MyVoice: Views of our readers 13th February 2024

What is BJP banking on, to eye 400 seats?

The report “Modi mantra to achieve 24 mein 400 paar mission “(page 1, Feb 12) is amusing. What makes the BJP and NDA sound so confident of winning 400 MP seats in 2024? In this regard, answer lies in the popular slogan and 3-pronged strategy of BJP “Perform, Reform and Transform.” However, the white paper released by BJP government in the budget session, which is a signature statement on its performance in the last 10 years, was sadly silent on giving jobs to youth, ever rising prices of essential commodities, LPG, fuel, and inflation, in equal distribution of national wealth, Manipur mayhem etc. Secondly, no structural reforms were undertaken to improve governance, enhance transparency and remove corruption. The reforms failed to catch the imagination of 1.45 billion people.

P H Hema Sagar, Secunderabad

‘Bulldozer justice’ administered to Muslims

Hate campaign against the minority community, especially Muslims, is all pervasive. Political parties feel proud of poisoning minds against Muslims and use it for vote banking. However, the unlawful demolition of Muslim properties - homes, businesses and places of worship - by the Indian authorities, peddled as ‘bulldozer justice’ by political leaders and media, is cruel and appalling. Such displacement and dispossession is deeply unjust, unlawful and discriminatory. They are destroying families and must stop immediately, said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general.

Mohammad Taukir, Bettiah, Bihar

Listen to farmers’ issues, resolve them

TheUnion government’s refusal to accede to the demands of the farmers since the 2021 protest has left the farmers with no option but to re-launch their protest to make the government agree to their just demands. Prime Minister Narendra Modi then, though belatedly, showed the wisdom to repeal the three controversial farm laws and defuse the situation. If the Union government is indeed pro-farmer, it can easily (and should promptly) implement Dr M S Swaminathan’s recommendations, enact a law to give minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, grant farmers monthly pension, waive loans and withdraw cases filed against farmers’ leaders. However, the government is taking steps like imposition of prohibitory order, sealing borders, ‘beefing up security’, internet shutdown, detaining farmers on their way to Delhi to quell the protest instead of showing empathy for the food producers and agreeing to their legitimate demands.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

Fewer working days for 17th Lok Sabha

The recently concluded 17th Lok Sabha has registered contrasting records. It has got a new building with grandeur for sittings. But the sittings were few. The annual working days for it have come down to only 55, whereas they were 135 for the first Lok Sabha. It has witnessed the passage of many important bills, but alas, about 35 per cent of all bills were discussed and passed with in an hour each. There were hundreds of private member bills, but only two have reached discussion stage, whereas rest would lapse. Only sixteen per cent bills were referred to standing committee for detailed study. Above all, the 17th Lok sabha will be remembered as only one that ran entirely without a deputy speaker being elected.

Dr DVG Sankara Rao, Vizianagaram

BJP on a good wicket in Telangana

The feverish activities by Congress, BRS and BJP are evident in the state in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the country. The poll mode by these parties is palpable as the BJP is making brave inroads into the bastions of BRS with confidence; and there is enough awareness on part of the electorate to vote for the party that is likely to form the next government at the Centre. In the wake of such a notion prevailing in Telangana, the stakes are loaded heavily against Congress and BRS which may not be able to achieve their projected goals in terms of seats as before. The freebie culture practised by BRS and Congress is effectively being countered by the BJP.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

All parties indulging in mudslinging

The Congress party exploited the Medigadda issue to the hilt during the assembly elections and is still trying to do the same without actually filing cases against all the concerned in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. If it is in possession of solid evidence, the Congress government should go ahead and expose the previous BRS government’s corrupt practices. Criticism without actually substantiating the allegations on malpractices won’t fetch dividends in the long run. Therefore, it is better for the Congress government to stick to the implementation of its 6G poll manifesto instead of trying to divert the attention of the people for the delay. People are fed up with this kind of endless and useless mutual recriminations.

Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada