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Journalism of Courage
Good morning,
Two cricketing giants, retired from all other formats, were back on the field for an ODI after India’s disappointing Test run against South Africa. A 38,000-odd crowd had come to witness the old guard in action. And action they got! After a shaky start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s early dismissal, Virat Kohli descended onto the pitch to join Rohit Sharma. Kohli struck a massive 135 — the 52nd ton of his career. It would later help India seal the victory over South Africa. As national sports editor Sandeep Dwivedi writes: “Kohli didn’t look like a cricketer approaching 40… the old master has displayed both brutality and finesse.”
Rohit did his bit to help the partnership, sending three balls flying to the boundaries, the last of which earned him a new feat: the batsman with the most ODI sixes.
The stalwarts, facing questions over form and asked to play domestic cricket to prove their worth, shone all through the evening. The message couldn’t have been clearer — the intense scrutiny that has come their way perhaps needs to look past age. Kohli hinted as much: “I have never been a big believer in a lot of preparation… As long as I feel good mentally, I can play the game,” he said at the post-match presentation.
Also read: In Kohli’s run-flood, how South Africa slipped on Ranchi’s dew
On that note, let’s get to the rest of the edition👇
The Winter Session of Parliament kicks off today. An all-party meeting held on Sunday offered clues to the storm that might be brewing. Opposition parties are adamant on their demand for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, underway in 12 states and Union Territories.
Notably, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for electors to submit their enumeration forms from December 4 to December 11. The decision comes in the wake of deaths of at least five booth-level officers engaged in the task, reports of mounting pressure and the ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court, challenging the exercise’s constitutional validity.
Warning: It is learnt that the government has yet to commit to the Opposition’s demand to discuss SIR. The Opposition has signalled that if its demands are not met, it may stall Parliamentary proceedings. The government, meanwhile, is pushing for a discussion on the 150 years of Vande Mataram.
Stalemate: In recent years, gridlock between the Opposition and the government has raised concerns about the health of Parliament as an institution. Vikas Pathak analyses data to examine the decline in legislative productivity and who’s to blame.
Meanwhile, the Centre is expected to introduce two legislative bills today to bring in a higher excise levy on tobacco and related products, as well as a new cess on pan masala. Know all about them.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, as the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, has the crucial responsibility of shaping the BJP’s core constituencies — farmers and villages. He initiated the BJP’s cash transfer schemes for women, which proved to be a game-changer for the party’s electoral politics. Is it empowerment or just a poll sop? Chouhan answers at the latest Idea Exchange session, along with questions on the agriculture sector’s future, the BJP’s recent electoral wins, and more.
A second chance? In Uttar Pradesh, hundreds took part in the 2022 protests against the Agnipath scheme for Army recruitment. Several were arrested, crushing their dreams of joining the Army. The recent review of cases, initiated by the state government, has offered them a ray of hope. The Indian Express spoke to some of the youngsters embroiled in the case, many of whom have just one ask: a chance to rebuild their lives.
In the name of love? Toto and Meena are in love. So are Popat and Gauri. Their stories are pretty similar. All four hail from the Islamkot tehsil in Pakistan. Unable to be together back home, they crossed the border. Having walked for three days and 50 km, Toto and Meena reached Ratanpur in Kutch. But Popat and Gauri were caught by the BSF midway. Both couples are now in custody, with police investigating their motives. This is their story.
Dust off: What’s behind the air pollution in the national capital? The data is seven years old. But the government has stepped up to rectify the issue. At a high-level task force meeting in October, the Prime Minister’s Office directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to expedite work on a new emission inventory and source-apportionment studies, The Indian Express has learnt.
Also read: The impact of long-term exposure to air pollution isn’t just on respiratory health. Studies have found that PM2.5 — tiny particles that can enter the bloodstream — can damage joints.
Money matters: The rupee has weakened against four major currencies: the US dollar, the euro, the pound and the yen. An analysis of the Nominal and Real Effective Exchange Rate (NEER/REER) indices may explain the fall. Harish Damodaran explains what these indices mean, how to read them, and what the future of the rupee holds.
BluSmart’s collapse this year hit one group with a particular, almost personal force: the women who had stepped into the company’s Sakhi Programme. For them, driving was more than a new skill. The gig economy held out the promise of something rare and expansive: the power to choose their hours, the assurance of a steady income, and something even less tangible but far more profound—the quiet thrill of moving through Delhi on their own terms. Devansh Mittal speaks to some of the women drivers, who continue to struggle, out of work, in debt, and hoping for better opportunities.
🎧 Before you go, tune in to today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. Today’s lineup: BLO protests in Kolkata, Sirpur’s UNESCO site ambitions, and the Shaurya Diwas controversy in Rajasthan.
That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta
