Walk into any North Indian city to notice the castes and communities as the most dominant factors. The Bimaru States are considered more notorious in such abnormalities with UP, Haryana and NCR Delhi, topping the list. Let me come straight to the point.
The motor vehicles' owners have a false sense of pride in painting their castes and communities on cars, trucks, tractors, bikes etc, little realising the ill effects these practices have in promoting castes and communalism (hindu-muslim divide). It merely satisfies their inflated egos.
All these perversities have the unfettered blessings of the political class and their goons.
Sample some specifics.
Phrases like Jats, Gurjars, Rajputs, Brahmins, Yadavs, Thakurs and religious symbols like " 786" and " Om " along with provocative slogans , are boldly painted with impunity on the body of vehicles, especially those plying in rural areas. The menace is silently jeopardizing the fabric of our society.
Have we ever thought about the dangerous impacts these practices have on our children- growing in a caste-ridden, communally-charged society ?
Whom to blame?
The Police are the worst offenders. It fails to arrest the law breakers for violating Section 179 (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Is the police corrupt and casteist too, one wonders?
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

In an era when the media is at its lowest point, an online portal like ‘whispersinthecorridors’, which publishes news mainly on the government sector, needs a standing ovation for bringing scams against certain departments like NHAI. Not only CAG, but even the Parliamentary Committee on Transport has tabled several reports in Parliament on NHAI running through a certain handful of officials, with officials mainly in deputation, leading to huge corruption. It doesn't seem to affect the ill morale of the management of the NHAI with such continuous reports being published, so the PMO and Cabinet Secretary have to interfere.
Manoj Kumar Sinha

The bill introduced in Rajya Sabha envisages (a) removing CJI from the selection panel of CEC and CEs; (b) replacing CJI by a union cabinet minister; (c) downgrading their status from SC judge to Cabinet secy. In the nutshell, make the election commission, a political body. This retrograde step would rob the EC's selection process of its transparency while hitting its credibility and political neutrality. Strangely, the bill was referred to the Standing committee without discussion. Politicians are the elected representatives having vested interests in elections. Their participation in locating CEC&ECs, would involve "Conflict of interests" negating free and fair elections. This may not stand the scrutiny in the court of law. The political bias could be eliminated only when the Judiciary is associated with the selection. A panel headed by PM with LOP and CJI as members, could alone meet the ends of justice. The CEC and ECs , as at present, must continue to be selected from out of several candidates on the criteria of personal honesty, integrity, probity in public life and most importantly ,the political neutrality besides the ability to take firm stand before the political class. These essential attributes are rare commodities. The civil servants, more often than not, are found to be pliable, malleable, willing to be manipulated. What a pity? Some believe that the job of CEC/ECs would be best handled by IAS officers by virtue of their experience in conducting elections. This is a misplaced perception. Political neutrality is non negotiable. Citizens are not interested in selecting ‘Yesmen’. The moot point is: Why select CECs and ECs from out of retired bureaucrats, alone. The civil servants believe in taking instructions from the political class. In such circumstances, how could they ensure free and fair elections? Getting a CEC like the late T N Sheshan, is an impossibility. He refused to be browbeaten by political masters. Few suggestion for law-makers. In order to have a wider choice, it would be appropriate to expand the catchment area by including eminent persons, other than retired bureaucrats. Several non-IAS persons with legal and legislative backgrounds had, successfully handled the sensitive portfolios of CEC/ECs. Recall prominent CECs like Dr Nagendra Singh (former Judge, International court of Justice), R V S Perisastri, S L Shakdhar, Ms V S Ramadevi and so on. Let us think beyond this and learn from the wisdom of the hindsight. Why can't we consider retired Chief Justices of High courts for appointment as CEC/ECs along with others? Instead of downgrading the status of CEC and ECs, the constitutional body should have a judicious mix of a retired chief justice of a high court as CEC with an eminent civil servant and LOP as members. All enjoying the status of Supreme court judge.CEC should be the primus inter pares, as, at present. The search committee procedure under the Cabinet Secretary, is irrelevant. He is an appointee of PM. Let this be the thumb rule for all constitutional bodies including the C&AG and UPSC. These should also have chairpersons and Members, selected by the same methodology. These suggestions merit close consideration by the law makers. If implemented, these would demonstrate the fair-minded approach of the Prime Minister besides enhancing the feel-good factor of Indian citizenry.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The frequent disasters in Himalayan states particularly in Himachal Pradesh like cloud bursts, landslides, flash floods have broken the back of the tourism industry. Thousands of people depend on tourism as their means of sustenance in the states. Tourists are afraid to come to the mountains due to the devastation caused by the heavy rains during monsoon months. The occupancy in the hotels of the HP has reduced to two to three percent, which used to be 30 to 40 percent during the rainy season. Tourism industry needs immediate support. Even more important is to restore ecological balance in the Himalayas and ensure safety of local people as they have been residing in unsafe houses that crumble down like a pack of cards during heavy rains.
Aditya Pandey

