It’s judgement day! India’s teen prodigy D Gukesh D is tied with the reigning world champion China’s Ding Liren at the World Chess Championship. In the 13 matches so far, Gukesh has dominated the opening phase but failed to retain his grip on the game. If Game 14 plays out similarly, we could be headed to the tie-breaks, where Gukesh remains the underdog.
Big Story
If this year’s appraisal season disappointed you, you’re not alone. If it’s any consolation, even the government’s concerned.
A report by the government-industry chamber FICCI and a staffing firm, Quess Corp Ltd, reveals that while corporate profits have grown 4x in the last four years, workers’ salaries have remained stagnant. The compounded annual wage growth rate between 2019 and 2023 was just 0.8 per cent in engineering, manufacturing, process and infrastructure (EMPI) companies. The highest still was 5.4 per cent at fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms.
A cause of worry: What makes matters worse is that when adjusted for inflation, the growth in real income for workers even in formal sectors is meagre or negative. Low single-digit income growth is one reason behind the slowing of demand, and the government has urged India Inc. to reflect.
Only in Express
From Bihar to Bengal, gangsters are muscling into new territory. Bihar’s gangster and arms dealer Pappu Chowdhury’s name came up in the November 16 attempt on Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sushanta Ghosh’s life last month. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A series of high-profile crimes in West Bengal link back to Bihar-based gangsters such as Chowdhury and Subodh Singh.
From the Front Page
Hands tied: The United States has declined to provide bank account details related to pro-Khalistan separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun to India’s National Investigation Agency. The latter is probing into the hoisting of the so-called Khalistan flag atop the District Administration Complex in Moga in Punjab in 2020, allegedly at the behest of Pannun.
Pursuit of justice: The Opposition INDIA bloc parties in Rajya Sabha are preparing to give notice to move a motion to impeach Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav. His crime? Controversial and derogatory remarks about Muslims at an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad last week.
On what grounds can a judge be impeached, and what does the process entail? We explain.
Must Read
Whodunit: Two kidnappings in quick succession with similar modus operandi and similar victims – celebrities from Mumbai. The Uttar Pradesh police are probing into the abduction of comedian Sunil Pal and actor Mushtaq Mohammed Khan. What do they have so far? Ten suspects in custody, hours of footage from 100 CCTV cameras and a viral audio clip adding a twist.
Narrative and reality: Amid conflicts in its neighbourhood, the world is keenly watching India’s domestic politics. “While the Indian foreign secretary was in Bangladesh demanding protection for ‘Hindu minorities’ in that country, the rest of the world is watching closely the status and security of India’s minorities,” Sanjaya Baru writes.
Rooting out corruption: There’s a rot within the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the retirement fund body that oversees accounts of 32.56 crore members. Within the last two months, EPFO has compulsorily retired as many as 12 officers on corruption charges, sources told The Indian Express.
And Finally…
What happens when things go missing in Parliament? Unlike the mysterious “wad of currency notes” allegedly recovered from Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s seat, lost articles are easily traced back and returned to the concerned MP. If not, they can be found at the ‘Table Office’, where all lost things land up in the House – except time, of course.
🎧 In today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we speak about the tussle between RBI and Government, a big horse question in Delhi High Court, and the no-trust motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta
Business As Usual by EP Unny
