Hello, and welcome to the Best of BS Opinion, our wrap of the day’s Opinion page.
Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s criticism of the Modi government’s economic record raises some valid issues, but also reflects political point-scoring and questionable comparisons, writes R Jagannathan. He rejects the idea that economic outcomes depend primarily on having a distinguished economist in charge, pointing to the UPA’s inflation, fiscal deterioration and banking crisis. He concedes that centralisation is a defining feature of the Modi government, but says it enabled major reforms and a disciplined Covid response, while acknowledging that excessive enforcement can deter investors. Chidambaram’s case for better reform sequencing merits consideration. But claims of widespread monopolies overlook network effects, capital intensity and structural constraints that naturally produce oligopolies in several sectors.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a young protest movement, faces a familiar dilemma: whether to enter electoral politics or remain a pressure group. Aditi Phadnis draws a parallel with Delhi University’s 1982 Committee Against Goondaism, which mobilised students against violence and institutional failure but ultimately resisted becoming a political organisation. Its members instead carried their ideals into journalism, academia, activism and business. The CJP, led by former AAP figures who retain their idealism, appears similarly inclined to remain outside electoral politics. Yet its growing mobilisation has unsettled established parties, which variously see an opportunity for co-option or competition. Its September campaign may clarify its direction.
The international cricketing community’s growing concern over Imran Khan has shifted his fate from Pakistan’s domestic politics into a global debate, something the Pakistani Establishment is not taking too kindly to, writes Shekhar Gupta. Michael Atherton’s recent interview with Imran’s sons at Lord’s, broadcast despite Pakistani threats, gave the issue unprecedented visibility, with Australia captain Pat Cummins and other cricketers joining the chorus. However, Gupta acknowledges Imran’s own role in empowering the military before turning against it, and questions his ideological transformation from global celebrity to Islamist populist. But excessive sentences and a shambolic legal process reinforce the impression of persecution. Imran’s popularity and resilience now pose an unusually serious challenge to the Pak Establishment.
Indian marketing is moving from mass attention to consumer intention, as advertising becomes more expensive, fleeting and distrusted, writes Sandeep Goyal. The traditional model relied on interruption, celebrity and reach, but ad blindness, rising digital costs and declining trust are weakening its effectiveness. Intention marketing instead captures consumers when they are searching, comparing or ready to buy, using retail media, messaging platforms, search and AI-generated answers. Goyal sees a hybrid future, with attention creating demand and intention converting it. This requires new skills and metrics, while raising privacy concerns. Brands must remain useful, not merely visible, at moments of need.
