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Khabar Bureau

The US has shown quiet optimism about the possibility of having a joint declaration for the G20 Summit being held in India. However, Washington has also highlighted the problems that could lead to the G20 Summit ending without a joint communique as it signalled that it is difficult to get a consensus as countries like Russia and China are less likely to "sign on" it. When asked about the prospects of a joint communique at the upcoming G20 Summit in New Delhi, John Kirby, the National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communication pointed out that the G20 summit may also end without a joint declaration as Russia and the West continue to spar over the Ukraine war among other issues.

Seen as a major electoral test for the Opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the assembly polls in five states later this year and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the results for bypolls to seven assembly seats in six states will be declared on Friday. The counting of votes will begin at 8am at centres set up in the respective states.

The seven seats, including Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, Puthuppally in Kerala, Dhupguri in West Bengal, Dumri in Jharkhand, and Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura, went to voting on September 5.

Two constituents of the INDIA grouping, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT), on Thursday struck a cautious tone on Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s controversial comments on Sanatana Dharma even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kept up its attack and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin defended his son.

On September 2, Udhayanidhi said that sanatana dharma is “against social justice and equality” and should hence be “eradicated”, triggering a political controversy. Union home minister Amit Shah accused him of “insulting” Hindu beliefs and the BJP alleged INDIA was indulging in appeasement politics, even as the DMK defended him, saying he was only speaking against the ills of the caste system.

External affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has downplayed the decision of Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip the G20 Summit in New Delhi, saying its position will be reflected by the representative present at the annual meeting. In an interview with news agency ANI, Jaishankar said that the absence of the heads of state at G20 Summit is not new and at different points in time there have been some Presidents or PMs who have chosen not to come.

"I think, at different points of time in G20 there have been some Presidents or PMs who, for whatever reason, have chosen not to come themselves. But that country and its position is reflected by whoever is the representative on that occasion...I think everybody is coming with a great deal of seriousness," Jaishankar said.

Indian government announced a five-day special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22, and the latest reports suggest that the session will begin in the old building and will shift to the new Parliament building on September 19, India-based news agency ANI reported citing sources. The shift is expected to be on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. 

"The Special Session of Parliament will start in the old building on 18th September and will be later moved to the new building on 19th September on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi: Sources," ANI tweeted.