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Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the public to the growing environmental concerns associated with the celebration of Diwali.
Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolises the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India. People decorate their homes with earthen lamps, colourful lights and rangolis, exchange sweets and spend joyful moments with their families. However, the increasing use of firecrackers has become a matter of serious concern.
The bursting of firecrackers releases harmful gases and toxic particles into the atmosphere, causing air and noise pollution. It also creates inconvenience for children, elderly people, patients and animals. Moreover, the excessive use of artificial decorations and plastic materials contributes to environmental degradation.
It is therefore essential to celebrate Diwali in an eco-friendly manner. People should prefer traditional earthen lamps, avoid firecrackers, minimise plastic waste and spread awareness about environmental protection. Schools, colleges and social organisations should also encourage people to adopt responsible ways of celebrating the festival.
Diwali should be a celebration of happiness, peace and togetherness, not a cause of pollution and suffering. I hope the concerned authorities and the general public will take the necessary steps to promote a safe and green Diwali.
Bismita Sarma,
Tihu
Due process
Public anger is understandable; surrendering the rule of law to that anger is not.
Former DGP G.M. Srivastava’s observation that the clamour for instant justice is growing in Assam should trigger a searching debate. Delayed trials, weak investigations and perceived impunity have eroded public confidence. Yet an accused person, however reprehensible the alleged crime, cannot be punished without adjudication by a competent court.
Article 14 guarantees equality before the law, while Article 21 protects life and personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law. These safeguards do not evaporate when public outrage reaches fever pitch. Article 22 further secures essential protections against arbitrary arrest and detention. The Constitution does not confer on the police an alternative judicial mandate.
The Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment in PUCL v. State of Maharashtra laid down binding safeguards for encounter deaths, including the registration of an FIR, an independent investigation, a magisterial inquiry and forensic examination. These directions carry the force of law under Article 141. Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, provides for a Magistrate’s inquiry into specified deaths, including those occurring in police custody. NHRC guidelines also demand scrutiny of deaths during police action.
The death of Ghanakanta Gogoi in Sivasagar, therefore, warrants transparent and impartial scrutiny; the police account must neither be presumed false nor accepted uncritically. Accountability is not an indictment of the entire force; it is the bedrock of public trust. The government must expedite trials, strengthen forensic capabilities and protect witnesses. Let justice move swiftly, but never by bypassing the courts. A gun may silence an accused person; it cannot deliver a lawful verdict.
Dipen Gogoi,
Jorhat
The US mid-term elections
The verdict delivered by the American people on their President and his policies carries significant implications for US foreign policy and the world. The Democratic Party in the United States has secured major victories in the country's midterm elections, gaining control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The outcome represents a major rebuke to President Donald Trump. The scale of the Republican Party's losses is indeed staggering. The soaring cost of living was one of the principal concerns among voters, along with the war on Iran, which has directly contributed to higher oil and gas prices.
Now, the most crucial question is: what does this mean for the US-India trade deal? The victory of the Democrats in the midterm polls does not necessarily bring good news for India, as the White House retains executive powers over foreign policy and trade relations. Therefore, uncertainty will continue to surround trade relations between the two nations.
There is no doubt that a Democrat-led Congress can limit the President's ability to continue waging war against Iran and even bring the weaponisation of tariffs under control. However, another key question is whether the midterm results will change the US's internal orientation, not only on foreign policy but also on such polarising issues as immigration and racism.
That may require the exorcising of Trumpism. One thing, however, is clear: Mr Trump's vision of the world and America's role in it is expected to face a major challenge in the coming days, with the Democrats taking control of both chambers of Congress. Will it be easy for the Democratic Party to rein in the Trump era? Perhaps, but Trumpism lingers.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati