OPINION

The recent actions of Pakistan’s military establishment have cast serious doubts over the impartiality and transparency of the upcoming general election in Pakistan on July 25. In the light of startling details of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI’s meddling into civilian and judicial matters revealed by Justice Shaukat Siddiqui, it now seems beyond any doubt that Pakistan’s military has already decided the winners and losers when the voting hasn’t even begun. In view of this blatant pre-poll rigging and mockery of the mandate of Pakistani people, the world must scrutinize this election very closely and must not rush into accepting its results.

The scores of recent events and incidents had already proved it beyond any doubt that Pakistan’s military establishment has decided to make playboy-turned-politician Imran Khan the next prime minister of the country. The recent speech of Justice Shaukat Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court, in which he revealed the details of how the ISI is coercing the judiciary to penalise political parties and individuals not favoured by the military establishment, it is now firmly established that the upcoming election is anything but fair and transparent.

After eagerly waiting around two third duration of his tenure, the people of Delhi have lost hope in the lofty poll promises of AAP chief ArvindKejriwal. The erstwhile ‘corruption crusader’ is now not able to ensure minimum requirements the people would expect from an elected government but have adopted the policy of ‘distraction’ on issues of public concern.

Preparation for and handling of monsoon season in Delhi has been considered a yardstick for a performing and functioning government in Delhi. It is the monsoon season when city needs a fulltime government on roads to take care of public transports, water logging, potholed roads, traffic management, and health problems. In this crucial period the Chief Minister of Delhi, who has not taken up any department to make himself free for public grievances and supervision of government works, has gone to ten days leave to Bangalore. Back home his government, after giving permission to cut the trees for a redevelopment project in South Delhi has connived with some NGOs and engaged in blame game with the Central government. Here he is showing concern on environment but mum on number of busses he had promised to purchase to improve the level of pollution in Delhi. AAP government much hyped plantation drive is also a failure as according to his official data between2015-17, very dense forest cover in Delhi declined from 6.94 sq.km.To 6.72 sq. km. while additions of new trees in Delhi’s green cover was insignificant.

The AamAadmi Party (AAP) should celebrate the Supreme Court last week’s order as a major political victoryonly with a pinch of salt. Though the judgment in spirit may be seen to be backing the elected government it has done little in words to add to the powers of the city’s political executive. There are three major points to ponder over, which in essence will not allow any material change in the relationship between Delhi Secretariat and the Raj Niwas. These are:

• The Supreme Court has upheld its earlier nine-judge bench judgment which ruled out full-statehood for Delhi.
• It has not enhanced the limited powers of legislation of Delhi Assembly.  
• The Supreme Court has not set aside the Delhi High Court order which had upheld the MHA notification of May 21, 2015.

Delivering the majority judgment in the matter, Chief Justice DipakMisra said, “Delhi can't have powers of a full state in view of an earlier nine-judge judgment.” Even in his separate but concurring judgment, Justice DY Chandrachud says, “The real power must lie in the elected representatives in a democracy. They owe responsibility to the legislature. But balance has to be struck considering the special status of the Delhi and fundamental concerns as Delhi is the National Capital.” With statehood ruled out and special status of Delhi upheld as the national capital, the order rather deflates AAP’s recently launched political campaign for full statehood for Delhi.

The driver at the helm of the Safari Storme was Ranjan; this is a universal Indian story cutting across parties, regions and religion. Ranjan becomes Rajan in Tamil Nadu, Rodrigues in Goa and Rehman probably in Kashmir, but they are all brothers in the great Indian political game. Now my friend Ranjan, always regretted having a set of five fingers only... each of his fingers and even one thumb had golden rings his right index finger had a huge stone in addition to the mandatory gold ring.

Talking of gold his necklace was one huge gold chain almost the size that is found in the railways,emergency brakes and clearly intentioned to give one MrBappiLahirione huge complex. Ranjan loved white,he always wore a white shirt, trouser and shoes.Recently when his uncle the MLA Sahab had graduated from Sarpanch to MLA he had shifted from white leather to white Nike shoes, he had moved on in life.

The swathe of white symbolising purity and teachings of one Mahatma was broken only by the gold on him and his teeth which were in various shades of red with constant chewing of Gutka, he would often stop at traffic lights,open the door and discharge the red contents of his mouth on the Indian roads, likewise he had done the same on the corridors of VidhanSabha and many Government offices.Ranjan was happy , uncle had been in politics for decades and nothing changed just the colour of the car party flag from Green to Blue and now a dull White.

Peace must return to Jammu and Kashmir, which has been on the boil for several decades. The growing role of non-state actors has only worsened the condition over the years. The inability of our successive Central and state governments in blocking the flow of aid to separatists from abroad and within the country has always provided a kind of financial and moral cushion to the unscrupulous forces to carry out their anti-India activities in the Valley.

When the BJP came to power at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nation hoped that things would improve in the strife-torn Valley. The hope further got a boost when the BJP decided to be a part of the state government in alliance with the PDP. However, there was little improvement in the condition at the ground level. The stone-pelting on armed forces assumed a critical dimension.

Finally, the BJP decided to break the alliance with the PDP and bring the state under the President’s Rule. Now the Centre has decided to send National Security Guards (NSG) commandos or the Black Cats to the Valley and assist the state police in carrying out anti-terror operations. It is said the Centre had credible inputs to doubt the PDP’s commitment and determination to eliminate terrorism from the state. Also, a feeling was gaining ground that the PDP was overtly or covertly inciting the stone pelters.