MyVoice: Views of our readers 13th June 2022

Why palatial complexes for dignitaries?

I fail to understand why we provide palatial residential accommodation to dignitaries - Presidents and Governors - sprawling in hundreds of acres, with hundreds of rooms and hundreds of personnel for the last 75 years since independence, in a country like ours which is poor, where many are homeless. The maintenance expenditure on all these palaces is exponential. At one time or the other we have to come out of the false prestige by adopting austerity measures, downsizing the quarters reasonably. The earlier the better. Instead of paying lakhs in pay and perks, a reasonable amount of honorarium may be fixed for Presidents, Governors, Ministers, Members of Parliament and Assemblies. In this context we have to appreciate the good gesture of our past president late Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy garu, who opted for austerity (small quarters and small amount of salary during his tenure of Presidency). The huge bunglows may be used for museums, hospitals and even hotels which can generate some income.

K L Rao, Visakhapatnam

'Act now' to eradicate child labour

The Article 24 of the Indian Constitution has a provision for prohibition of child labour, and The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986 defines a child as a person below 14 years of age. In some cases, although the government has been doing its part, the extreme poverty is pushing the children into the quagmire of child labour. Some of the ways to eradicate the child labour can be, providing decent work for adults prevents the children to work. Also, implementing the existing laws effectively, and establishing more rehabilitation centers to rescue them can be helpful in this scenario. Regarding the child labour, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi stated that "If not now, then when? If not you, then who?" If we can answer these fundamental questions, then perhaps we can wipe away the blot of human slavery.

Dr Mejari Mallikarjuna, Visakhapatnam

Jago Grahak Jago!

In the era of technology, be aware about misleading false claims. Seeking to regulate misleading advertisements targeting children, the government on Friday came out with detailed guidelines that prohibit companies from making false claims on health and nutritional benefits. The guidelines seek to ensure that consumers are not being fooled by unsubstantiated claims, exaggerated promises, misinformation and false claims. Such advertisement violates various rights of consumer such as right to be informed, right to choose. So please be aware of misleading ads like black hairs in 15 days, get fair skin and many more, which are on the rise day by day. As consumers, we need to pay close attention to labels, reviews, charges and condition before making a purchase.

Khushboo Ved, Ujjain

Are there going to be two pink parties?

Refer to 'TRS to go national by month-end' (THI, June 12). Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is contemplating to give TRS a pan-India status by christening the new party as BRS (Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi). This will naturally leave apprehension in the minds of Telangana voters, the TRS supporters in particular, if there are going to be two pink parties - one for Telangana, and the other for the rest of India. There are already views that KCR is in a hurry to form a national party of his own, trusting the anti-BJP forces like Congress, TMC, DMK, AIMIM among others; but, there is no clarity on this in view of ego clashes already cropping up between Congress and TMC on who must take the lead. Will TRS be recognised to be worthy of being considered as pan-India party is a million dollar question. One feels that the final call on it can be taken after the next assembly elections in Telangana, based on the performance of TRS.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

The nosedive of LIC shares

With much hype and fanfare, LIC, with the approval of GoI, approached policy holders, employees (with discount) and investors, promising moon and heaven. Bank branches were kept open on Sunday too for this issue. But the shares are already about Rs 250 less than the offer price. It has become the largest corporate loot and exploitation. I wish and expect that to restore the confidence and boost the morale of all the investors, our Hon'ble PM will immediately intervene and direct refund/re-credit of at least Rs 200 per share to the accounts of all investors. If not done, similar public issues face flak in financial field.

Calicut Krishnan Ramani, Trichy