‘Vote chori’ charge likely to be game changer

The Election Commission’s conduct and its conduct of electoral roll revision and elections and the BJP’s defence of the Election Commission have become a burning issue. The phrase, “vote chori”, described as “improper” by the Election Commission, now has wide currency. It resonates with the people as “Bofors” and “2G” once did. Now the BJP and the Election Commission find themselves on the receiving end of the Opposition’s campaign for transparency in the poll process. If the momentum that the campaign gains is anything to go by, it could turn out to be a game-change and BJP’s nemesis. Few people believe that the Election Commission does not differentiate between political parties. Both the Election Commission and the BJP speak the same language. The claim of ‘vote chori’ is not an insult to the Constitution, but the fact of vote chori, if proven with evidence, is. More and more people come to believe that all is not right with the way the electoral rolls are prepared and elections are held. The fear of disenfranchise looms large. Voter manipulation is no ordinary crime in a democracy. The Election Commission cannot afford to be seen as complicit in the crime. Even in its press conference held to counter the Opposition vote fraud charge, other than saying that the Opposition is trying to fearmonger and mislead the people and using the images of voters for political gain is unethical and invoking the paramountcy of the privacy of voters to justify its opacity, the Election Commission has given no convincing answers to valid questions and shown no willingness to take corrective action. The Rahul Gandhi-led Vote Adhikar Yatra is likely to bring enormous pressure on the poll body to rise above political considerations and perform its role as it should to restore its credibility and regain people’s trust in it as a constitutional institution with independence, impartiality and integrity.

G. David Milton,Maruthancode (TN)

PM’s adulation for RSS is demeaning

The Kerala Chief Minister was spot-on in decrying the Prime Minister’s public display of his adulation for the RSS during the latter’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. The Prime Minister should have expressed his happiness at Indian independence, rising above compulsions. The RSS had practically no noteworthy role to play in the Independence struggle. Every kindergarten student is thorough with RSS’ hand-in-glove involvement with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi for which the organisation was subsequently outlawed.

Dr. George Jacob,Kochi

Kyiv-Moscow direct peace a distinct possibility

Though the contents of a high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on ceasefire in Ukraine remains vague, the nearly three-hour summit in Alaska, ended with Trump calling for a direct peace pact between Kyiv and Moscow bypassing the ceasefire route long advocated by Ukraine and its Western allies seems a distinct possibility. India welcomed the summit terming the pursuit of peace is commendable. Trump’s earlier announced 25% secondary tariff on Indian purchases of Russian oil may be deferred. The tariff deadline could quietly lapse to India’s advantage. Trump’s announcement that India had already stopped buying Russian oil raised eyebrows – since India is ready to deal with any eventuality arising out of the irrational US reaction on India’s exports to that country.

S Lakshmi,Hyderabad

Fabulous fifty for Rajinikanth in Indian cinema

The one and only “Style Mannan (style king) “ and the only “ Thalaivar (leader) “ of Tamil film industry and Indian cinema Shivaji Rao Gaikwad alias Superstar Rajini Kanth celebrates fifty years of cinema this week. Making his debut in 1975 in eminent director K Balachandars “apoorva ragangal” (the film was released on 18th August 1975 ) the living legend is truly a lesson to be read, inspired and emulated. His ups and downs of life, his super stardom, his spiritualism, his simple life, humbleness and his rising as a phoenix every time there was a low is some sort of a motivational book from which lessons can be learned. His sterling performance and unique style of acting, his mesmerising screen presence, his voice and dialogue, his bond with his fans, his stint as an entertainer on screen - make him the “Super Style star of Indian cinema”. Many of us belong to a generation that grew watching the super duper hits of this “young man who never turns old”, though he’s nearing his 75 this December!”. None can forget his power-packed film flicks like Mullum malarum, Billa, Annamalai, Enthiran, Thalapathy, Hum, Baasha, Jailer and an endless list of around 170 movies in a career spanning over five decades, and this includes films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Malayalam making him a pan Indian star.

M Pradyu, Kannur