Influence of money and power in elections
In today's world, elections often prioritise factors other than honesty, ability, or good ideas. Instead, candidates with more money and strong political connections often have an unfair advantage. They can spend enormous amounts on advertisements, rallies, and campaigns, which makes it difficult for ordinary and deserving candidates to compete. In some instances, candidates also use money to entice voters by offering gifts or cash. This practice is harmful because people may vote for personal benefit instead of choosing the right leader. Similarly, powerful people sometimes misuse their position to influence election results.
Such activities weaken democracy and reduce public trust in elections. Elections should be free, fair, and based on the true choice of the people. Strict rules and proper monitoring are needed to control the misuse of money and power, such as implementing stringent campaign finance laws and ensuring transparency in political donations.
Barasha Thakuria
Gauhati University
Fearmongering
The recent terror unleashed by Mamata Banerjee after the Malda incident, where judicial officers were held hostage by TMC goons, simply makes me think and wonder why President’s Rule is not imposed in West Bengal. On earlier occasions too, during the 2021 Assembly election, the central government’s soft-pedalling towards Mamata Banerjee must have emboldened her to be more adventurous to take the law in her own hand. After the Malda incident the law-enforcing authority, CRPF, took stern, appreciative actions against the culprits, who were people of doubtful nationality. Mamata Banerjee’s appeasement policy in the meantime has caused the bona fide Indians to flee to neighbouring states, Assam in particular, after the last assembly election. The concerned authority should carefully note her open defiance of the constitution, as she brazenly incited people against the CRPF by stating that the CRPF would attack them.
Now it is up to the people of West Bengal to rise to the occasion and throw them out of power once and for all. The Congress, SP, and Leftists are once again breaking their silence on this issue, leading us to believe that they would betray the nation if their party’s interests are not served.
What Bengal thinks today, India never thinks tomorrow.
Joel Goyari,
Tangla
The Manipur crisis demands decisive action
Manipur’s crisis exposes an uncomfortable truth: peace is often performed more than it's practised. Ceasefires are announced, weapons are seized and talks are initiated, yet the ground reality remains tense, uncertain, and deeply divided. This isn’t just a security failure; it's a trust failure built over years of neglect, selective action, and political hesitation. Force may control the symptoms, but it cannot cure the disease. When communities feel unheard and unsafe, even the strongest operations become temporary fixes. On the other hand, dialogue without sincerity turns into a cycle of promises that never translate into change. This duality of action without resolution and negotiation without depth keeps Manipur trapped in a loop. The real question is not how to stop violence today, but why peace has remained so fragile for so long. Until governance becomes consistent, justice is visible and people feel equally protected rather than selectively targeted, peace will remain an illusion. Manipur doesn't need more announcements; it needs accountability, empathy and the political will to confront hard truths instead of managing headlines.
Aditya Kamble,
(adiikamble16@gmail.com)
Storm over allegations and counterclaims
Recently, Pawan Khera of the Congress ignited a political controversy by making serious allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family. He claimed that the chief minister's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, holds passports from the UAE, Egypt, and Antigua and Barbuda—raising red flags since India does not allow dual citizenship. Khera also alleged that the family has set up a US-based company in Wyoming worth around Rs 52,000 crore and owns undisclosed properties in Dubai, which they allegedly kept off the books in election filings. In response, Dr. Sarma dismissed the allegations as unfounded and poorly timed, accusing the Congress of attempting to create confusion before the elections. He stated that his wife has already filed an FIR with the Assam Police Crime Branch against Khera and others. The Chief Minister further claimed that the allegations were built on cooked-up and photoshopped documents picked up from a Pakistani social media group, alleging a larger attempt to meddle with the April 9 voting process.
Many are urging a thorough investigation into the matter, as both sides remain steadfast. An impartial probe, potentially overseen by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is crucial to uncovering the truth, as it must be revealed through evidence rather than political mudslinging.
Dipen Gogoi,
Teok, Jorhat.
The Manipur
crisis must end
The adage ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’ holds true for Manipur. The recent barbaric attack by suspected militants, which claimed the lives of two minor siblings and left their mother critically injured in the state, has only highlighted the fragility of peace in the trouble-torn Manipur. It has been more than a year since ethnic violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in the state. But, unfortunately, all efforts towards peace or reconciliation have ended in vain. Needless to say, Manipur is one of India's most culturally rich and diverse border states, but the present crisis has unfolded under the watch of a government. The new leadership needs to chart a result-orientated course for Manipur. A political solution is a must. It can be based only on consensus and compromise between the warring ethic communities. Upholding and ensuring human rights for everyone is the immediate task of the state government. The April 8 editorial, 'Manipur crisis demands decisive action', has rightly said that there must not be any delay in the restoration of peace in Manipur, as it risks derailing India's economic goal of anchoring the NE region in ASEAN multilateral engagements. The sooner peace, which is urgently needed, returns to Manipur, the better it will be for the entire region.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
Call for restraint in Middle East tensions
The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East has become a matter of grave global concern. A region already weighed down by decades of instability now appears to be entering yet another perilous phase. Reports of joint military strikes by the United States and Israel targeting Iran have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. Such developments risk destabilising not only the Middle East but also the whole global political and economic landscape.
Iran's pivotal role in regional geopolitics means that any significant escalation involving the country could have far-reaching consequences. The loss of key leadership figures and the possibility of retaliatory actions threaten to push the region into prolonged instability. History has repeatedly demonstrated that conflicts in the Middle East lead to severe humanitarian crises, mass displacement, and enduring economic damage. In light of these factors, the international community must prioritise diplomacy and dialogue over confrontation. Global leaders bear the responsibility to act with restraint and pursue de-escalation. Peaceful negotiation remains the only sustainable path to resolving such complex geopolitical tensions. The world cannot afford another large-scale conflict in an already volatile region. Stability, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence must remain the guiding principles of international relations.
Jubel D'Cruz,
(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)