Delhi endures frigid conditions as minimum temperature plummets to 4.5°C; AQI categorized as ‘very poor’
This marks the equal lowest minimum temperature recorded this season, matching the 4.5°C observed on December 12.
For the second consecutive day, coldwave conditions gripped multiple areas of the national capital on Monday, as the mercury sank further in the past 24 hours. The Safdarjung weather station, which represents Delhi's climate, documented a minimum temperature of 4.5°C, which is four degrees below the usual.
This marks the equal lowest minimum temperature recorded this season, matching the 4.5°C observed on December 12.
A thin layer of fog, with visibility dropping to approximately 800 meters, was noted throughout the capital, while the air quality index (AQI) for Delhi fell into the ‘very poor’ classification. By 9 am, the average AQI registered was 351 (very poor), a decline from 294 (poor) observed at 4pm on Sunday.
How the Past Has Returned in Full Circle with the Visit of Sri Lankan President Dissanayake to India
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the recently elected president of Sri Lanka, is making his second trip to New Delhi within a mere 10 months. However, this visit carries a significant distinction compared to the last.
A decade prior, during the time when a National People’s Power (NPP) delegation, headed by Dissanayake, ventured to the Indian capital, the political atmosphere was filled with uncertainty for him and his associates, despite the potential that lay ahead. At that point, no election date had been established for the island nation. Nonetheless, Delhi was acutely aware of the evolving political dynamics in Sri Lanka and speculated about the likelihood of Dissanayake ascending to the presidency when the elections were eventually announced.
Consider this a wise or timely decision; Delhi’s initial invitation was a carefully thought-out risk. It was opportune to engage with the 55-year-old Marxist leader, who began to gain the trust of many Sri Lankans. However, he was leading a political party that harbored longstanding anti-India feelings.
The upcoming visit on December 15 stands out as it will mark Dissanayake’s inaugural international trip as the new president of the island. He is scheduled to engage in bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. The Sri Lankan leader will be joined by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando.
In recent years, India has significantly invested in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure and will aim to enhance commercial ties with Colombo, even with China being the island’s largest bilateral lender.
Delhi is also mindful that the leftist president will need to navigate carefully to avoid being ensnared in the rivalry between India and China. This is a stance that Dissanayake has consistently maintained, emphasizing the NPP’s willingness to engage with both Beijing and India without favoring one over the other.
Without a doubt, Delhi will extend a warm welcome and strive to maintain harmony with a government that is still in the process of establishing itself. India has expressed dissatisfaction regarding the new government's limited interaction since September; however, the fact that the president’s first overseas visit is to Delhi serves as a testament to the NPP’s foresight and implies a desire to cultivate improved relations.
The new government recognizes India’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, initially through a loan of $4 billion and humanitarian assistance following the economic crisis of 2022, as well as its supportive involvement in facilitating a bailout with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help rebuild the economy.
Dissanayake has acknowledged India’s geostrategic interests in Sri Lanka and has expressed a willingness to navigate issues without adopting a confrontational approach.
The bilateral discussions are anticipated to cover contentious topics, particularly since Dissanayake himself has voiced opposition to some of them during his time in the opposition, such as the pending Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), the establishment of a land corridor between the two countries, the development of the Trincomalee harbor as a regional energy hub, a widely debated free trade agreement, and the controversial Gautam Adani projects.
Modi Critiques Congress for Dismantling the Constitution Over 7 Decades
Once again, PM Modi pointed out the Congress figures from Nehru to Rahul for their disregard toward the Constitution, referencing the Emergency era and blatant political opportunism, while contrasting the amendments made by the BJP government as advantageous for the nation. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the Congress has consistently disrespected the Constitution, with five generations of its leaders attempting to belittle and weaken the esteemed document for political expediency and appeasement politics, severely criticizing the primary opposition party for what he termed the irreversible offense of enforcing the Emergency and eroding constitutional liberties. As he concluded a two-day special discourse in the Lok Sabha celebrating 75 years of the Constitution, Modi also differentiated the constitutional alterations initiated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from those of the Congress, asserting that the opposition party has a historical opposition to reservations, lauding the accomplishments of his administration, emphasizing that his welfare initiatives are directed by the Constitution, and articulating 11 commitments to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of Independence.
During an extensive address in Hindi lasting 110 minutes, the PM frequently targeted the Congress and the Gandhi lineage, criticizing it for the most significant “jumla”, or untrue promise, of “Garibi Hatao” (eliminate poverty)—a campaign slogan that played a significant role in Indira Gandhi’s overwhelming success in the 1971 elections. He further stated that his government has continually endeavored to fortify the unity and integrity of the country—an essential issue that motivated the authors of the Constitution.
Modi Critiques Congress for Dismantling the Constitution Over 7 Decades
Once again, PM Modi pointed out the Congress figures from Nehru to Rahul for their disregard toward the Constitution, referencing the Emergency era and blatant political opportunism, while contrasting the amendments made by the BJP government as advantageous for the nation. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the Congress has consistently disrespected the Constitution, with five generations of its leaders attempting to belittle and weaken the esteemed document for political expediency and appeasement politics, severely criticizing the primary opposition party for what he termed the irreversible offense of enforcing the Emergency and eroding constitutional liberties. As he concluded a two-day special discourse in the Lok Sabha celebrating 75 years of the Constitution, Modi also differentiated the constitutional alterations initiated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from those of the Congress, asserting that the opposition party has a historical opposition to reservations, lauding the accomplishments of his administration, emphasizing that his welfare initiatives are directed by the Constitution, and articulating 11 commitments to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of Independence.
During an extensive address in Hindi lasting 110 minutes, the PM frequently targeted the Congress and the Gandhi lineage, criticizing it for the most significant “jumla”, or untrue promise, of “Garibi Hatao” (eliminate poverty)—a campaign slogan that played a significant role in Indira Gandhi’s overwhelming success in the 1971 elections. He further stated that his government has continually endeavored to fortify the unity and integrity of the country—an essential issue that motivated the authors of the Constitution.
