Retail inflation rose to a seven-month high of 6.01 per cent in January, mainly on account of high food inflation, which jumped to a 14-month high of 5.43 per cent, along with an unfavourable base. Economists said the high inflation was now turning structural, with price rise being seen in non-food segments, “The critical element will be in March when the elections conclude as this is the time there can be a fresh round of increase in fuel prices,” Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baroda, said.
Meanwhile, domestic stock markets plummeted three per cent Monday, the biggest fall in 10 months, as mounting fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine triggered a global share sell-off and prompted oil prices to hit a seven-year high.
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For the first time since its inception in 1963, Kendriya Vidyalayas announced a change in dress code for its students across the country. Among the changes were new patterns for scarf and turban, The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Union Ministry of Textiles even helped create the new uniform.
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The Kendriya Vidyalayas’ uniform came up during the Karnataka High Court hearing on the hijab ban in some government educational institutions. Petitioners sought permission to wear headscarves in colors that match their school uniform like in Kendriya Vidyalayas.
As schools till Standard X reopened across Karnataka, the instructions for Muslim girls were clearly laid out by many institutions — remove the hijab if you want to attend classes. Reports coming in from many places stated that Muslim students were stopped at the gates and refused entry if they did not remove their hijab. Many teachers and staffers were also asked to remove their hijab or burqa before entering the premises.
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The Punjab Assembly elections, which were to be held on February 14, were postponed to February 20 to avoid a clash with Guru Ravidas Jayanti, an annual three-day fair held in Varanasi. Members of the Ravidassia community, who made the trip to Uttar Pradesh, share their electoral preferences.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Sarojini Nagar, the BJP has put up a former Enforcement Directorate (ED) joint director who sought voluntary retirement to enter the political arena. Even as party members admit the strong anti-incumbency against the current MLA, they are projecting the former ED officer as ““Singham”. Calling him “encounter specialist”, the party has even been distributing a booklet, which details his “achievements”, particularly the raid on the residence of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.
In the last Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi, his two wives faced off each other — his estranged first wife contested on a BJP ticket and second wife as a Congress candidate. Now, at 70, the erstwhile ‘King of Amethi’Sanjay Singh, will be contesting the state polls for the first time in 33 years as the BJP candidate.
Amid growing tension between the BJP-led Center and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, a phone call from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to wish Kanimozhi on her 54th birthday last month has now become a topic of fierce discussion within the party, sources said. Sources familiar with the developments said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Kanimozhi’s half-brother, had not taken kindly to the call.
And finally
His father repairs footwear, his mother is a bangle seller. A clip of him in action stirred an IPL cricketer who shared it with his coach — and in a blink, his life changed. Today, Ramesh, aka “Narine Jalalabadiya”finds himself in Kolkata Knight Riders, picked for Rs 20 lakh at the IPL auction.
Delhi confidential: union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw appears on winning some hearts in the south. Before the Budget session got adjourned for the recess, Vaishnaw took help from a fellow Rajya Sabha MP to learn a bit of Tamil. He got DMK MP Tiruchi Siva to write down a few lines with their meanings so that he can learn a bit before the Budget session resumes.
In today’s 3 Things episodewe discuss the mega initial public offering of LIC, caste as a protected category in the US, and why people are not willing to join the Anti-Terrorism Squad.
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