For example, the “50 days later” suicide-murder “mystery” of a 34-year-old actor who was more “Bihari” than Bollywood and whose death, which was declared a “suicide” by the Mumbai Police, is now harangued as “murder” by powerful media which can see through and through and beyond unlike those of us in the realm and in drawing rooms who cannot see what lies behind the “see-through” wrapped around lovely siren!

So, in script penned time and time again, the refrain is “Who killed Sushant Singh Rajput?” much like it was “Who killed Jessica?” decades ago and “Who killed Sunanda Pushkar?” less than a decade ago. That question is now gaining political heft as the needle of suspicion hovers and shakes, from “greedy girlfriend” to “powerful political scion.” The police of two states are adding to the grist mill with confusion, and some media are asserting that it’s murder pure, straight and simple, and all that’s now left to determine is a matter of “jurisdiction.”

The case was August 5 in the Supreme Court, which was also where a contempt case is gathering steam and the Chief Justice of India was ruing the dodge that made him fall for a Harley Davidson, the motorcycle that launched Donald Trump! Being clubbed in the same breath with POTUS Trump is nothing much to write home about. But the question does arise, “Will the apex court rule for Mumbai Police or for the Bihar Police?” Let’s just say that with the Bihar assembly elections round the corner, let nobody cut corners. Fifty plus days of the mystery death of Sushant Singh Rajput, we’re nowhere close to resolution. The picture looks as murky as it was on June 14 when Sushant Singh Rajput left this, our bipolar world.

Which brings us to the “a year later,” taking us to Kashmir where locals cling to a differential that casts them in a racially radical class to which they cling to with bloody retribution. August 5 is one year after the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 and the Kashmiri Muslim, who mostly crowd the ‘Valley’ floor, continues to hurt, his state’s autonomy cast out the window a year ago. Some may ask “What’s new?” about that and the answer will be: Plenty! But most of all, the new fact that China has now hung its shingle in Kashmir/Ladakh, and is “advising” both Nepal and Pakistan on how to grab India by the cartography.

That said, as far as India’s concerned, it doesn’t matter. No skin of India’s nose! But it’s lots of skin of the Kashmiri’s nose, the Valley’s Kashmiri, Srinagar’s Kashmiri, the ones who yell the most and cannot get over their Pakistan-fixation. Mainstream Kashmiri political parties such as the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have lost whatever little affiliation they had with and for India. When imprisoned, Omar and Faroq Abdullah had weeks and months to think and rue. Today, a year later, they want nothing less than a return to statehood for J&K. And, if not given that, they wouldn’t ever take part in what’s called “democracy.” Ha, blackmail! Let’s see if it works. And how?

The fact of the matter is the yearlong sans Article 370 phase is taking its toll on both the National Conference and the PDP. At least Omar Abdullah found a shaving razor to trim his “house arrest beard,” but his rival ex-chief minister Mehbooba Mufti continues to remain behind bars with her twitter account and twitter handle now in the hands of her daughter Iltija. The uncertainty is killing and has already found casualties in the Hurriyat Conference. Syed Ali Shah Geelani has quit the Kashmir struggle and can only hope to find salvation in Pakistan or so it looks like. A year later, on another August 5, it doesn’t look like much has changed in Kashmir or will change.

Which brings us to the third and final “significance” of August 5 and this one marks five centuries, the 500 years of struggle for a Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The Supreme Court ruled in the favour of the Mandir but the Masjid-lot haven’t left the building, so to speak. August 4, i.e., yesterday, the All India Personal Law Board said these words in all earnest: “Babri Masjid was and will always be a masjid. Hagiya Sofia is a great example for us. Usurpation of the land by an unjust, oppressive, shameful and majority-appeasing judgment can’t change its status. No need to be heartbroken. Situations don’t last forever. #It’sPolitics.” What does that mean? It means the times they will keep a-changing. Today’s it’s your day, tomorrow will be my day. In the language of the Gone With The Wind scriptwriter, “Tomorrow is another day!” (IPA Service)