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The Freebie Trap: How Welfare Politics Is Eating India’s Future

By
The Commune
-
The Freebie Trap: How Welfare Politics Is Crowding Out India’s Future

India is borrowing money to give it away and the bill is coming due in sectors that actually build nations: research, infrastructure, health, and education.

The Freebie Explosion Is Documented

This is not an opposition talking point. India’s own Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is the source. State-level unconditional cash transfers (UCTs): free cash with no conditions, no outcomes, no accountability, ballooned more than fivefold between FY23 and FY26, reaching ₹1.7 lakh crore this year alone. At least half the states running these schemes are already in revenue deficit – meaning they are borrowing money to give it away

What Is Being Sacrificed: The Numbers

India spends more on food subsidy alone (₹2,28,154 Cr) than on all of education (₹1,28,650 Cr) at the central level as of 2025. India’s R&D investment at 0.64% of GDP is less than one-fifth of South Korea’s, less than one-third of China’s.

  • US: 3.48%
  • China: 2.43%
  • S.Korea: 4.91%

These are not abstract statistics – they represent the gap between a nation building its future and one consuming it.

The Fiscal Trap States Are Falling Into

The Economic Survey explicitly warns: “Unless deficits widen further, additional spending will crowd out resources for critical social and physical infrastructure”. The numbers back this up:

  • States’ combined fiscal deficit has risen from 2.6% of GDP in FY22 to 3.2% in FY25
    ​
  • 62% of state revenues are already locked into salaries, pensions, interest payments, and subsidies leaving barely a third for anything developmental
    ​
  • 16 states have budgeted a gross fiscal deficit exceeding 3% of GSDP for 2025-26; 13 states exceed 3.5%
    ​
  • States’ outstanding debt stands at 28.1% of GDP and a significant share of that debt is financing consumption, not assets​

Thus, excessive spending on freebies reduces the funds available for essential infrastructure by shifting resources away from long-term capital investment.​

What Productive Spending Looks Like – And Why India Isn’t Doing It

Brazil’s Bolsa Família, the model the Economic Survey itself recommends India study, gives conditional cash transfers: you receive support only if your children attend school and complete health check-ups. The outcome: human capital is built simultaneously with welfare delivery. India’s UCTs attach no such conditions. Cash goes out, nothing comes back.​

The result is what the Survey describes as welfare that “substitutes rather than complements” investment in skilling, nutrition, and infrastructure. You get a vote. The state gets a deficit. The child gets neither a good school nor a good road.

The R&D Gap Is a National Security Issue

India’s ₹33,337 Cr R&D budget, already embarrassingly small, is now being further squeezed. The Economic Survey flags that India’s 0.64% of GDP R&D spend sits far below the global average, with the private sector contributing only 41% compared to 75-79% in the US, China, and South Korea. Meanwhile, the government has announced a new ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund over six years, but this ambition sits in direct tension with the fiscal space being consumed by unconditional transfers every single year.​

You cannot build semiconductor fabs, quantum computing capacity, and green hydrogen infrastructure on the fiscal scraps left after the freebie bill is paid.

The Bottom Line

The Economic Survey 2025-26, the Indian government’s own economic document, puts it plainly: “The expansion of unconditional cash transfers across several states has contributed to rising revenue expenditure, with implications for fiscal space and public investment at the state level.”

India is not too poor to invest in education, R&D, healthcare, and infrastructure. It is choosing not to – one election cycle at a time. Freebies win votes in the short term. They cost nations in the long term. The data is in. The question is whether any politician is willing to say it out loud.

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How Reuters Portrayed The Same Festival In India & Pakistan Differently To Suit Its Narratives

By
The Commune
-

Amid the LPG shortage news that was ballooning across Indian media, western media outlet Reuters ably aided by its brown sepoys turned it into an ‘India failure’ story.

The story, bylined by three Indian journalists: Praveen Paramasivam, Chandini Monnappa, and Haripriya Suresh, quickly circulated across international media platforms.

The headline alone framed the narrative: India as a country where households could not cook food.

What the headline omitted was the most important fact. The LPG disruption affecting India in March 2026 was triggered by geopolitical turmoil in West Asia, particularly the disruption of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict. Nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports pass through that corridor, meaning any disruption would inevitably affect supply chains.

In other words, the situation was the consequence of a global conflict, not an Indian governance collapse. Yet the Reuters framing led readers elsewhere.

How Reuters Covered The Same Festival In 2 Different Countries

Now compare that approach with how Reuters covered a similar cultural event in India and Pakistan.

When Pakistan celebrated the lifting of an 18-year ban on the Basant festival kite festival in Lahore, Reuters’ tone was celebratory.

The report described “extravagantly coloured kites duelling above Lahore,” rooftops filled with families, drums beating through the night, and the jubilant cries of “bo-kata!” as kite strings were cut in mid-air. The narrative emphasised the economic boost, hotel bookings, food sales, and festive crowds celebrating the return of a cultural tradition.

Even when safety measures were mentioned, including past injuries from kite strings, they appeared as secondary details within an otherwise vibrant portrait of celebration.

Now look at Reuters’ reporting on the Makar Sankranti kite festival in Ahmedabad.

The headline did not describe colour, celebration, or cultural tradition.

Instead, it read: “Birds injured by kites during the Makar Sankranti festival.”

The focus shifted instantly from celebration to harm. Instead of rooftop festivities or economic activity, the central image presented to global readers was wildlife injury.

Two festivals. The same activity – kite flying.

Yet the narrative framing could not have been more different.

In Pakistan: colour, music, rooftops, tradition, and economic vibrancy.

In India: damage, injury, and environmental harm.

How Western Media Use Brown Sepoys To Peddle Specific Narratives Against India

Over the years, we have been consistently observing how Western media has portrayed the Indian state – first it was through poverty porn and such. Then disaster porn, then when COVID hit, it became funeral porn.

The LPG story portraying Indians unable to cook carried three Indian reporters lending it insider credibility. The same pattern appears in cultural coverage. Pakistan’s Basant festival in Lahore gets colour, celebration and economic vibrancy. India’s Makar Sankranti in Ahmedabad becomes a headline about “birds injured by kites.” Same festival activity, opposite framing – are there no birds that got injured in Pakistan during the same festival? DDo kite strings suddenly become dangerous only when Indians fly them? This is a narrative template – Western editorial agendas packaged with Indian names to legitimise them.

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How Congress Simp Sumanth Raman Is Fueling Fears About Fuel Shortage Leading To Panic Stocking

By
The Commune
-

As tensions continue to escalate in West Asia, India has witnessed a wave of rumours on social media warning of imminent shortages of LPG, petrol, and diesel. While the government and petroleum authorities have repeatedly clarified that there is no shortage of fuel, some social media commentators have continued to amplify panic narratives. Among the most prominent of them is all-in-all commentator Sumanth Raman.

Sumanth Raman, a Congress simp and an arm-chair commentator who weighs in on virtually every issue under the sun, has repeatedly posted messages that have been fuelling public panic rather than calming it.

The specific behaviour began on 9 March 2026, when reports circulated that hotels and restaurants in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai were facing temporary disruptions in commercial LPG supplies due to logistical pressures linked to the ongoing Iran-Israel tensions affecting shipping routes in West Asia.

Some industry associations warned that if the supply disruptions persisted, hospitality businesses could face operational challenges. Chennai’s hotel industry, representing more than 10,000 establishments, even wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging possible cascading impacts on hospitals, college hostels and railway catering services.

Instead of urging restraint or waiting for official confirmation, Raman took to X (Twitter) to speculate about a broader fuel crisis. In a post responding to journalist Nagarjun Dwarakanath’s report about LPG disruptions, Raman wrote, “A similar crisis could happen with petrol and diesel in a few days. Guess people simply need to take precautions themselves. Companies can announce WFH and industry can start of thinking of all possible ways to save fuel. The Modi Govt has proved particularly inept at handling any crisis in the past and so to expect it to be different this time is to deceive ourselves.”

In a follow-up post the next day, he doubled down, writing, “And we need to start saving NOW” quoting another handle that was pushing rumours about cooking gas shortage, further stoking fear with zero factual basis for a fuel crisis.

These posts appeared despite the fact that the central government had already issued clarifications on the evening of 9 March stating that there was no shortage of fuel in the country and no immediate plan to increase petrol or diesel prices.

Government sources informed ANI that India had adequate petrol, diesel and aviation fuel stocks. Officials also explained that the country had diversified crude sourcing routes beyond the Strait of Hormuz to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions.

Authorities also clarified that retail fuel prices were expected to remain stable unless global crude prices crossed roughly USD 130 per barrel, while global projections suggested prices would likely remain closer to the USD 100 range.

Despite these assurances, panic buying scenes were witnessed at petrol pumps in Chennai as rumours of fuel shortages spread rapidly online. Long queues formed as residents rushed to fill tanks and stock fuel.

Such panic behaviour is often triggered by irresponsible speculation on social media, particularly when influential commentators amplify worst-case scenarios without verification.

Raman’s latest post on 12 March 2026 again appeared to mock the situation, writing: “To know how much people trust the Central Govt all you need to do is drive past a nearby petrol pump today.”

Sumanth Raman seems to be heavily indulging in a pattern that first amplifies fears and then uses the resulting panic as political commentary.

In moments of geopolitical uncertainty, the role of public commentators should be to inform responsibly and avoid fuelling panic. When rumours spread faster than facts, even a few speculative posts can have real-world consequences – from panic buying to unnecessary public anxiety.

And in this episode, Sumanth Raman’s posts demonstrate exactly how social media commentary can aggravate a crisis rather than contribute to calm.

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India Abuser Laura Loomer Invited To Speak At India Today Conclave

By
The Commune
-

The decision to invite far-right American activist Laura Loomer to speak at the India Today Conclave has triggered sharp criticism after her long record of inflammatory remarks about India and Indians resurfaced online. Many posts claimed she had deleted the posts, but till the time of publishing this article, she had not deleted the anti-India, racist posts and they continue to be present on her timeline on X.

Loomer announced her participation on X, writing: “See you soon, India! Looking forward to speaking at the India Today Conclave 2026 conference this week!”

The same story is available on India Today’s Instagram page as well.

 

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A post shared by India Today (@indiatoday)

The announcement immediately prompted questions about why a figure known for repeatedly insulting Indians would be given a platform at a high-profile Indian conference.

A Record Of Abusive Remarks About India

Over the past several years, Loomer has posted a series of remarks targeting India, Indians, and Indian immigrants.

In one post, she wrote: “The average IQ in India is 76.”

In another, she mocked basic infrastructure in India, writing sarcastically that the country “does have running water. It just runs out of people’s asses.”

She seemed to have a problem with the availability of water in India and made several posts mocking India for it.

She also targeted Indian immigration to the United States. Responding to a post by Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Loomer wrote: “Please go back to India.”

She did the same with another Congressman.

Her rhetoric has frequently extended into broader attacks on Indian culture and immigrants. In one widely criticised post she wrote: “Stop watching Boy Meets World and turn on Bollywood so you can watch rape culture steal your job culture.”

She has also repeated the claim that Indians still “bathe and drink from the same water they defecate in,” a statement widely condemned online as racist and defamatory.

In another tweet about immigration and the US political landscape, Loomer claimed that Democrats were “outsourcing their Presidential candidate from India,” referring to former US Vice-President Kamala Harris and invoking the conspiracy-laden “Great Replacement” narrative.

In another post, Laura Loomer wrote that the United States was “built by white Europeans” and not by what she called “third world invaders from India.”

She also mocked an interaction between Narendra Modi and Donald Trump at the White House, suggesting that an Indian reporter speaking English needed translation “back into English.”

Anti-Immigrant Activist With MAGA Links

As reported in Financial Express, Loomer, born in Tucson, Arizona in 1993, built her profile through right-wing media platforms and activist groups such as Project Veritas, Rebel News, and InfoWars. She has described herself as a “proud Islamophobe” and has repeatedly drawn criticism for anti-Muslim rhetoric.

She is closely associated with the political movement surrounding former US president Donald Trump and has often positioned herself as an aggressive defender of the “America First” agenda.

Loomer has twice run for Congress in Florida as a Republican losing to Democrat Lois Frankel in 2020 and later losing a Republican primary to Daniel Webster in 2022.

Her confrontational activism and conspiracy-driven commentary have also led to suspensions or bans from several major platforms over the years.

Hostility Toward Indian Workers

Loomer has been particularly vocal against the US H-1B visa programme, frequently portraying Indian professionals in the United States as job-stealers in the technology sector.

She also criticised the appointment of Sriram Krishnan as an AI adviser in the Trump orbit, claiming that Indian professionals symbolised outsourcing and foreign worker influence.

Ironically, Loomer earlier sought donations through the crowdfunding platform Buy Me a Coffee, which was founded by Indian entrepreneurs.

Loomer’s proximity to Trump has alarmed some figures within the Republican Party itself. Reports in US media have also suggested she attempted to influence personnel decisions during Trump’s political resurgence, though Trump himself denied that she had any direct role.

Questions Over The Invitation

The invitation to Loomer has therefore raised questions about the judgement of organisers at the India Today Conclave. Inviting a figure who has repeatedly mocked India’s people, culture, and infrastructure sends a contradictory message for an event that often positions itself as a platform for national dialogue and global engagement.

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DMK Family Kavya Maran’s IPL Team Sunrisers Buys Islamist Terror Sympathizing Pakistani Player

By
The Commune
-

The Sunrisers cricket franchise, owned by media baron Kavya Maran of the Sun TV Network and daughter of media baron Kalanidhi Maran, has come under intense backlash on social media after acquiring Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed in the men’s player auction of The Hundred.

Abrar Ahmed was signed by the franchise for USD 255,000 (£190,000), becoming the first Pakistani player to be picked by an Indian-owned team in The Hundred. The acquisition was made by the Leeds-based team formerly known as Northern Superchargers, which is now controlled by the Sunrisers group following the Sun TV Network’s takeover.

During the auction, Kavya Maran was seen seated at the team table alongside head coach Daniel Vettori. The signing of Abrar Ahmed came after the franchise outbid Trent Rockets for the player.

 The purchase has triggered widespread criticism online, with several users accusing the franchise of ignoring national sentiment by signing a Pakistani cricketer at a time when sporting ties between India and Pakistan remain frozen.

As reported in Hindustan Times, the Sun TV conglomerate had completed a full takeover of the Leeds franchise last year, acquiring a 49% stake from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the remaining 51% from Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

They announced this on their X handle too.

Image Source: X

But just hours after the acquisition was announced, the official Sunrisers Leeds account on X was suspended. When users attempted to access the account, the platform displayed a message stating “Account suspended.” No official reason was provided for the suspension, though the platform generally enforces such action when accounts are found to have violated its rules.

Image Source: Hindustan Times

No official reason was provided for the suspension, though the platform generally enforces such action when accounts are found to have violated its rules.

Ahead of the auction, the four Indian-owned teams participating in The Hundred had faced scrutiny over whether they would bid for Pakistani players, amid speculation about a potential informal restriction. However, all eight franchises had publicly committed to selecting players solely based on “performance, availability, and the needs of each team.”

The Sunrisers group operates multiple cricket franchises globally, including Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league. Neither of those teams has previously signed an active Pakistani international player.

