Ethanol Blending Policy Under Intense Public Scrutiny
The government's aggressive push for ethanol-blended petrol has come under severe public scrutiny in recent weeks, despite the policy being in force since 2022. The original target to achieve 20% ethanol blending was 2030, but it was preponed to 2025. Science commentator Dinesh C Sharma, in his Edit article titled "Credible data must fuel ethanol drive," argues that there are no independent, peer-reviewed studies to back claims about the effects of ethanol-blended fuel on vehicles. He stresses that the government must present convincing evidence about the benefits of E20 petrol, instead of attributing motives to critics and dismissing public outrage about its negative impact.
Green Technologies Require Field Testing and Independent Review
Sharma notes that like any new technology, green technologies — be it ethanol-blended petrol or electric vehicles — can have unintended adverse impacts when rolled out on a large scale. All new technologies need to be field-tested under different conditions over a period of time, and the data should be made available to independent experts for review. The government must be clear about its policy goals and provide credible data to support its claims.
Punjab's Dark Past: Need for Collective Healing
Editor-in-Chief Jyoti Malhotra, in her weekly column "Time to remember and heal," reflects on how films like "Main Vaapas Aunga" and "Satluj" have brought back the horrors of Punjab's past. She writes that Punjab's catharsis demands collective grieving — not finger-pointing or name-calling. It has taken 80 years and the passing of a generation to be able to watch "Main Vaapas Aaunga," and it's still a tear-jerker. "Satluj" has scraped the surface, revealing a dark, ugly side. The criticism that the movie is “too one-sided” really means that only the side of the human rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra, has seen the light of day — not how terrorists mowed down innocent people, both Hindu and Sikh, nor how Punjab's police force was also cut down by terrorists and how their families suffered.
Balanced Perspective on Punjab Militancy Needed
Former GNDU professor Jagrup S Sekhon, in his Op-Ed article "Punjab deserves to know the whole truth," writes that the controversial release and removal of "Satluj" has raised many issues related to the dark period (1978-93) of Punjab. The lifestyle and psyche of those living under the shadow of terrorism, with persistent threats of murder, kidnapping, etc., were adversely affected. The fear generated by both the State (police/paramilitary) and militant groups badly affected the social, economic, and political fabric of the society. He stresses that there is a need to give a balanced perspective on the events of the days of militancy in Punjab.
Citizenship Proof: Burden on State, Not Citizen
Lok Sabha MP and former I&B minister Manish Tewari, in his Op-Ed article "How do I prove my Indian citizenship," asserts that the document that serves as practical proof of citizenship for a citizen by birth is a passport issued under Section 5 of the Passports Act. Certainly, it is not the only mode of proof, but that is all a citizen has. Any sincere citizenship determination exercise must be anchored in one unshakeable maxim: the burden to prove citizenship does not rest on the citizen; but the burden to rebut the presumption of citizenship rests on the State. It must not become a Kafkaesque gauntlet in which the poor, the disaster-borne, the landless, and the illiterate are presumed aliens until they prove their citizenship, without the means — or even knowledge of what document would suffice — to do so.
Central Vista Project and Fate of Rashtrapati Bhavan
Prime Minister Modi has taken keen interest in the construction of new buildings, which seek to blend India’s ancient traditions with the aspiration of Viksit Bharat. Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs Vivek Katju, in his Edit article "Fate of Rashtrapati Bhavan at stake," writes that the government’s Central Vista project can pave the way for a new Presidential residence. Detailing various parts of Raisina Hill, which the British took 20 years to build, he notes that the construction of a new Presidential residence will also be a project of mammoth proportions, and it will also be controversial.
NATO Summit: India Should Interpret, Not Be Influenced
The 36th NATO summit (July 7-8) was held in Türkiye. Former Ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra, in his article "India’s gaze fixed on NATO summit," writes that for many of its European members, the alliance’s biggest strategic uncertainty today lies not in Moscow, but in Washington. European NATO members are now quietly questioning how much certainty alliances still provide. India should dismiss any framing of it by NATO as a balancing partner against China. India chooses partnerships to serve its national interest; external vindication is neither sought nor needed. For India, Ankara is not a meeting to influence; it is one to interpret.
