Riling Rahul; Bashing British; Cataclysmic Climate
Opinion Watch
Riling Rahul
Most of the dailies have struck a common stance that criminal defamation is a bad law. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was automatically disqualified after a Surat Court convicted him of defamation and awarded two-year maximum jail term. Dailies – The Indian Express, The Asian Age, The Hindu and The Times of India – have stated in clear terms that criminal defamation is a bad law, and it must not have a place in modern democracy.
The war cry of Kansi Ram in which he gave a clarion call to beat certain classes, symbolised by their visible marks, created a new political constituency in Uttar Pradesh and parts of the country. That was more specific, and the target castes never lost their sleeps because of the rant of a politician.
The Hindu faulted the Supreme Court for upholding criminal defamation law in 2016 without protecting free speech. The dailies, in particular, have ambushed the Lok Sabha secretariat for haste in disqualifying Gandhi. Those rejoicing Surat Court ruling must remember that consequences of unchecked power, of a court or any entity, may have devastating trail of consequences.
Bashing British
The Asian Age has hit out at the UK for abandoning the solemn responsibility to protect the Indian High Commission in London. The daily, which claims to have a London edition also, accused the UK of giving free run to the Khalistani vandals. The daily has termed the reaction of the UK foreign secretary James Cleverly cringeworthy, for London authorities must have known of a coordinated attack on Indian assets of the Khalistani elements in the US, Canada and Australia.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has rightly said that action not statement is desired. The daily at the same time has counselled that the strong foundation of India-UK relations in the current era must not be affected.
For years, it has been known that London is a safe sanctuary of anti-India radical elements. Criminals of all sorts find safe haven in London. Foundation of the bilateral relations must inherently make it incumbent that the soil of a friendly country is not used by anti-India forces.
Cataclysmic Climate
In the context of the fourth report of the intergovernmental commission on climate change, The Indian Express has pressed for urgency on climate action, arguing that the world may miss the bus to hold the Paris Climate Pact commitment – checking global temperature rise to two degree Celsius above pre-industrial limits and 1.5 degree Celsius for warming.
The Noida-based daily has called for more initiatives in the run up to the COP28 in Dubai in another eight months. It listed out Pakistan floods, American hurricane, Australia’s wildfire to argue urgency to act on climate action.
The COP27 had agreed to finance climate mitigation efforts, which after months are not yet rolling. Empirically, the developed world stays on the path to wreck the climate to protect their insatiable hunger for profiteering.
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