While several Pakistani cricketers have appeared in overseas T20 leagues owned by Indian franchise groups, Pakistani players have not featured in the Indian Premier League since 2008, following escalating geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

Following the announcement, netizens lashed out at Sunrisers franchise and Kavya Maran of disregarding public sentiment in India by signing a Pakistani player. It is noteworthy that Abrar Ahmed had previously mocked India and Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

The tea gesture to mock Abhinandan was not just a one-off occurrence, it has happened quite a few times.

In the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor, in June 2025, in an interview with TV host Sara Baloch, Abrar Ahmed said: “I’d love to step into the ring and square off against Shikhar Dhawan”.

This comment was made after Dhawan had publicly refused to play against Pakistan at the World Championship of Legends. The clip went viral in October 2025 after Asia Cup tensions, drawing widespread condemnation.

During the Asia Cup, where India beat Pakistan three consecutive times, including the final, Abrar Ahmed’s on-field celebratory antics became a flashpoint. After India won the title, Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana openly mocked his celebration on the field, a rare public rebuttal by the Indian team.

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TVK Vijay’s Right Hand Man Aadhav Arjuna Belittles Rajinikanth, Says He’s Acting For Red Giant After Being Threatened By DMK Family To Not Enter Politics

By
The Commune
-

Aadhav Arjuna, a functionary of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), alleged that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) family threatened actor Rajinikanth when he attempted to enter politics in Tamil Nadu.

As reported in Times of India, Arjuna made the remarks during a protest organised by TVK at district headquarters across Tamil Nadu on Thursday (12 March 2026), accusing the state government of failing to maintain law and order. A demonstration was also held in Chennai, where TVK functionaries including N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna and Arun Raj participated.

Speaking at the protest, Arjuna said that after MG Ramachandran (MGR), Rajinikanth had been one of the most popular figures who had intended to enter politics in Tamil Nadu.

“After MGR, Rajinikanth wanted to emerge as a prominent leader in Tamil Nadu. He wanted to change the system, do everything needed through politics. But this very DMK family issued multiple threats and made sure he never got to launch a political party. See what happened to him in the end – he went and acted in a Red Giant (Udhayanidhi Stalin’s production house) film. There is no personal criticism of him. I am putting it on record that the mental strength, that resolve, exists in our leader,” Arjuna said.

Arjuna added that Tamil Nadu required political change and proceeded to refer to several leaders who, according to him, had attempted to challenge the DMK but eventually aligned with it.

“Tamil Nadu needs a change. Let me go one by one through all the leaders who said they would bring change and what happened to them. MDMK leader Vaiko, when he started his party, stood tall speaking out about many problems within the DMK. Today? Four seats and even in that, three seats with the Rising Sun symbol and one with their own symbol. What kind of alliance is this? We don’t understand it at all. Today, brother Thol. Thirumavalavan campaigned hard against DMK in 2014. Even he couldn’t do it. In the end, he too joined the alliance. Similarly, all leaders including brother Kamal Haasan, he started a party, smashed TVs and everything. But even he couldn’t do it. We are not belittling him, he too went back, joined DMK, and started acting in a Red Giant film. Then there’s O. Panneerselvam, he was Chief Minister, he was Amma’s most loyal follower, a man who was CM three times; today he has joined Stalin sir. Look at the power of their money. Everyone can be bought. Everyone can be threatened. But in Tamil Nadu, there is one leader who cannot be threatened, who cannot be bought, one uncompromised leader and that is our leader Vijay, and only him,” Arjuna said.

Arjuna also asserted that Vijay had the mental strength to withstand criticism and political pressure.

“Even when personal criticism was directed at Vijay, he did not remain silent at home in fear,” he said.

The remarks drew criticism from several quarters, including among Rajinikanth’s fans. S. Ravi, a fan club member from Sholingur, said Rajinikanth had not withdrawn from politics due to fear.

“Rajinikanth is not someone who fears threats — everyone knows that. At a time when the coronavirus was spreading severely, he stepped away from politics considering the infection risk that gatherings could pose to the public and to avoid loss of lives due to the virus,” Ravi said.

He added that political leadership could not be determined merely by the ability to attract crowds.

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Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani Throws Open New York City Hall Govt Building For Islamic Ceremony

By
The Commune
-

On 11 March 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted an official Ramadan iftar inside New York City Hall, described by his own team as welcoming Ramadan into “the people’s house”. The event was covered warmly by Western media, celebrated on social platforms, and framed as historic, inclusive, and progressive.

 

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A post shared by Muslim Girl (@muslimgirl)

No outrage. No op-eds about the separation of church and state. No articles about religion being “weaponised” inside a government building.

That standard is reserved exclusively for Narendra Modi.

What Mamdani Did – In a Government Building

Mamdani did not merely observe Ramadan privately. He converted New York City Hall, a government institution, into a venue for an official religious ceremony, hosted on behalf of his faith. His senior aide confirmed he planned multiple iftar dinners with firefighters, delivery workers, and Muslim communities – all using City Hall and his mayoral platform. He publicly stated: “Ramadan is my favourite month of the year,” and fasted while conducting official government duties.

​By any definition applied to Modi, this is a head of government using public office to publicly practice and promote religion.

What They Said About Modi

When PM Modi presided over the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, India’s liberal commentariat, the same voices who applaud Mamdani, had their knives out.

Rana Ayyub told TIME Magazine: “His entire career has been based on Ayodhya because he realized early on that the only way to become a favourite of the masses is to endear them through the Ram Temple movement. This is the ultimate moment of Modi as a Hindu nationalist leader, and this is the ultimate moment of creating the Indian Muslim as a second-class citizen.” Rana Ayyub further described the Ram Temple as an act of deliberate communal aggression, “rubbing salt into an already existing wound” and framed Hindu celebration of the consecration as an ‘act of Muslim erasure’.

Arfa Khanum Sherwani of The Wire and Zohran Mamdani’s biggest cheerleader has repeatedly framed Modi’s public religious practice, from the Ram Temple groundbreaking to Ganga puja ceremonies, as “Hindu nationalist consolidation” and electoral mobilisation, rather than a PM practising his faith.

The pattern is consistent: a Hindu PM being a Hindu, practicing Hinduism, consecrating India’s most sacred temple = communalism, nationalism, Muslim oppression. A Muslim mayor hosting a religious ceremony in a government building in New York = historic, beautiful, inclusive. The same three names have not published a syllable of scrutiny about Zohran Mamdani and City Hall.

The Indian National Congress officially framed the Pran Pratishtha as a “political drama” – a characterisation that later prompted Ayodhya seers to demand Rahul Gandhi be barred from entering the Ram Temple.

Hindus for Human Rights called it “weaponizing faith” and an “electoral stunt”. The Conversation wrote that Modi “exploits religious differences” and uses religion for political purposes. The Cato Institute framed Modi’s religious conduct as an assault on minority freedoms. East Asia Forum warned that Modi’s “Hindu agenda” was “damaging” to democracy.

Not one of these voices has published a comparable critique of Mamdani hosting a religious ceremony inside City Hall using his office as mayor.

Be it in India or abroad, they all sang the same tune when it came to PM Modi.​

The Selective Secularism Argument

The critics who attacked Modi were not defending secularism. They were selectively applying it. Secularism, if applied consistently, would require the same scrutiny of a Muslim mayor hosting religious dinners inside City Hall as it does of a Hindu PM consecrating a temple. The praise or silence on Mamdani is not a revealed preference: religion in public office is fine, as long as it is not Hinduism.​

This is not a new pattern. Western academia, activist groups, and media have spent a decade producing a steady pipeline of anti-Modi, anti-Hindu content while treating equivalent or greater expressions of Islamic identity in Western public office as celebrations of diversity.

The Bottom Line

Zohran Mamdani can fast, host iftars, practice his faith and be celebrated for it. That is his right and if he does that as a democratically elected leader and praised for it, the same courtesy must be extended to a Hindu prime minister in a Hindu-majority nation; it doesn’t become authoritarianism, communalism, or a threat to democracy.

