Systemic Systematic; Bibi Blunder; Sasha Setback
Opinion Watch
Systemic Systematic
Street urchin turned gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed had abducted Umesh Pal in 2006, a year after the murder of an MLA of the BSP who had defeated him. Pal was a witness in the murder case, and he has gunned down recently. It took 17 years for the wheel of law to turn on Ahmed, and The Pioneer in its Editorial has said that this glacial pace of judiciary gives rise to the popular rejoicing over encounters of dreaded criminals.
The daily has counselled Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government that the fight against crime should not be episodic by systemic and systematic. The daily pinned the blame on the lack of administrative, police and judicial reforms for the rusted wheel of the rule of law in the country.
That criminals still run their own empire in some parts of the country is an unforgivable lapse on the part of governance. Political history is full of accounts of politicians blessing such thugs to unleash terror on people in the bids to win elections.
Bibi Blunder
The Hindu has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon all plans to weaken the judiciary, while reminding that he had set out four goals for his government – block Iran, security and governance, cost of living, and expand circle of peace with Arab world.
The Chennai-based daily gave an account of unprecedented popular protest against Netanyahu bid to tame judiciary. Even the diplomatic missions shut down in solidarity. It also stated that the Jewish right has been egging on the prime minister to tame the judiciary to assert the identity of Jews.
Netanyahu is also mired in corruption charges. He has bought temporary peace with protestors by not pressing ahead with judicial reform bills. But the people have shown their might that they won’t let an authoritarian ruler weaken the democracy.
Sasha Setback
The Indian Express has said in its Editorial that Sasha had picked up renal ailment while being in Namibia. She died of kidney failure at the Kuno National Park. The daily noted that captive Cheetahs are prone to kidney diseases.
The Noida-based daily also stated that only 12 Cheetahs survived in Asia – all being in Iran. It added that Sasha’s death is indeed a setback for Indian bid to reintroduce Cheetah, which went extinct in 1947 after Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Surguja killed the last three big cats.
The bid to bring back Cheetah to India is an ambitious exercise and setbacks are expected. Also, the spotted canine animal has challenging climate to face in India unlike the African savanna. India should collaborate more closely with African nations to make the cheetah project successful.
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