During actor Vijay’s election rally in the city of Karur, Tamil Nadu, nearly 50 people lost their lives in a stampede. Among the victims were children, youth, and women. This heart-breaking news has caused widespread grief across the country.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed their condolences. Chief Minister Stalin has announced a compensation of 1 million rupees (10 lakh) for each of the families of the deceased and 100,000 rupees (1 lakh) for each of the injured. He has also declared that an inquiry into the incident will be conducted by a retired judge.
In reality, most people in Tamil Nadu are die-hard fans of Tamil film actors, and massive crowds gather just to catch a glimpse of their heroes. The tragic result is now before us. In my opinion, in many foreign countries, political campaigns are conducted through television, where all politicians present their manifestos to the public, and people watch them while sitting in their cosy chambers.Politicians in India should also follow the suit.
Chowdhry Nisar
Ambur, Tamil Nadu
The Right to Protest is a Fundamental Right
The right to protest is a fundamental right. It is derived from Article 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of speech and expression and the right to assemble peacefully. This right allows citizens to express dissent, which is considered the soul of democracy. But, as the powers-that-be would have it, this right is more often than not denied in the name of ‘national security’, ‘public order’, and ‘public morality’. No doubt, maintaining ‘national security’, ‘public order’, and ‘public morality’ is of vital importance; we cannot compromise it. But, at the same time, a democracy cannot afford to violate a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
There is a thin line between maintaining ‘national security’, ‘public order’, and ‘public morality’ and letting the citizens enjoy their fundamental rights. It is the authorities who have to make an elaborate arrangement to maintain peace and order without curtailing the fundamental rights of citizens.
The Supreme Court has acknowledged that the right to protest, when it is peaceful, strengthens democracy. Citizens too should be extra cautious to see to it that their protest must not cross the ‘laxmanrekha’.
Atul Kumar
Ranchi, Jharkhand
The Nemesis of Netanyahu
As time passes by since Israel’s genocidal war started in October 2023,the nemesis of Netanyahu seems to be imminent. Writers, thinkers and TV channels across the continents have been reading the writ on the wall i.e. the nemesis of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They include the United Nations commissions and functionaries, the courts of law as well as political leaders and the large segments of masses in various countries, and more so former Israeli officers as well as Israeli public.
Netanyahu is not only the enemy of Palestinians, he is the enemy of humanity and his war crimes are in fact crimes against humanity. Even in his own occupied country i.e. Israel, he is a social pariah. While talking to the Israeli Channel 12, former Israeli army chief Dan Halutz called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “an enemy that poses a direct threat” to Israel’s security.
The severity of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza has surpassed all other earlier genocides in recent history e.g. the Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina genocides.
The situation taking shape in the world tells us that the nemesis of Netanyahu is imminent. We have to wait and watch and do whatever we can to bring it sooner.
FathullahQuadri
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh