CURRENT AFFAIRS

Starting from March 22-23 the Health Ministry, in its press briefings, indicated ‘Nizamuddin connection’ with new cases of coronavirus. The media picked the ‘indication’ and created almost a tsunami of derogatory phrasing, fake-news and doctored videos in print, electronic and social media, resulting in misleading the people and injecting communal poison in an already polluted atmosphere. Most likely it was a mala-fide tactic to divert the attention from dangers looming large to the life and the economy and to cover up ‘non-preparedness’ of the state to fight the catastrophe.

The recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data reveals that as many as 67,774 people were killed in the country due to personal vendetta during the period between 2001 and 2017. The data confirms that personal vendetta or enmity is the largest cause of murders during the period. In this column we would consider in brief why personal vendetta causes murders and what is the Islamic approach to the issue.

There is another heartbreaking story of terror accused, ‘framed, damned and acquitted’ after over two decades. Chronology of such cases, blatant misuse of terror laws, defaming a community and destroying lives of innocent families is long while real terror actors influenced by Hindutva discourse get protection by hook or by crook.

In his address to the Parliament in response to President’s address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeated the oft-repeated charge against Shah Bano Movement, calling the decision to accept the Muslim demand a blunder of Congress. Interestingly, this blunder of Congress is being used to justify the Triple Talaq Bill. Hindutva lobby has always used Congress’s decision to pass the new act, calling it the biggest example of “Appeasement”. While Hindus, especially upper caste Hindus, reserve the exclusive rights to be pampered through favourable socio-economic policies, even slightest favour to Muslims becomes “appeasement” for the Hindutva lobby.

The horrendous incident of 14th February, killing 44 CRPF personnel on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Pulwama area has been widely denounced as ‘terror attack by Pakistani actors’ and attracted vast condemnation. Several organisations and individuals have also raised the demand for comprehensive free and fair enquiry in the whole episode, especially in the wake of equally high-pitched divisive campaign to politically en-cash the sympathy wave for the families of slain personnel without ensuring welfare of the bereaved families and pushing under the carpet main issues of people like employment, education, torment of farmers, security of borders, and deteriorated relations with the neighbouring countries, etc.

On the issue of the autonomy to universities, many arguments are doing rounds in the educational corridors, from the day it was announced. For some it is historic and the best to happen in the educational sphere while many believe it is a step forward towards privatisation where the affluent class can avail the benefit more as compared to the middle and backward class.