MyVoice: Views of our readers 14th February 2022

Hijab row at a very inopportune time

Hijab row in Karnataka has been blown out of proportion. As the High Court is seized the matter and issued an interim order, all stakeholders are expected to observe restraint and help tranquillity to prevail. The students have already lost two precious years of learning due to pandemic. The dropout rates are increased and class board learning is derailed. The student community is facing enormous stress now than ever before. One should look after their emotional well-being also, along with their educational needs. So, the hijab row has erupted at very wrong time by all accounts. All educational institutes, including higher education ones should be made free from display of religious symbols.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

II

As Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan rightly said the present hijab row is a conspiracy and not a controversy. Some ante-social elements, with the support of outside terror groups are creating all these issues. Only solution for this problem is introducing Uniform Civil Code as mentioned in Article 44 of our Constitution. Religious beliefs and practices should be kept at bay in all the educational institutions.

D V Seshasai, Narasaraopet

III

The Hijab ban issue has refused to die down as Muslim girls are adamant on wearing them to college. The Indian Constitution is based on the principles of equality and also all citizens are free to follow and profess religion of their own choice. I think the school as well as the college authorities should allow the Muslim students to wear hijabs. In this high time of examination this issue should not be raised as it not only leads to disruption in their career but also takes away their Right to Education. No one should have objection to this but there are many who give reference of the Article 44 of the Constitution which deals with the provision of UCC (Uniform Civil Code). Keeping in mind all point of views, the best solution for this problem is that the school uniform should be made compulsory for all but also to allow the Muslim students to wear Hijab (as of same colour as a school uniform).

Ishita Patidar, Ujjain

Shortage of post cards

India Post has been serving the people for so many decades and it offers services such as banking, letters delivery. But due to increasing the electronic services such as email the post offices are not selling postcards, covers and inland letters. As a result, those who want to write letters through postcards or inland letters are facing difficulty. There is a need to make available postcards, inland letters at all post offices so people can reach their friends, relatives by sending the letters.

Nisar Ahmed, Hyderabad

Peace, stability remain elusive

An American Senator Charles Summer had said that if all the money spent on war had been given to him he would have been able to clothe every person in the best attire, a school in every corner of the world and places of worship all over the earth. In his article 'Peace and stability still elusive in the world' the writer has enumerated the terrible costs paid in human life and suffering. The world is at present in capitalist mode and the greed of the capitalists in making more money has resulted in the destruction of natural resources to such an extent that many have predicted wars due to water scarcity. Humankind stands at the edge of the precipice. If it doesn't learn its lesson now, probably it will never get the chance again.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Give rights to forest land cultivators

The Telangana government has been ruling since 2014 but still it doesn't issue the forest rights to those who were cultivating forest lands before 13th day of December 2005. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act - 2006 gives so many rights on forest lands i.e., individual rights and community rights. Before 2014 the erstwhile AP government gave the forest titles to the forest land cultivators. After the formation of Telangana, the government invited and received in November 2021 applications from forest land cultivators but it has not decided the matter yet. Come rainy season, the cultivators face a lot of problems from the forest department. And one more problem is that a dispute between the forest and the revenue lands.

Anand Kumar Vasam, Hyderabad