle–the shortage of drugs.
From the Front Page
A patch-up: Amid the thaw in ties between India and China, the two sides reflected on the “lessons learnt” from the military standoff in eastern Ladakh. This comes days after the troop disengagement at two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Up next: a meeting of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
‘T20 over, now Test’: Back at the top job, Devendra Fadnavis’ reversal of fortune may have felt nothing short of vindication. The road ahead, however, isn’t easy. From keeping the ruling alliance together to the economic problems of a debt-ridden state, there’s many a challenge waiting for the newly minted Chief Minister.
Tune in to the ‘3 Things’ podcast for more on Fadnavis and what sets him apart.
Must Read
In this week’s Dis/Agree column, we offer two takes on how New Delhi must engage with Dhaka amid the mounting worry over the violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal argues why India must flag anti-Hindu violence. “Muhammad Yunus’s interim set-up has been underplaying the extent of pressures on Hindu Bangladeshis, and this calls into question its willingness to seriously address the issue,” he writes.
Ria Chakrabarty, a senior policy director at Hindus for Human Rights, makes a case for exercising caution. “While the Bangladeshi interim government should do more to address anti-Hindu violence, it should be noted that the misinformation spewing from India and others are escalating the crisis,” she writes.
Outrage: The parents of students at the Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School, located within the IIT Madras campus, are livid. It seems the school conducted “product testing” on kids without prior consent. The product in question? A smart shoe insole and smartwatch. The students were made to carry out physical activities, which left them “unusually tired”.
And Finally…
Crypto enthusiasts had a field day as Bitcoin crossed $100,000 for the first time on December 4. What’s behind the surge? Donald Trump’s reelection. His administrative picks to run the government have optimists hoping for regulatory lenience towards cryptocurrency.
Until next time,
Sonal Gupta
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Business As Usual by E P Unny (Dec 5)
Top headlines (Dec 5) 
Business As Usual by E P Unny (Dec 5)
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