New Delhi: Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden is a worthy presidential candidate, says a 13 July Inquilab editorial, criticising Trump for his hate speeches against minorities and immigrants and Biden for his double standards concerning the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
With the US presidential elections slated for November, several Urdu editorials discussed the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, including the assassination attempt on Trump, this week.
Other editorials focused on the 13 July by-election results across seven states where INDIA bloc parties won 10 out of 13 assembly seats, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comment on the Muslim population in the state, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and the upcoming Union Budget of the Narendra Modi-led government.
Here’s a wrap-up of the news and editorials in the Urdu press this week.
US presidential election
The 13 July Inquilab editorial — “Neither Biden Nor Trump” — criticised Biden for refusing to withdraw from the presidential race despite his party’s wishes and his age, 82.
The editorial said that in 2019, it supported the candidacy of Biden as president, but he showed his true colours after reaching the White House. It criticised the US president for hypocrisy in foreign policy, referring to the American support of Ukraine in its war against Russia while sending bombs to Israel to raze Gaza.
However, the editorial had nothing good to say about Trump too and criticised the Republican candidate for promoting hatred in society. It called Biden’s thirst for power and Trump’s continued prominence in American politics despite their advanced age a “major concern”.
A 16 July Siasat editorial said that after the assassination attempt on Trump, some are suggesting that it was part of a political strategy and pre-planned. Whatever was behind it, the attack could boost Trump’s popularity and impact the outcome of the US presidential election, the editorial said, adding that it “won’t be easy” for Biden to win.
Calling the attack “cowardly”, the editorial said had the attacker been captured rather than killed, agencies could have uncovered his motive. There should be a proper investigation into the matter, and people should avoid making assumptions till then, it said.
A 16 July Sahara Roznama editorial claimed that Trump, in his presidential term, sought to maintain US dominance, but his actions negatively affected America’s image among its allies. It said that while Barrack Obama as president displayed some aggression to curb China’s rising influence in the Asia-Pacific region, his successor, Donald Trump, did not even adopt a clear policy against the country.
According to the editorial, Trump’s aggressive speeches after he was elected created divisions, and his attempts to limit immigration were unpopular among the public, contributing to his failure to secure a second term. However, Joe Biden, who came after Trump, has also lost the image he once had, partly over the war in Gaza, and now appears weak against his challenger, the editorial stated. Besides, the attack on Trump while campaigning will allow the former president to claim that things have worsened under Biden and position himself as a victim, increasing his chances for a win, it added.
A 15 July 15 Inquilab editorial said the attack on Trump was tragic, and a thorough investigation will help determine if the attacker was a political rival. It noted that prominent figures among Trump’s opponents rightly condemned the attack, but the election atmosphere in the US has taken a turn for the worse, and it will take some time to return to normalcy.
Employment and budget
A 19 July Inquilab editorial questioned whether Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget would address unemployment. The central government has not acknowledged the issue, said the editorial, pointing out the government’s silence on talking points such as 800 people gathering for 40 vacancies in Bharuch and 25,000 applications for 2,600 airport loader positions. The editorial stated that expecting the Union Budget to offer a solid employment plan seems unrealistic in the backdrop of the government not even recognising the problem. However, the budget could stress infrastructure development as a path towards job creation, said the editorial, noting that the previous budget tried to do the same.
A 15 July Siasat editorial said the number of jobs in the country has decreased, both in the government and private sectors, with many agencies and companies seeing employee cuts and formal layoffs. Numerous government and public sector institutions have also been privatised, reducing job opportunities and leading to early retirements for thousands, if not millions, it claimed.
The hiring process for government jobs has stalled, with many departments not hiring for years, leading to increased workload on existing employees and outsourcing in some areas, the editorial added. The editorial also questioned the government’s claim of creating eight crore jobs, urging it to present data on job distribution in the public and private sectors.
Kashmir and by-elections
An 18 July Sahara Roznama editorial said Kashmir was back in the headlines soon after the Modi government took charge for its third term as a new wave of terrorist attacks broke out. Since the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has had no elected government, said the editorial, claiming the situation has created unrest among people.
People are now demanding an early general assembly election, said the editorial, adding that the central government and the election commission have discussed holding elections in several phases despite attacks on officials and police during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
A 14 July Siasat editorial said that after the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP once again bore the brunt of public anger in the by-elections, managing only two wins. Despite the BJP’s claims of invincibility in every election and effective campaigners, the party’s continuous loss of public support is evident, the editorial said, adding the BJP faces challenging times ahead.
A 14 July Sahara Roznama editorial said the by-election results show that the INDIA bloc is gaining momentum since its moral victory against the BJP from the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Ayodhya. The BJP, it noted, has lost across seats in Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar and Punjab, while the INDIA bloc has gained.
Emergency & Assam
A 13 July Siasat editorial — “Politics on Emergency” — criticised the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for neglecting public issues and focusing solely on attacking the Congress party over the Emergency. The editorial said upcoming parliamentary sessions are crucial for addressing national issues and ensuring effective governance. The BJP’s emphasis on political manoeuvres, rather than fostering peace and stability, is shifting public sentiments against it, it claimed.
A 19 July Sahara Roznama editorial criticised Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claim that the Muslim population in Assam is at 40%. The editorial pointed out that the Muslim population was 24.68% in Assam in 1951 and 34.22% in 2011, questioning Sarma’s figure as a lie intended to incite hatred. It also highlighted that the National Register of Citizens in Assam listed many non-Muslims, frustrating Sarma’s attempts to target Muslims over it. Sarma’s comments and his government’s actions, including the demolition of homes belonging to Muslims and the seizure of their land, have created a toxic and hateful atmosphere in Assam, leading to violent attacks on Muslims, it added.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)