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A Global Energy Shock But Reuters Made It An ‘India Failure’ Story With Its 3 Brown Sepoys

By
The Commune
-
A Global Energy Shock But Reuters Made It An ‘India Failure’ Story With Its 3 Brown Sepoys

On 11 March 2026, Reuters published a piece titled “Kitchens Across India Ditch Hot Food Due to Cooking Gas Shortage” – bylined by three Indian journalists: Praveen Paramasivam, Chandini Monnappa, and Haripriya Suresh.

The headline tells you everything about the intent. Not “India responds to global LPG crisis.” Not “Iran war disrupts South Asian gas supply.” Just: Indians can’t cook their food. Humiliation, packaged as journalism.

The Crisis They Chose Not to Explain

The LPG disruption affecting India in March 2026 has a clear, documented cause: the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports transit. This is a global geopolitical crisis – not an Indian governance failure. Every nation dependent on Middle Eastern LPG faced the same shock. Reuters buried this context and led instead with the image of cold kitchens and helpless households.​

What Reuters Deliberately Ignored

By the time Reuters published their piece on March 11, the Indian government had already been in full crisis response mode for five days:

  • March 6: Emergency powers invoked, all refiners ordered to maximise LPG output​
  • March 9: Anti-hoarding measures activated; re-booking interval increased to 25 days​
  • March 10: IOCL, HPCL, BPCL all running at full capacity, domestic output boosted by 25%​
  • March 10: Reliance Industries confirmed it was maximising LPG production​
  • March 10: Government officially stated India was “in a better position than several other nations”​

None of this was Reuters’ angle. None of this made the headline. A wire agency that had any genuine interest in informing its global readers would have written the story of an effective emergency response. Instead, Reuters chose the image of cold food and distressed families.

The Reuters India Playbook

This piece did not exist in isolation. Reuters had been systematically escalating its India-negative LPG coverage all week – on 10 March 2026, they published “Indian Restaurants Warn of Shutdowns”, and separately framed India’s Essential Commodities Act activation using the loaded legal term “force majeure” – a phrase that implies contractual distress and helplessness. It was deliberate. It was a pattern. Reuters got maximum international syndication out of India’s temporary difficulty while aggressively minimising the recovery narrative.

The Three Brown Sepoys

And then there are the bylines – three Indian journalists writing for a British-American wire service headquartered in London. This is the most corrosive element of the piece. Praveen Paramasivam, Chandini Monnappa, and Haripriya Suresh did not stumble into bad journalism. They delivered exactly what Reuters’ editorial machinery rewards: an India-struggling story with Indian names attached, providing the piece a false credibility of insider authenticity.

This is digital continuation of a colonial-era tradition – the native informant who supplies the empire with evidence of the natives’ incapacity. Western media has long understood that negative India narratives land harder when an Indian name is on the byline. It outsources the optics of bias while keeping the editorial agenda intact.

These three journalists had the same facts available to them as every Indian outlet. So many media houses reported the disruption and the government’s swift response. The choice to omit the response, amplify the chaos, and publish it under a globally circulated wire agency was calculated.

The Bottom Line

Reuters manufactured a narrative of Indian helplessness during a crisis triggered entirely by forces outside India’s control and it did so with the three Indians, better off as Brown Sepoys, to sign it. Sharp editors, convenient bylines, and zero accountability. That is the Reuters India formula.

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Madurai: Muslims Oppose 300-Yr-Old Temple Renovation Despite Madras High Court Order

By
The Commune
-
Madurai: Muslims Oppose 300-Yr-Old Temple Renovation Despite Madras High Court Order

Tension has emerged in Thummanayakkanpatti village in Peraiyur taluk of Madurai district after Muslims from the area opposed renovation work at a 300-year-old Vinayagar and Karuppannasamy temple that is under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

The Arulmigu Vinayagar Temple and Arulmigu Karuppannasamy Temple are located on about 2 acres and 40 cents of land in the village. According to temple authorities, the temples are around 300 years old and are administered by a hereditary trustee and temple management under the HR&CE Department.

