Encounter Elimination; Women Exclusion; Myanmar Mayhem
Opinion Watch
Encounter Elimination
The Asian Age has frowned upon Uttar Pradesh in its Editorial for adopting encounters as the state policy, while stating that 178 criminals have been eliminated in over 10,000 encounters in the last seven year. The daily noted that encounters have been reported from Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well, while mentioning that a Supreme Court appointed panel had busted the claims of encounter of four rapists in Hyderabad.
Stating that the “Stone Age didn’t end because the people ran out of stone, but because they found better weapons”, the daily called for a probe in the encounter in Jhansi in which the youngest son of don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed along with an aid were killed. The daily also stated that it took several centuries to conceive the idea of the rule of law.
The spate of encounters in UP is rightly inviting the scrutiny. A section of the political class, as well as some of the people, are rejoicing at the encounters. Atiq Ahmed had 25-year of reign of terror in Prayagraj by weaving a political shield against the rule of law. The police reform alone can strengthen rule of law.
Women Exclusion
The Telegraph has quoted a study to state that “women are more competitive than men, especially with other women”. The daily, while referring to the findings of a study of a human biologist at the Harvard University, stated women are more competitive than men.
The Kolkata-based daily underlined that scarcity drives women to be more competitive, and they are chained by the structural inequities. It also stated that women more often restrain their ambitions with men, for being condemned to the vicious circle of the perception of being soft creatures averse to the leadership positions.
Stereotypes have defied progress. This can also be seen in the recent candidate list of the Bharatiya Janata party in Karnataka where only eight women could find places. Thus, the study rightly concludes that women are forced to fight for crumbs left by men, and it makes the argument more cogent that if reservation at all is need, it should be for women in the Assembly and Parliament.
Myanmar Mayhem
The Hindu has said that the strike by a fighter jet against the Opposition alliance in the Sagaing region in which over 100, including several children were killed, is a sign of weakness of the ruling military junta in Myanmar. The daily has called for immediate restoration of democracy in Myanmar.
The daily stated that the National Unity Government led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing of the Oppositional alliance with a parallel administration has joined hands with rebel militias. It stated that the authoritarian junta is losing territories to the rebels and in desperation the military is resorting to airstrikes.
The junta in Myanmar is a thug propped up by China, and the democratic world watches on the sidelines against the gross human rights abuse by the military dictators.
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