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It may be good that the latest armed conflict between India and Pakistan ended quickly before it could blow up into a full-scale war leading to massive destruction of life and property and economic disaster in both the countries – maybe more so in Pakistan than in India. However, the abrupt end of the conflict, which seriously damaged Pakistan’s military infrastructure, seemingly due to Pakistan’s possible nuclear threat is a matter of major concern. Of all the nine nuclear armed states, Pakistan is probably the world’s biggest terrorist state that had secretly sheltered the world’s most notorious, violent and wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden in an army cantonment area.

India’s resolve against terrorism is not at all questionable, as the people of India, including the political parties, have already demonstrated it in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack since April 22, and after the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7. Now, the ruling establishment has constituted seven “all-party delegations” for ‘representing united front’ which “will soon engage key nations under Operation Sindoor reflecting India’s collective resolve against terrorism. Nevertheless, the compositions of the groups show utter lack of “all-party” which may adversely impact the effectiveness of this outreach programme.

Who doesn’t dislike AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi? You can count them on the fingers. Of a thousand and one hands! Asaduddin is not easy to like. Bangladeshi writer Tasleema Nasreen wouldn’t duck if she spots Asaduddin Owaisi across the road. She will run!

Arrest of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor and head of the department of political science at Ashoka University in Haryana and sparing the BJP minister, not even registering FIR notwithstanding a clear order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court has certainly not come as a surprise. The BJP led state governments do not care for laws unless they are prodded by the Supreme Court.

The killings of 26 tourists in Baisaran near Pahalgam were one of the worst tragedies in recent times. Baisaran is a lovely spot reachable only on horses or by walking in the uneven terrain. The killings left the whole nation in deep grief. While the terrorists killed tourists after confirming the religion of the victims, one Muslim, the local person escorting the tourists, tried to resist and was killed. Kashmiri porters also carried the tourists to safe places and opened their houses and Masjids for the guests. Kashmir observed Bandh and many processions giving the slogans of ‘Hindu Muslim Unity’ were taken out, while all over the country Muslims and other groups took out the candle marches and offered condolences for the martyrs.

BJP has said that neither INDIA bloc, nor Congress has any future. Such a wishful statement of BJP has come out after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s opinion that he did not see INDIA bloc is intact, and was uncertain whether it would remain intact. He said he would be very happy if the INDIA bloc is completely intact, “but it seems frail” and “the future is not so bright”. As against this he described the BJP as “formidably organized”. Nevertheless, in the fast-changing Indian political spectrum, such opinions are only passing remarks having no or little bearing on rise and fall of a political party or alliance.

If you can’t shut ‘em up, then shut them up! That’s the current day maxim in Modi-India. ‘Shut ‘em up’ is stifling the voice, spoken and written. ‘Shut them up’ is locking up the offending party behind bars, turning him from free bird to jailbird! The 'Why' of it doesn’t need rocket science! Suffice that the man is a clear and present danger to the powers that be.

Amit Shah’s direction to Nitish Kumar not to allow Rahul Gandhi to interact with the Dalit and OBC students at SC hostel in Darbhanga during the Congress leader’s visit to Bihar on Thursday, has proved to be counterproductive. Not only the dalit and OBC students, even the students from upper castes have deplored this action and expressed the view that since Rahul does not speak nonsense there was no need for obstructing him from entering into hostel.

KOLKATA: North Bengal has not been a happy hunting ground for All India Trinamool Congress even when it replaced CPI(M)-led Left Front government in 2011 and several years thereafter. The northern part of the state continued to be under BJP hegemony but the TMC inroads post 2019 Lok Sabha elections and last year's polls also, have breached the saffron fortress’s defence when former BJP MP and Union minister John Barla switched loyalty from BJP to the Trinamool Congress early this week.

The developments following the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir), which claimed the lives of 26 civilians including tourists, have brought to fore a number of pressing concerns: national security, civil liberties, democratic accountability, regional peace and imperialist overreach. In the aftermath of the attack, Indian armed forces launched a targeted counter-offensive named Operation Sindoor, striking terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.