Editorial, 'Freedoms of Speech and Residence," in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 31 July 2014 issue, Vol. 10, Part 2, No. 14

FREEDOMS OF SPEECH AND RESIDENCE

both protected, or even ensured, by the Constitution of India, particularly by Articles 15, 19 & 21, are in grave danger due to the ruling regional chauvinism in Telangana. One of those has already been sadly, and so easily, suppressed by a mere cable operators’ federation, allegedly acting at the instance of an eccentrically sectarian Chief Minister, by blocking two reputed TV channels. And the same chief is seeking to extinguish the right to residence of a section of people by mooting the queer proposal of fixing the residential eligibility of student candidates per their parents’ or grandparents’ residential status pre-1956. Till now one is used to hear about the nativity or residential status of a candidate only, but perhaps it is for the first time in free India that proposals for linking the candidates’ statutory entitlements to the origins of their ancestors are being heard. To worse confound the confusion, the ignorant daughter of this notorious chauvinist, she a first time MP too, has gone awry talking about the sovereign status of the State of Hyderabad [hence of Telangana] pre-1948 and decrying its forcible annexation by the Indian Union and linking it to the ever-raging dispute of Jammu and Kashmir – all the while not knowing, or deliberately overlooking, or maliciously suppressing the burning truth of a vast majority of the people in Telangana, as also Hyderabad State, having had militantly agitated for freedom from the despotic rule of the Nizam and for merger with the Indian Union in a popular ‘Join the Indian Union Movement’. And another minister-servile of the psychic chief has hurled a near-racist remark against ‘Andhras’, placing them on a level much below other migrants to Telangana, targeting them for denial of any entitlements on par with others – all the time forgetting that their own revered veteran leaders of Telangana like Survaram Pratap Reddy, author of the award winning ‘Social History of Andhras’, Burgula, Madapati, P.V., Dasarathi et al, all integrationists, had taken so much pride in that denomination. Regrettably, our constitutional courts have also not acted readily and effectively to rein in such unruly horses and remedy the injustices; it seems nowhere else does the maxim ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ apply so aptly as in our country.  §§§

Editorial: "Middle East Boiling Again" in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 July 2014, Vol. 10, Part 2, No. 13 issue.

MIDDLE EAST BOILING AGAIN

Zionist extremism in the cause of the only Jewish State in the world and Islamic fundamentalism in Gaza as a part of Palestine liberation movement are once again seriously clashing in the Middle East in the recent background of more gory developments in Syria and Iraq where Sunni Islamic extremism, raising up as the Frankenstein monster created by the notorious American imperialism, has been with impunity engaging in the worst sorts of genocide and atrocities, and this is certainly a problem of profound concern to the entire world community. The wanton killings – especially the collateral damage – perpetrated by the Zionist aggressors as also the Hamas and other Islamic fundamentalist forces are no doubt to be condemned in no uncertain and vehement terms but this is not the time to go on picking faults and hurling condemnations alone. A novel and fruitful solution to this ever raging crisis and especially the now boiling conflict situation in the Middle East has to be devised and the world community should act with foresight and firmness through the United Nations here and now. A United Nations Peace Keeping Force should be specially set up and sent to the Syria-Iraq arena and the entire crisis there should be taken under its wings by the United Nations through its Security Council. As far as possible recalcitrant forces are to be disarmed and at least a cease fire and orderly administration to the extent possible should be enforced by the world community in that field. Coming to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, the Security Council should direct an immediate and effective cease fire and the Camp David 2005 Accords be revived to make meaningful progress in the solution of this age-old crisis. The Arabs and Muslims should be told in no uncertain terms to overcome their psychopathic hatred and give up the disgusting demand of ‘wiping out Israel from the map of the world’; and Israel should be sternly directed not to transgress its limits and engage in wanton atrocities on Palestinians anymore. An intense effort be made to convince Egypt to cede Sinai or a good part of it also to Palestine to make room for a fairly large Palestinian State, the European Union take both Israel and Palestine under its wings as part of a comprehensive peace accord to be struck and strictly enforced under UN auspices. §§§

Editorial, 'Equitable and Sustainable Development' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 30 June 2014, Vol. 10, Part 1, No. 12 issue

Editorial, 'ANNAPOORNA ULTIMATELY AXED' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 June 2014, Vol. 10, Part 1, No. 11 issue

Editorial, "Communalism, Regionalism and Opportunism..." in 15-31 May 2014 combined issue of LAW ANIMATED WORLD, Vol. 10, Part 1, Nos. 9-10

Editorial, "ELECTIONS FIRST PHASE: REALITY SURFACING" - in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 30 April 2014, Vol. 10, Part 1, No. 8 issue.

ELECTIONS FIRST PHASE: REALITY SURFACING

The general elections 2014 have begun in India and here, the first phase of polls in Telangana are over. However, the pre-poll dog-fight between the political parties in Telangana has brought to surface some stark realities which otherwise would have lied hidden forever. One such important fact is on the so-called suicide drama enacted by Harish Rao, MLA and nephew of KCR, the TRS supremo, during the heat of the separate Telangana movement years back of pouring petrol over his body in a public meeting, and trying to set fire to it but only missing because of non-availability of matchsticks or so! This big drama was the precursor to a spate of suicides occurring among the youths of Telangana which were/are being passed off as sublime acts of self-immolation for the cause of separate Telangana, the figures being inflated per the whim of the narrators and now touted at some 1200-1500 mark. But during the recent election fray some ex-leaders of TRS themselves exposed the drama saying it was not even petrol but only colored water that Harish Rao poured over himself that day to rouse the people to frenzy. At least now right thinking persons/authorities should call for a thorough probe into the alleged suicides for such causes. The second important fact revealed by Sonia Gandhi herself in her election campaign, trying to take advantage of her getting the AP bifurcation bill steamrolled in Parliament against all democratic norms, that long before KCR, at the instance of Congress the separate Telangana movement was begun and it was Congress which always canvassed for and finally delivered the Telangana State; she also called KCR a traitor who promised merger with Congress before the Telangana decision was announced but later backtracked, thus spilling the beans about a secret deal between the two. Of course, all this was in news even before but this is an official confirmation from the so-called lion[ess]’s mouth. And Modi condemned the Congress hacking the Telugu Mother to deliver the Telangana baby, passing over the fact that it was BJP which actively assisted the ruling party in such slaughtering. All this shows the mean depths to which current opportunist and corrupt politicians sink to serve their own nefarious ends and even break up and destroy a vibrant nationality. So people, better beware of such political scoundrels first. §§§

Editorial, "VOTE WE MUST BUT TO SINCERE AND HONEST", in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 April 2014, Vol. 10, Part 1, No. 7 issue.

VOTE WE MUST BUT TO SINCERE AND HONEST

persons and parties/groups which espouse noble ideals – especially who are committed to a corruption-free, exploitation-free human welfare oriented social democratic society. In the context of our soon-to-be-officially-divided state of Andhra Pradesh, there is still some hope lingering that somehow this bifurcation can be stopped or at least stalled for the time being by the Apex Court so that at least a dignified process of equitable bifurcation, if not a change of heart toward maintenance of unity, can be initiated. This is quite essential in case the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act 2014 passed in the Parliament scuttling all democratic processes and with the sheer collusion of the two principal corrupt political parties of the country can have any constitutional/moral standing worth the name and the interests of common people in both the regions are to be firmly protected and promoted. Some sort of a turning back to the fourth option suggested by the Srikrishna Committee could be the best way-out in this regard and the new Parliament to be convened after the completion of the ongoing general elections can address this issue in all seriousness, honesty and with priority to democratic ethics. As such, it would be proper for right thinking people in our State to vote for parties like the CPM or the Jai Samaikyandhra Party which seem to be honestly dedicated to the cause of Telugu unity all along and are till now free from electoral corruption. But simultaneously, the persons contesting need also to be scrutinized and in case any moral or political, etc. lacunae felt and no candidate is deemed deserving, people have now the option of registering their protest vote – by pressing the NOTA (None of The Above) button. This is a very practical and useful method which in times to come can evolve into an effective means for even countermanding any sordidly corrupt election process and calling for fresh elections with new and better candidates in the field. It can also pave the way for the realization, in course, of the ‘right to recall’ of elected but unsatisfactorily or woefully/corruptly performing representatives. So even those who are disappointed by the horrid corruption evident in the current election process better avail this protest vote than cynically abstain and lapse into a sort of inanimate state.  §§§