Peace can easily be achieved when we exchange respect for opposing views or ideologies. Gaza can start aiming for peace by releasing Israeli hostages. Violence breeds violence, which is unacceptable on behalf of innocent civilians who are collateral damage in conflicts arising out of authoritarianism, religious fanaticism, cultural animosity, casteism, protectionism, and hyper-nationalism, which is not true patriotism. Statesmen exhibit compassion and empathy for the plight of their nation’s citizens, residents, and refugees. Violence that is perpetrated in Kashmir by non-state actors on behalf of rogue elements in Pakistan, including the ISI and its Army, cannot be deemed a fight for freedom; it is terrorism in its purest form and cannot be compared to what Hamas has sought to inflict upon Israeli civilians out of sheer desperation to seek the attention of the world’s governments. India has not attempted to impose itself on the citizens of Pakistan, although it is my opinion that Pakistan is no longer worthy of being a party to any form of negotiation, as has been witnessed by the world in bringing down Imran Khan’s government and bringing in corrupt Nawaz Sharif. So, let us not compare Gaza or Hamas to Kashmir’s separatists. If there was adequate political will at any point in time to do the right thing without appeasing the minorities, it should have been done long ago, when Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of the state. It was convenient to ignore their plight for purely political reasons. Rehabilitating them in Kashmir should have been the priority subsequent to the abrogation of Article 370, yet nothing has been done for the Pandits. That is a weakness in our political and administrative systems.
America, for all its global policing, is unable to contain gun violence within its own borders, even as the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade for the “Right to Life” activists. We haven’t seen protests against the gun lobby or the Republicans who endorse the gun lobby, despite the severe form of violence perpetrated by citizens against their own people. This is an extreme form of hypocrisy. Americans should not accept gun violence as an everyday thing. It is time to protect themselves against such meaningless violence that causes generational trauma and destruction. It is completely within their power to bring an end to gun violence. Citizens need to trust the law enforcement agencies and not take to guns to protect themselves, and American law enforcement agencies should not recruit personnel with racial tendencies.
As far as the Supreme Court of India is concerned, people are eagerly awaiting the verdict on the electoral bonds case, which, I personally believe, is definitely going to be in favor of the political system, which prefers opacity to transparency in such matters to prevent being accused of encouraging crony capitalism. The Apex Court needs to find a way to overcome this aspect and impose transparency and accountability to donors in the funding of political parties. The international media is covering this case, and I hope we prove to be a working democracy as the world watches.
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