Bharat Internet Utsav is a nationwide campaign by the Ministry of Communications, from July 7 to August 21, 2023. The Utsav aims to highlight the importance of the internet in the lives of citizens and to encourage its use for positive social and economic change. It also aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all citizens have access to the internet.The Utsav aims to reach out to citizens across the country, especially those in rural areas. It is a celebration of the power of the internet and its potential to transform the lives of citizens. The internet has made it possible for people to access information and education more easily.The internet has created new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship and it made it easier for people to connect with each other and build relationships.
Kimi Gupta

Congress it seems was never serious before or after 2014 that's why BJP gained the undefeatable status. If they were serious post 2014 defeat then like BJP who had put them on mat in parliament by having best leaders in BJP camp Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj as leaders of opposition they too had the option to choose leaders with oratory skills effective in crucial Hindi speaking states and youth cadres like Digvijay Singh, Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tiwari, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal but the coterie around the Congress leadership for reasons best known to them , opted for such leaders of opposition by which the Nation should hear continuous Nonstop jokes from them and on them by PM and treasury benches.This had diluted the status of discussions in parliament and the speaker should have taken action long back.
Changing of LOP with a new entitled dynasty representative from North east where Congress is no match to the Hemanta Biswa Sarma leadership will be a music to BJP years and will certainly increase the party confidence beyond 2028 and with Congress still practicing 1990 type politics the confidence of BJP may extend up to 2047.
S K Saboo

Potu Rewadiya Ji Potu (n. Hindi) ki rewadiyon ne loot liya re bhai. It is erroneous to call it Rewadi Culture. A culture is something accepted by the masses as a virtue or set of good behaviour. If it is a method to fool the people, it is called “potanaa’(v.). Potanaa is a known method of cheating the innocent trusting people. Freebies hardly convey the sense of Potanaa. Children are kidnapped by the potu by offering free chocolate. Politicians behave potu by promising free food, electricity, water, education, laptops, gold jewellery and anything that can help them to pot (v. rob, defraud, cheat, beguile, fool, allure, seduce) the innocent believing masses. Everyday incidents of potu are reported in the media: plots of land in urban areas at cheap rates (nothing in their possession and even big names indulge in it with impunity), jobs in government departments or MNCs cheating by advertising their services in newspapers, marriage and astrology and religious remedy for all ills in love life or life generally, offers of sure treatment (?) of medical conditions of mind and body untreatable by doctors, admissions to good schools or colleges or professional institutions- anything and everything that troubles a mind or heart has a potu near or somewhere to help you. The new potu caste (I beg to use caste not class) has emerged intimidating in real time- for example cyber potu caste. This caste infects the person or computer (congratulation! you have won 10 million Dollars! Click to receive your prize!) to extort ransom in millions and possesses unlimited powers of destroying the business or reputation of the person or company. The lesson we draw from such wealth of information is to shed innocence forthwith and expose the potu publicly, flog him/her digitally and punish legally. Never vote for the potu: s/he/they are out to cheat you, steal an election and abuse power to indulge in corruption, hate speeches and destroying the constitutional scheme of governing India. Say No To Potu. See in every potu the child kidnapper. Treat every potu as child abuser. The Free booter is going to get a free kick from the voters who will score the winning goal to end the match!
M L Gupta