Permission to carry out renovation work at the temple had been obtained from the state and district expert committees, as reported in Dinamalar. The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) also granted approval for the renovation work.

However, a man identified as Sagul Hameed filed a case last year before the Madurai Bench seeking to prevent the renovation. In January, the court dismissed the objections and permitted the temple renovation to proceed.

Subsequently, another petition was filed before the Madurai Bench seeking continuous police protection during the renovation work. On 18 February 2026, the court directed that police protection be provided.

Following the court orders, the temple’s hereditary trustee Maheswaran and residents of the village submitted a petition to the Madurai Superintendent of Police requesting security until the renovation work is completed and the kumbabhishekam ceremony is conducted.

Villagers said that a mosque had been built near the temple about 100 years ago. According to them, when local residents recently attempted to begin the renovation work based on the court’s order, Muslims from the area entered the temple premises and staged a protest, insisting that the temple should not be renovated and should instead be relocated to another place.

Police officials intervened and persuaded the protesters to disperse. However, due to the opposition, renovation work at the temple has not yet begun.

Local residents also stated that Hindus are a minority in the village and argued that Muslims blocking the renovation despite a court order was unfair and amounted to contempt of court. They urged the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and resolve the issue.

Reacting to the development, Rama Ravikumar, leader of Hindu Tamilar Katchi, said it was shocking that Muslims had entered the temple premises and staged a protest against the renovation of the centuries-old Vinayagar and Karuppannasamy temple.

He alleged that whenever Hindus in the area attempted to take steps for the welfare of the temple, Muslims were obstructing the efforts, claiming that the temple should not be renovated because a mosque existed nearby. He further stated that since Muslims were numerically larger in the locality, it was not fair to hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

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‘Aadhav Arjuna Was Sent As A Sleeper Cell To TVK By DMK’, Says Lottery Martin’s Son Jose Charles Martin

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The Commune
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'Aadhav Arjuna Was Sent As A Sleeper Cell To TVK', Says Lottery Martin’s Son Jose Charles Martin

A social media post by Jose Charles Martin, son of Lottery Martin and the brother-in-law of TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna, has triggered discussion in political circles after he levelled a series of allegations against the political strategist in relation to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

In a post addressed to Vijay and the party’s official handle on X, Charles claimed that since Aadhav Arjuna joined TVK, he had been warning that Arjuna was acting against the interests of the party.

Charles alleged that Aadhav Arjuna was responsible for creating obstacles that could prevent other political parties from forming alliances with TVK, claiming that such actions were driven by personal ambition and a desire for power.

He further alleged that Arjuna had been sent as a “sleeper cell” by an influential leader in the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with the intention of weakening Vijay and his party from within. According to the post, Arjuna was attempting to divert the public support that TVK might receive and turn it to the advantage of rival political forces.

Charles also linked Arjuna to what he described as the “Karur tragedy,” in which 41 people reportedly died, alleging that Arjuna had played a behind-the-scenes role in the events. He claimed that a Central Bureau of Investigation probe would expose Arjuna’s involvement.

In the post, Charles further stated that Arjuna had played a significant role in bringing Senthil Balaji into the DMK in the past. He also claimed that Arjuna had a pattern of attempting to position himself as a leader wherever he went.

Charles referred to Arjuna’s earlier association with Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and alleged that party leader Thol. Thirumavalavan had removed him after recognising this tendency.

Describing his remarks as coming from personal experience, Charles alleged that Arjuna had previously attempted to create divisions within his own family and warned that similar tactics could be used to undermine Vijay’s political movement.

He concluded by urging Vijay to remain vigilant and to identify what he described as “betraying forces” within the party, stating that decisive action taken in time would determine the future of the organisation.

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