Editor,
War is often presented as inevitable, a recurring feature of human history, shaped by conflict and necessity. Yet a closer examination suggests otherwise. The largest wars of the modern era were not accidents of fate, but outcomes of decisions, calculated, deliberate, and made within confined circles of power. They reflect choices, not destiny, and reveal how authority, when concentrated, can shape the course of entire nations and generations.
The evolution of weapons across these conflicts reveals a parallel story. From trench warfare to atomic devastation, instruments of war have grown not only in scale, but in their capacity to distance those who wield authority from the realities they unleash. These are not mere tools of defence, they are manifestations of control, shaped and maintained by those who rarely stand in their direct path. Their increasing sophistication does not simply reflect progress, but a deepening divide between decision and consequence.
What emerges is a persistent imbalance. The authority to initiate conflict and the burden of enduring it remain divided. Those who design strategies and command outcomes are seldom those who face the immediate consequences of their decisions. Instead, it is individuals, often young, often without influence, who are sent to bear the cost, carrying the weight of choices they did not make.
War, then, is not simply a matter of opposing nations, but of unequal proximity to its consequences. It is shaped in rooms far removed from the battlefield, yet executed in places where its realities cannot be ignored. It continues not because it is unavoidable, but because it is permitted.
War is started by old men, but young men die.
Your’s etc.,
Shivani Pde,
Via email
We Cannot Support the Warlike Ambitions of World Leaders
Editor,
One who truly has a logical mind and a human heart can empathise with how most Iranians have lived under constant fear and persecution for several decades. Just about two months ago, nearly thirty-five thousand innocent lives were brutally taken by their own government. Families were torn apart, parents buried their children, and millions were left scarred with wounds that may never heal. When the news broke of Ayatollah Khamenei’s death, something remarkable happened. Amid grief and silence, a spark of hope lit up the hearts of many.
In the streets of Iran, people gathered not to mourn but to celebrate. Women, who had long borne the brunt of systematic cruelty, came forward with songs, laughter, and tears of relief. For them, this was not merely the fall of a leader, it was the collapse of a symbol of oppression. Even graveyards, places of mourning, turned into sites of jubilation, as videos that popped up on social media showed. The celebrations reflected not hatred alone but years of suppressed pain, especially among women who had endured “unspeakable torture” and humiliation.
However, the contrast was striking. In India, countless women wept and beat their chests, grieving the loss of a leader they revered. Honestly, what’s most disturbing is that they seemed to have no empathy for the oppressed Iranians who were mercilessly tortured or shot dead only weeks earlier.
My inner conscience says one should stand with the Iranian people who are now daring to speak out, saying that rule by an iron fist has utterly wasted their lives in every aspect. It has crushed their talents, and it silenced their aspirations. No exaggeration, it has strangled their ambitions to live freely and to become something truly meaningful in life.
I am not here to offer an iota of praise for what Donald Trump has done to Iran or Venezuela. Let’s be real, the revelations from the Epstein files have only added to the disgust people feel worldwide.
Therefore, my hope is that people everywhere will not get carried away by leaders who sell their souls to satisfy their base desires and fuel their “warlike ambitions”. We must stand up and speak out before humanity is brought to its knees.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
West Bengal Elections & Impending Violence
Editor,
The announcement of Assembly elections in West Bengal, alongside other states, has once again revived grave concerns about the spectre of violence that has historically accompanied polls in the state. For over five decades, Bengal has carried a disturbing legacy of bloodshed during elections, unmatched anywhere else in India. In the 2021 Assembly elections, violence before, during, and after polling claimed at least 20 lives and left hundreds injured in clashes between rival political groups.
This grim reality underscores a troubling truth; no other Indian state witnesses such systematic electoral violence. While isolated incidents occur elsewhere, West Bengal’s elections have consistently been marred by killings, intimidation, and destruction of property. The persistence of this sequence raises serious questions about the state’s political culture and raises question whether people of West Bengal are fit to have democracy as a polity or not.
It is imperative that the Election Commission of India act decisively to ensure free and fair elections in Bengal but if the people are against democratic ethos such measure can hardly reverse this distasteful trend. Thus, onus rests entirely on the people of West Bengal to break this vicious cycle. The nation cannot afford to normalize electoral violence. West Bengal must reclaim its democratic spirit and prove that ballots, not bullets, decide the future of its people.
Yours etc.,
D. Bhattacharjee
Shillong-1
High End Tourism Investment
Editor,
Recently the state government announced the handing over on lease approximately sixty acres of land to the renowned Taj Group Hotels and Resorts which can be described as a prime investment by a reputed brand in this state of ours all thanks to those who had facilitated the process. Coming to the hospitality sector the State Tourism Policy has to keep abreast with the changes and market dynamics if we are looking towards promoting Meghalaya as one of the country’s prime destination. We cannot compare ourselves to states where revenue and flow of guests are constant for example Agra, Chandigarh, Shimla even Gangtok but here we need to tap into marketing rural tourism better than what they are today. People would want to explore more than just Sohra or Mawlynnong. Lest we forget, even West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills hold their own identity of rural tourism and so too East Jaintia Hills district.
Important policy matters must be taken from the grassroots in collaboration with the local district administration and village authorities making all of them as real stakeholders not just top-down planning at the Secretariat. We have to understand that the tourism sector holds a lot of opportunities right from the farmer who would supply fresh organic vegetables and fruits upwards to those who are in the procurement and vending process. So basically the entire value-chain is triggered by prime investments which create employment for our local youth. Hopefully even those protesting against the so-called “sell out” would see the fruits of development in the long run.
Yours etc.,
Dominic Wankhar,
Via email
