Morning Brief: Rahul Gandhi's Adani Obsession Threatens Opposition Unity; Bangladesh HC Paves The Path To Premiership For Islamist BNP Leader's Son; RBI-Government Divide Deepens

Dear reader, catch up on the day’s must-read stories with Swarajya's roundup of the morning's headlines.

Rahul Gandhi's Adani Obsession Threatening Opposition Unity

Rahul Gandhi's obsession with the Adani issue is costing the Congress opposition unity, as the party’s demand for a discussion on the allegations has led to a standoff in Parliament. The insistence on this issue has caused the first week of the Winter Session to be washed out, with Congress MPs alone pushing for it, while other opposition parties have focused on different concerns, such as the Manipur situation and Sambhal violence. Parties like the Trinamool Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar) are reluctant to bring up the Adani issue, further deepening the rift within the opposition.

A growing unease is palpable among some Congress MPs, especially in the Lok Sabha, who feel that stalling Parliament prevents them from holding the NDA government accountable. These MPs believe the focus should be on resuming normal business to use the Question Hour and Zero Hour effectively.

The frustration is also shared by other opposition leaders, with the TMC and the Left expressing concerns about the lack of parliamentary progress. The INDIA bloc leadership will meet to reassess their strategy and discuss how to move forward.

Bangladesh HC Paves Path To Premiership For Islamist BNP Leader's Son

The Bangladesh High Court has cleared the decks for Tarique Rahman, son of Islamist BNP leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, to vie for the country’s premiership. This comes as Bangladesh grapples with the fallout of US-backed protests that ousted elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this year, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in charge. So far, Yunus has excelled at one thing—turning the country into a cautionary tale, with his caretaker regime presiding over a bloodbath against Hindus by Islamist groups closely tied to the BNP.

Rahman’s acquittal in a case linked to an attack on Sheikh Hasina, who was then opposition leader, clears the way for him to return home and lead the BNP in upcoming elections—whenever de-facto Prime Minister Yunus decides to pull the country back from the brink long enough to hold one.

RBI-Government Divide Deepens Amid Economic Slowdown

Before data released on November 29 showed India’s economic growth had slumped to a seven-quarter low of 5.4 per cent in July-September, there were discussions within the government questioning the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) upward revision of growth estimates to 7.2 per cent for 2024-25.

Concerns were raised about the cumulative impact of the RBI's prudential measures, which some officials believed were starting to hurt India's growth prospects. The RBI's decision to keep policy rates unchanged, largely due to food and gold/silver inflation, has led to high real interest rates in the non-food sectors of the economy.

However, government officials flagged the RBI’s decision to raise GDP growth forecasts from 7 per cent to 7.2 per cent in June as a key concern, feeling it was disconnected from other economic signals. This move, along with the RBI’s decision to keep the key policy rate at 6.5 per cent since February 2023, resulted in rising lending rates, particularly for non-agricultural sectors, by the start of the second quarter.

Other Developments

GST Collection Rises 8.5 per Cent In November

Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in November rose 8.5 per cent to Rs 1.82 lakh crore, marking the fourth-highest monthly collection since the tax regime was introduced over seven years ago. The growth, based on October transactions, was primarily driven by domestic consumption, which increased 9.4 per cent to nearly Rs 1.4 lakh crore, while imports grew by 5.9 per cent.

Integrated GST on imports recorded a 6.5 per cent rise, although the cess on imported sin and luxury goods dropped by over 17 per cent. The data suggests a moderate increase in overall imports during the month. For the financial year so far, gross GST collections have grown 9.3 per cent, reaching Rs 14.6 lakh crore.

Bangladesh Stops 54 ISKCON Members From Crossing Border Into India

Bangladesh's immigration police stopped 54 members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) from crossing into India at the Benapole border checkpoint on Sunday. Despite having valid travel documents, the devotees were turned away, with authorities citing "suspicious travel" as the reason. Some reports suggested that the total number of Hindus attempting to cross was over 70.

The group of Hindu devotees had arrived at the border on Saturday, intending to leave Bangladesh through the Benapole-Petrapole crossing. Benapole Immigration Checkpost Officer-in-Charge Imtiaz Ahsanul Quader Bhuiya stated that the decision was made after consulting the Special Branch of Police and receiving instructions from higher authorities. He explained that the authorities did not allow the Iskcon members to proceed due to concerns about their travel purposes.

India Prepares For Trump’s Tariff Actions

India is preparing for potential tariff actions from US President-elect Donald Trump once he assumes office next month. The government is working on a strategy to anticipate Trump's demands and actions, identifying areas where duty cuts could be made without harming economic interests. Discussions have begun on how to handle Trump's second term, analyzing his past policies and statements, particularly regarding tariffs on India.

The Commerce Ministry is studying Trump's previous actions and his campaign threats to assess possible decisions once he takes office. Although Trump remains unpredictable, India is trying to brace for the impact. Some tariffs imposed solely for revenue generation may be considered for possible cuts.

From The States

Devendra Fadnavis Set To Return As Maharashtra CM: Report

A senior BJP leader claimed on Sunday ( 1 December) that Devendra Fadnavis is set to return as Maharashtra Chief Minister, with his name likely to be finalised as the legislature party leader in a meeting scheduled for December 2 or 3. The leader confirmed that Fadnavis’s name had been finalized for the top post, and the meeting would elect the new BJP legislature party leader.

Earlier, caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed full support for the decision regarding the chief minister’s name, which will be made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Speculation is also rife that Shinde's son, Shrikant Shinde, may be appointed as the deputy chief minister, with the Shiv Sena aiming to claim the Home portfolio. A final decision on portfolio allocations will be made after a consensus is reached among the Mahayuti partners—BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde), and NCP (Ajit Pawar).

ASI Seeks Control Of Shahi Mosque In Sambhal

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has submitted a written statement to a civil court in Sambhal, seeking control and management of the Mughal-era Shahi mosque, citing its status as a protected heritage structure. The submission was made on November 29 during the ongoing hearing of the Shahi Mosque vs Harihar Mandir case. The Hindu side had filed a civil suit on November 19, claiming that the mosque was built over a Harihar temple in 1529.

Vishnu Sharma, the standing counsel for the government of India, presented the ASI's counterargument, stating that the agency faced resistance from the mosque’s management committee and locals in conducting surveys of the site. Sharma also referred to an incident from January 19, 2018, when an FIR was filed against the mosque's management committee for installing steel railings on the mosque’s steps without proper authorisation.

Mehbooba Mufti’s India-Bangladesh Remark Sparks Row

Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti sparked a political controversy after comparing the treatment of minority communities in Bangladesh to that in India, implying that there is "no difference" between the two countries.

Mufti, speaking to her party workers in Jammu, said, "If atrocities are committed against minorities in India also, then what is the difference between India and Bangladesh? I don’t find any difference between India and Bangladesh."

Her remarks were met with strong condemnation from BJP leaders, who called for action against her, labeling her statement as "anti-national." BJP leaders, including former J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, criticised Mufti's comparison, highlighting human rights violations in Bangladesh, where minorities face targeted attacks and other atrocities.

Stay tuned for more insights throughout the day.