The Ladakh Plot Unravels

 After recent violence that resulted in the death of four people and injured dozens, calm has returned to the streets of Leh even as some of the haze over the causes of the street protests is lifting. A number of people held after the violence have been released but some suspected of directing the stone pelting are being further questioned. It turns out that some of those involved in the stone throwing were outsiders understood to be ‘specialised’ in the trade.

The negotiations to protect Ladakh’s autonomy that were to begin this week are indefinitely postponed. The Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) is demanding the release of all detainees, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, and withdrawal of cases. This is unlikely to happen. The administration has taken a serious view of Wangchuk’s speech referring to the turmoil in neighbouring countries, with Ladakh DGP SD Jamwal saying that Wangchuk’s profile offers evidence of instigation and an agenda. The activist’s defenders claim Wangchuk’s videos have been selectively used but the matter is not so simple. Observers in Leh point to a strong anti-state streak in Wangchuk’s activism and his fast, and the hospitalisation of two elderly people wittingly or unwittingly pulled into the vortex of violence on September 24. Did Wangchuk’s protest get ‘used’ by vested interests who want to keep Ladakh unsettled? Leh is full of rumours and speculation. The upshot of the incidents is that grant of the Sixth Schedule status seems even more distant while the LBA’s role is also under scrutiny as its appeals for participation in protests are marked by coercive tactics that do not leave locals with much choice.

Rahul’s Car Data

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tour of South America, where he returned to his theme of democratic subversion in India, led to sharp exchanges between party spokespersons and BJP which accused the leader of spreading anti- India propaganda abroad. But what also held attention was Rahul’s references to cars averaging 3,000kg and bikes weighing 100kg. Which cars was he talking about, wondered motoring enthusiasts. An average sedan weighs around 1,500-1,700kg and SUVs weigh around 2,000kg. So, where did Rahul Gandhi get his information from? The answer is as unfathomable as his contention that separation between the engine and the rider in the case of bikes reduces the chances of death, and electric mobility is the answer to safety issues of cars.

Illegal’s on the list

 Though the Election Commission has not provided details of voters removed from the electoral rolls in Bihar for not being able to establish their citizenship, the number is understood to be a few thousand, according to a media report. If true, this is a far cry from fears that lakhs of people would be disenfranchised on grounds of not being able to establish Indian citizenship. The clean-up of the voter list has largely comprised peopel who moved permanently, died or were registered in duplicate entries. The fact remains that most people, more so in rural areas, have sufficient documentation to establish their residence and nativity.

Iron Fist in Velvet Glove

 Indian Air Force Chief AP Singh has a deceptively impish look that masks a sharp mind. He was earlier in the news for pointing out shortcomings in India’s fighter fleet, but since Operation Sindoor, he has clinically exposed Pakistan’s losses of fighter and reconnaissance aircraft and radars as well as damage to runways. His tough words are delivered calmly as he refuses to discuss the Indian losses. While India is backing its claims with satellite imagery and radar signatures, Pakistan has failed to present any proof. Apart from his straight talk, the Air Chief Marshal is a nifty dancer, too, going by an undated video.

Every Breath You Take

The residents of Delhi-NCR are literally holding their breath. The late withdrawal of the monsoon has created a bubble of mild weather and clean air. Will it last? Going by past experience, the noxious smoke from farm fires will soon be on its way. But so far, the initial farm fire period in Haryana has shown much lower emissions. The key lies

in what happens in Punjab which records a higher incidence of farm fires, and if the state government is willing to take the Supreme Court’s suggestion to put a few violators in jail seriously.

 India in the Arctic Circle

 In an interesting development, Russia is likely to back India for a full membership of the Arctic Council. It has been inclined to do so for a while but there are indications that Moscow may push India’s case more actively, arguing that the impact of climate events that occur in the icy vastness have implications for the Himalayas, sometimes described as the “third Pole”. The move has geopolitical implications—while Nordic nations are not exactly well disposed towards Russia, they too have close cooperation with India on climate change and clean energy. Those in the know admit bending the contiguity principle is not simple, but it does seem Russia wants to take up India’s membership in right earnest.

 Shifting Gears

 The shift of ministries to the new Central Secretariat buildings that have come up alongside Kartavya Path is proceeding at a measured pace as officials get used to the new surroundings. The movement of some departments is complete, but there are others that are expected to take a couple of months to complete the transfers. Once the North and South Blocks are emptied, the Raisina Hill area, the hub of official activity, will wear an empty look until work on turning the offices into a museum commences.