MyVoice: Views of our readers 9th May 2023

TS Secretariat turns into a fortress

The recent set of incidents where elected representatives like MLAs and MPs being not allowed inside the newly built and inaugurated Secretariat of Telangana is disappointing and dispiriting. The Secretariat being the heart of administration, elected representatives have every right to enter and convey grievances of their constituencies to concerned departments. The age-old tradition was that even common people were allowed at certain time period every day and were given spot appointments of Chief Minister and Ministers to convey their troubles, but today we see even elected representatives are not allowed inside. After eight complete years, Chief Minister of Telangana is finally working from the Secretariat and it is important that administration gives opportunity for all elected representatives to convey their problems along side the common people.

Ravi Teja Kathuripalli, Hyderabad

All eyes are on Karnataka elections

There seems to be a keen fight between BJP and Congress in Karnataka assembly polls. The high voltage campaign has raised more dust and heat than any previous state elections. As it’s seen as a curtain-raiser for upcoming general elections both rival parties have put all their energies in the fight. If the Prime Minister Modi taking long road shows and union home minister Amit Shah making whirlwind tours across the state is any indication, it shows how serious BJP is to retain the crown there. The Congress with having a little edge over its rival is also putting in all-out efforts to make itself relevant in next general elections. The country is keenly watching the close fight.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

Wrestlers grappling with govt apathy

The protesting wrestlers are hoping that the khap mahapanchayat scheduled at Jantar Mantar will be of huge success and will help in getting more support for them in their fight against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Top wrestlers of the country, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting for the last two weeks at the Jantar Mantar here, demanding the sacking of Brij Bhushan as WFI chief and his arrest because of the alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers. The agitation has entered the 14th day and it is getting political momentum. Wonder where this whole episode will end.

C K Subramaniam, Mumbai

India must win over SCO members

India hosted two meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) - the defence ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on April 28 followed by the foreign ministers meeting in Goa on May 4 and 5. Neither will be remembered for their outcomes when it comes to problems facing the regional grouping’s member-states. Once again, the SCO has shown itself to be little more than a talking shop. Analysts have blamed China’s domination of the SCO for the marginal influence that India wields in the grouping. Most member-states are close to and even dependent on China. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its proximity and dependence on China has grown, too. New Delhi will need to step up its diplomacy and rethink its strategy to make the SCO a useful forum to realise its interests.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

Sonia Gandhi’s words misinterpreted

As is his wont, Modi has tried to use ‘nationalism’ as a fig leaf to reap political dividends. A democrat at heart, Sonia Gandhi spoke against the domination of the polity by a few individuals in politics and a few businessmen. India is a vast and diverse country; it is not amenable to being governed by one central authority. Pleading the case of devolution or decentralization of power does not amount to secession. India It is a union of States for any one region or leaders of any one region to decide unilaterally the destiny of the whole nation. Narendra Modi should do some soul searching on which brand of politics wrecks national unity. Patriots cannot be neutral in the clash of ideologies – secularism and Hindutva. The former will be the eventual winner.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

Needless row over ‘The Kerala Story’

Even as the Kerala High Court declined to stay the controversial film ‘The Kerala Story,’ which is running to packed houses in the rest of the country, the court did not find anything offensive to any particular community, going by the teaser. Despite the court order, theatres in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are coerced into stopping the screening of the film. The depictions in the film are already in the public domain and have been reported in the press as well as in the visual media, earlier. The utterance of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was even bizarre to liken the film to that of Germany’s anti-Jew propaganda that paved the way for systematic elimination of Jews in Germany.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad