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Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been...

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been reduced to an annual ritual of tree-planting drives and clicking selfies for social media, though 90 pc of the saplings don’t survive even a day. “Only the government knows where those trees really are,” said Raj sternly. He recalled a "Blueprint of Maharashtra’s Development" he had proposed in 2015, in which he advocated how development without environmental sensitivity is hollow. Justifying, he said that the consequences are visible where roads, bridges and infrastructure projects are hailed as achievements, but even a short spell of rainfall can paralyze entire cities. Referring to recent reports on farmers returning from the fields after 10 am due to the scorching heat, Raj said that the worsening climate crisis has become an everyday reality. Citing official statistics, Raj claimed that extreme heat has caused productivity losses of nearly USD 159 billion and slashing of 160 billion work-hours annually in recent years. He mentioned the World Bank estimates that India’s GDP could plummet by 2.5-4.5 pc while 57 pc of the country’s districts sheltering 76 pc of the population stare at serious climate-related crises. Taking a swipe, he said while the governments boast about growth figures and economical rankings, they are silent on the staggering costs of environmental destruction. He questioned the development model “whether flooded cities, washed-away crops and unbearable summers” genuinely indicate progress. Claiming that Maharashtra was increasingly becoming unliveable for upto 8 months in a year, he said excessive monsoon rains disrupt rural life and urban floods cripple cities, while extreme heat make normal life a torture in summers in both urban-rural areas. Targeting the Centre, Raj alleged that nearly 173,984 hectares of forest lands were diverted in the past 11 years for mining and infrastructure projects to benefit the PM’s single favourite Adani Group. He said that these lands amount to 1,730 sqkm, or equivalent to the area of 16 Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) that is spread over barely 104 sqkm. Dissolve state wildlife board: Aaditya Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray has accused the Maharashtra government for issuing a permit to carry out mining activity in the sensitive tiger corridor between the Tadoba-Andhari and Indravati sanctuaries housing the big striped cats. In a strongly-worded letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Member-Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Thackeray sought his immediate personal intervention, sacking the Maharashtra State Board for Wild-Life (SBWL), revoking the permit, and probe against the Chief Wildlife Warden & Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) M. Srinivasa Reddy for the alleged lacunae. Aditya’s two-pager says the permit has been granted for “scientific exploration and excavation/systematic recovery of low-grade iron ore in existing mines in villages Hedri, Bande, Parsalgondi and Round Parsalgondi, in the Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli district”. Last January, Aditya – MLA from Worli – had first raised the issue saying that the proposed mine would create only 120 jobs, including 32 permanent, and the estimated output is pegged at 1.1 million tons in a year. Referring to two letters of Reddy – on April 28 and May 21 – the SS (UBT) leader claimed that in communications to the state government, the PCCF had changed his stance on the issue. Aditya said that in the first letter, Reddy had effectively opposed the government plans for mining activity but in the second letter, he took a somersault, ostensibly due to government pressures or some commercial interests, “the U-turn is disgraceful and detrimental to India’s national interest” – and this abrupt shift in stance must be investigated thoroughly. In view of the contrary stance of the PCCF Reddy, entrusted with protecting the wildlife but failing to defend the NTCA and NBWL, point to serious malfunctioning of the SBWL, and hence it must be dissolved, besides reviewing all its decisions in the past three years, particularly those pertaining to hazardous activities in sensitive areas, demanded Aditya. 444 tigers roam in 11,000 sq.km As per the Status of Tiger Report (2002), and the Maharashtra Economic Survey 2025-2026, the state boasts of 444 tigers prowling in the wild along with other menacing creatures. The state’s total protected wildlife network of 88 Notified Areas of National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Conservation Reserves - including 6 dedicated to the striped big cats – is spread over 11,092 sq. kms as per current data.

From World Cup Glory to Prison Walls

The Moral Test of Pakistan’s Democracy Over Imran Khan's saga.

The image of Imran Khan lifting the Cricket World Cup trophy at Cricket World Cup in Melbourne in 1992 remains one of the most indelible and enduring moments in cricket history. As captain of Pakistan’s national team, he was not merely a tactician but a talisman, a leader who transformed belief into victory. Decades later, that same figure now finds himself incarcerated, facing multiple legal battles and at the centre of allegations that he is being subjected to inhumane treatment in prison.


The reports of alleged torture and denial of basic rights, whether fully substantiated or not, have triggered concern not only within Pakistan but across the cricketing world. What elevates this episode beyond domestic politics is the intervention of former World Cup–winning captains, who have reportedly written to Pakistani authorities urging humane treatment for Khan. These are not fringe voices. They are men who understand what it means to carry the weight of a nation’s expectations on their shoulders, to stand under global scrutiny and to emerge victorious. Their appeal is less about politics and more about principle.


Imran Khan is not just another politician under investigation. He is a former head of government and before that, one of Pakistan’s most celebrated sporting icons. The arc of his public life, from Oxford-educated fast bowler to philanthropist who built the Shaukat Khanum cancer hospital in memory of his mother, to prime minister, is woven into Pakistan’s national narrative. His political career has been polarising; his tenure in office drew both praise and criticism. Yet, in a constitutional democracy, disagreement with a leader’s policies or ideology cannot justify cruelty.


The essence of a mature republic lies in its treatment of those who fall from power. Democracies are tested not when they honour leaders in office but when they hold them accountable after office. If Imran Khan has committed legal violations, he must face due process in accordance with the law. That is the foundation of constitutional governance. But due process is incompatible with torture, humiliation or deliberate degradation. Allegations of mistreatment, if proven, would not merely tarnish Pakistan’s global image, but would undermine the credibility of its justice system.


The letter from former cricket captains carries symbolic weight. Cricket in Pakistan is not a mere sport; it is a social adhesive, a shared emotional vocabulary. When global cricketing figures speak out, they are invoking that shared heritage. They are reminding Pakistani authorities that the world is watching, not to interfere in sovereignty but to insist that universal human rights standards be upheld.


It is also important to maintain realism. Political detentions in South Asia are rarely devoid of controversy. Competing narratives often swirl, one side alleging victimisation, the other asserting lawful prosecution. Responsible commentary must acknowledge this complexity. Allegations of torture must be independently verified. Emotion cannot substitute evidence. However, transparency is precisely what is needed. Independent medical examinations, access to legal counsel and open court proceedings would help dispel rumours and restore institutional confidence.


For Pakistan, this moment is about more than one man. It is about institutional maturity. The country has endured decades of civil-military tensions, political upheavals and contested mandates. Each crisis offers an opportunity either to regress into retribution or to advance toward rule-based governance. Treating a former prime minister with dignity, regardless of political rivalry, would signal the latter.


Imran Khan’s cricketing legacy ensures that he will never be a peripheral figure. The memory of 1992 still evokes pride among millions. That history does not place him above the law. But it does demand that he be treated in accordance with it, not as an enemy to be crushed, but as a citizen entitled to legal safeguards.


In the final analysis, justice devoid of humanity ceases to be justice. If Pakistan aspires to democratic resilience, it must demonstrate that accountability and compassion can coexist. The world’s cricket captains have made a moral appeal. It is now for Pakistan’s institutions to respond not defensively, but with transparency, fairness and adherence to the rule of law.

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