Manipur Mayhem; Pressuring Press; Undoing Ukraine
Opinion Watch
Manipur Mayhem
Majority community Meities wants to be included in the scheduled tribes, which is resisted for obvious reasons by ST constituents, opined The Pioneer in its Editorial, slamming reckless pursuit of identity politics by the political parties. The daily reflecting on the eruption of violence in Manipur underlined that the Adivasi Students’ Union is up in arm against the demands of Meities.
The Noida-based daily drew a parallel with the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan which had faced protests from Meena. Arguing that only development ensures win-win situation for all, the daily stated that making irrational demands will hurt all.
The politics of reservation or the politics of identity is almost now three decades old. The reservation issue is now almost like fire – all want to flare it up, but none wants to touch. Larger interests of the country and the society demand that the time has come inclusion and exclusion criteria in the reservation groups based on objective and verifiable matrix.
Pressuring Press
The Telegraph has taken a grim note of the report of the ‘Reporters without Border’ which has ranked India very poorly in the press freedom. The daily, while admitting that keeping India below Afghanistan is distressing, has lamented that the regular arrests of journalists in the name of national security and raids at the media outlets weaken democracy.
Kolkata-based daily underlined that the ability of the press to strengthen democracy lies in holding the government accountable. The daily stressed that such ratings cannot be wished away, because they are instrumental in other rankings and decisions such as investment.
Irony of India is that democracy participants are largely undemocratic. This is reflected in all round media curbs across the country, which is done covertly and overtly, with there being hardly any exception across the party lines.
Undoing Ukraine
The Asian Age has wondered in its Editorial at the ease at which “firecracker intensity explosives-laden drones” crossed layers of security to strike at the decorative domes of Kremlin. Subsequently, the daily stated, Russia has rained missiles over Ukraine, while speculation runs wild over the Kremlin drone attack.
The daily has also stated that Ukraine is set to launch a major offensive against the Russians. Vladimir Putin, Russian President, said the daily, is also bracing to make a major public appearance to commemorate May 9 victory over Nazis at the Red Square.
Ukraine War is now in a stalemate situation and Russia certainly cannot win it. Ukraine can continue fighting it out as ammunitions will certainly not run out of stock due to deep western supply lines. Generals are taken out in battles, and drone drama is just another scripted alibi to go after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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