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How the ‘revadi culture’ label has turned a fiscal debate into a political slugfest

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 ‘Revadi culture’ or freebies by political parties to woo the electorate has triggered a major political controversy in the country.

The raging debate on ‘revadi’, (a sweet often distributed during festivals) was kicked off after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it as a metaphor for freebies promised by political parties to grab power.

Sri Lanka’s economy hitting the rock bottom, has set off alarm bells for several developing countries. The Indian government has, however, ruled out the possibility of a Sri Lanka-like situation in the country, but advised the states to introspect their respective economic situation.

On July 19, in an all-party meeting during the Monsoon session of Parliament, the Centre had warned about the state-wise debt and the expenditure being incurred by them. Several leaders of regional parties present in the meeting had objected to the Central government raising the issue.

However, a few days before this meeting, on July 12, Modi ignited a political debate on freebies while addressing a rally in Deoghar, Jharkhand, after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of various development projects worth more than Rs 16,800 crore.

In Deoghar, Modi had said that people should stay away from the ideology behind shortcut politics as it can cripple the state’s economy and harm the country.

He added that it is very easy to get votes from the people by making populist promises while adopting short-cuts. Those who adopt short-cuts do not have to work hard nor do they think about the far-reaching consequences it can cause to the country.

But the truth is that the country whose politics is based on short-cuts, is sure to collapse one day. Short-cut politics destroys the country. Citing the example of how electricity is a necessity, Modi said that today one cannot think of a life without electricity.

“Without electricity, we will not be able to charge our mobile phones, watch TV, or get water. There will be no choice but to light a lamp or lantern during evenings. If there is no electricity, tomorrow all the factories will permanently shut down. But this electricity cannot be generated by short-cut. To generate this electricity, power plants have to be set up and thousands of crores of rupees have to be invested,” the Prime Minister said.

On July 16, at the inauguration of the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh, Modi once again targetted the freebies culture and said that there is a challenge before the new India which if not taken care of now, will destroy the future of youth in the country. That’s why it’s important to remain alert of the danger of freebies culture. “Nowadays, every effort is being made in our country to promote the culture of getting votes by distributing free ‘revadi’ (freebies).”

Political leaders who promote it will never build new expressways, airports or defence corridors. Those promoting the culture feel that they can buy people’s trust by distributing free ‘revadis’ to them. The people have to unite together to defeat this mindset from the political discourse of the country.

Apparently, the Prime Minister was taking a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders for promising free electricity in every upcoming poll-bound state after forming the government in Delhi and Punjab.

Responding to the allegations, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed the Centre for “mismanaging’ the country economy. Kejriwal said that the welfare schemes provided by the AAP government cannot be “freebies”.

Condemning the Prime Minister’s statement calling the welfare schemes of the Delhi government as freebies, Kejriwal said that free education and health services cannot be called freebies.

In retaliation, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Kejriwal of deceiving people by offering them freebies to fulfill his poll ambitions and win elections.

The benefit of the Centre-launched welfare schemes is being directly provided to the poor sections of society, while Kejriwal, who pretends to work for the people, is busy giving freebies just to win elections, he alleged.

However, not only AAP, but the TRS government in Telangana and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu have also objected to the Central government’s claims and strongly criticised the BJP government.

The issue has become more political than being viewed from the prism of the economic state of the country. Therefore, political rhetoric is bound to hog the limelight in the coming days as well.

Crime

Mumbai Crime: Undertrial Prisoner Assaults Policeman Inside Arthur Road Jail, Case Registered

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Mumbai: A shocking incident has come to light from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, where an undertrial prisoner allegedly assaulted a police constable on duty.

The accused, Lokendra Uday Singh Rawat (35), is reported to have headbutted Police Constable Hani Baburao Wagh (30), causing injuries to his nose, and also abused and pushed other on-duty police personnel. A case has been registered in this connection at the N. M. Joshi Marg police station.

According to the FIR, the complainant, Police Constable Wagh, is attached to Armed Police Division–2, Tardeo. On January 27, he reported for his 24-hour day-duty shift at Arthur Road Jail at around 8 am and was assigned security duty at the main entrance of the prison.

At around 9 pm, Armed Police Constables Suresh Sandu Mali and Sachin Chavan brought undertrial Lokendra Rawat back to the jail after producing him before the Dindoshi Court. Rawat allegedly appeared agitated and, after entering the jail premises, sat near the gate and began verbally abusing the police personnel on duty.

Constable Wagh asked Rawat to calm down and refrain from using abusive language. However, Rawat allegedly became more aggressive and continued shouting abuses. When Wagh approached him again to pacify the situation, Rawat suddenly headbutted him on the nose with force.

As a result, Constable Wagh sustained injuries and started bleeding. Fellow constables Sachin Chavan and Suresh Mali immediately intervened, restrained the accused, and informed the on-duty prison authorities about the incident. Rawat was subsequently sent for medical examination to Sir J.J. Hospital.

After receiving medical treatment, the injured constable lodged a formal complaint on January 28 at the N. M. Joshi Marg police station. Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against the undertrial under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is ongoing.

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Business

JCRA assigns landmark ratings to Adani Ports, Adani Green and Adani Energy Solutions

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Ahmedabad, Jan 30: In a significant milestone for the Adani Group’s global credit journey, Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCRA) has initiated ratings of three Portfolio companies — Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ), Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. (AESL) — assigning long-term foreign currency credit ratings with a ‘Stable’ outlook to all three companies, it was announced on Friday.

Japan’s leading rating agency assigned Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) a A- (Stable) rating, representing a rare breach of the sovereign threshold by an Indian corporate by an international rating agency.

Moreover, Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL) and Adani Energy Solutions Ltd. (AESL) have each been rated BBB+ (Stable). These ratings are at par with India’s sovereign rating of BBB+.

“These landmark ratings reflect the Adani Group’s commitment to disciplined financial management, strengthening balance sheet fundamentals, and world-class execution across our diversified infrastructure platform,” said Jugeshinder Singh, Group CFO, Adani Group.

“They reaffirm the depth and resilience of our business model and reflect the confidence global lenders, institutional investors, and capital markets place in our long-term strategy. This endorsement further strengthens our position as a leading partner in India’s infrastructure buildout and reinforces our commitment to delivering sustainable, high-quality growth,” Singh added.

Adani Ports’ strong rating underlines its strong credit profile, diversified asset base, and resilient cash-flow generation, and places it among a select group of Indian infrastructure companies to achieve an above-sovereign rating from a leading international rating agency.

The ratings also mark one of the first instances of Indian infrastructure platforms being assessed by JCRA at these levels, highlighting the Adani Group’s growing engagement with global rating agencies and its increasing alignment with international credit benchmarks.

APSEZ’s creditworthiness is at par with its subsidiary group, said the ratings agency, citing its superior infrastructure capabilities, consistently strong profitability, stable long-term cash flows, and prudent financial management — positioning the company above India’s sovereign foreign-currency rating, though capped by the country ceiling.

It continues to reinforce its leadership through a diversified portfolio of 15 domestic and 4 international ports, handling nearly 30 per cent of India’s cargo and 50 per cent of container volumes, supported by a comprehensive four-segment integrated logistics platform spanning ports, SEZs, logistics, and marine services.

Adani Ports delivered rapid EBITDA expansion — from Rs 7,566 crore in FY20 to Rs 19,025 crore in FY25, and Rs 11,046 crore in H1 FY26 — while maintaining a conservative 1.8x net-debt-to-EBITDA, long-tenor funding structure, and strong liquidity position.

On the other hand, AESL continues to strengthen India’s energy backbone through rapid expansion in transmission, distribution, smart metering, and cooling solutions — backed by stable, regulated cash flows and strong governance that support its consolidated credit profile, said the ratings agency.

“With a fast-growing network of 26,705 ckm of transmission lines, 97,236 MVA capacity, award-winning distribution reliability, and a rapidly expanding 7.37 million-meter smart metering portfolio, AESL is delivering far superior growth to the sector and redefining benchmarks in efficiency, customer service, and operational performance,” it noted.

With over 16.7 GW of operational capacity as of September 2025 and more than 90 per cent of EBITDA generated from renewables, AGEL has rapidly expanded from just 2.5 GW in FY20 — supported by best-in-class development, superior plant load factors, cost efficiency, and advanced ENOC-driven operations.

“EBITDA growth from Rs 1,855 crore (FY20) to Rs 10,532 crore (FY25) and Rs 6,324 crore in H1 FY26, coupled with improved equity levels, diversified global funding access, and extended 9.4-year average debt maturity, positions AGEL to sustain its ambitious growth pipeline while maintaining financial stability,” said JCRA.

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National News

Mumbaikars! The Iconic Flower Festival Is Almost Here At Byculla Zoo, Get Ready To Immerse Yourself in Colours

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Mumbai: As Mumbai prepares to welcome early signs of spring, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Tree Authority are set to host the Mumbai Flower Show 2026, a three-day floral celebration at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo (Byculla Zoo) from February 6 to 8.

The flower show promises to turn the historic botanical garden into a vibrant canvas of colours, fragrances and greenery. Entry to the festival is free, making it easily accessible for families, students, senior citizens and nature lovers across the city.

The exhibition will feature around 5,000 plants, including a wide variety of flowering plants, fruit-bearing trees and medicinal species. One of the key attractions this year will be the display of 13 national symbols recreated through floral arrangements, adding both visual appeal and educational value to the event.

Adding to the experience, stalls offering gardening tools, plants, fertilisers and related supplies will be set up, catering to gardening enthusiasts as well as those looking to begin their green journey. For citizens interested in hands-on learning, gardening workshops will be conducted on all three days, with a participation fee of Rs 1,000.

The arrangements for the flower show are being overseen by Deputy Commissioner (Parks) Chanda Jadhav and Parks Superintendent Jitendra Pardeshi, ensuring smooth coordination and upkeep throughout the event.

With Mumbai slowly transitioning into warmer days, the flower show offers a calm, nature-filled retreat right in the heart of the city. The BMC has invited Mumbaikars to step into this floral haven, unwind amid lush surroundings, and reconnect with nature during the three-day celebration.

The flower festival has, over the years, grown into a much-awaited annual event for the city. Last year’s edition saw large crowds at the Byculla zoo, with visitors drawn to colourful floral installations and creative displays themed around India’s national symbols. The vibrant arrangements and lush settings had turned the botanical garden into a visual treat, making the festival a popular weekend outing for families and nature enthusiasts alike.

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