It has been over a month since the war broke between Russia and the Ukraine, which is being supported by NATO countries but there seems no end in the sight. While it may be business as usual in other parts of the world and many people blissfully be unaware of the miseries and sufferings of the people of Ukraine, situation in the war zone is critically dangerous and slowly creeping towards the possible atomic disaster.

We are in the middle of elections in five states of India which will be completed in seven phases as per the announcement of Election Commission of India. These elections have started from 10th of February and will end on 7th March. The results of these elections are expected to be out by the late evening of 10th March since polling in India is now done on EVMs hence counting of votes is done quite rapidly by using the EVM technology.

India has just celebrated 73rd Republic Day on 26th January this year with several historic changes that took place in the grand celebrations and the parade on Rajpath in New Delhi. The first and foremost being the Republic Day celebrations now starting from 23rd January, to mark the birth anniversary of the real hero of India’s independence struggle, Subhash Chandra Bose. This year also marks to be the 125th year of Netaji’s birth anniversary.

What a year 2021 has been for all of us, I think for most people it will not be easy to forget what happened during this period, very challenging yet full of aspirations and craving for ‘making it through’ zeal. A lot of people lost their near and dears, many separated from their families while many other lost their livelihood and emoluments.

The political agitation against the 3 new Farm Bills that ran for the longest period of time in the history of independent India, should ideally have come to an end by now. The Prime Minister of India never wanted to withdraw these reform bills as he and his government knew that they were brought only for the good of farmers, but the agitation stretched beyond the point of government’s imagination.

Modi government needs to come out clean about such an undemocratic action taken by them. If this trend becomes a precedence than the same people will demand to repeal all the recently passed laws by the parliament and that will make a mockery of the parliamentary democracy in the country.

Auckland continues to be in lockdown level-3, step 2 as we reach nearly 3 months of being in lockdown in the super city. Government is opening up slowly, relaxing lockdown conditions but still not allowing opening of eating joints, religious places or friends visiting over.

A country of New Zealand’s size should have been fully vaccinated by now and secured lives of its people without putting any additional burden on country’s exchequer. Whatever little action that we see happening today is result the of government being put under immense pressure from opposition parties, businesses, and health authorities. It’s quite fashionable in western countries to laugh at the status of basic amenities and poor infrastructure in south Asian countries especially on a country of India’s size and stature.

The opposition parties of New Zealand today echo the same voice that The Indian News first raised two weeks ago, advising Jacinda government on the points, to deal with the current Delta crisis. Former Prime Minister Sir John Key went even one step further by calling government’s approach of dealing with pandemic like if we live in a ‘smug hermit kingdom’.

It is a real shame that while the whole world is shocked and condemning the Taliban invasion of Afghanistan, there is a country in the world where its government is celebrating this ghastly act of terror and violence and that country is Pakistan. The Pakistan government has publicly expressed its solidarity with Talibans and displayed its happiness on Talibans taking control of Afghanistan.

Political thinkers and analysts’ world over, are busy contemplating the real reasons behind the nationwide riots that took place in South Africa’s major cities last week. Not only these riots had racial undertone, but the lawlessness seen during the unprecedented riots exposed the vulnerability of democratic governance in racially discriminated counties like South Africa.

A very large number of concerned and patriotic Indians have always whined and complained about western media’s general bias against India especially since past 8-10 years. The media reporting’s in western world have always tried to show our country in the poor light and their reporting have always been full of distorted facts, fake narratives, and blatant lies about India to create a confusion among people across the globe.

Like always, the biggest problem for the government in moving everything smoothly are the hurdles being created by India’s opposition parties combined. Currently the frustration of these parties is at its peak as best of their efforts to derail things and all dirty tricks they play, are failing miserably every time. According to America’s data intelligence firm Morning Consult’s survey worldwide, Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi still tops the list of world’s most popular leaders. In this world leader’s rating, he leaves behind world leaders like Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel to name a few.

As wrote in my previous editorials, the Corona situation in India is slowing getting in control and the number of new cases per day and related deaths are dropping in big way. Though the pandemic appears to have been making a shift toward southern states of India now, but it is still very much in control and getting managed by the respective states.

I feel like keep writing about the current Covid situation in the world and about India in particular, since its currently the worst effected nation in the world.

Though the reasons of this crisis have nothing to do with steps and measures present government has already taken so far but Modi haters apparently believe that they have finally succeeded in finding something to accuse him for.

I feel proud, delighted, and exhilarated to announce that The Indian News is completing three years of its existence with this edition. When we started three years ago, no one in the team was sure how long this journey will last and today three years later, despite weathering all sort of storms we stand strong and tall.