MyVoice: Views of our readers 14th May 2024

Fears of nuclear warfare grip world

Amid reports of Russia resorting to military drill for use of nuclear weapons in ongoing war with Ukraine, the world at large is genuinely worried about the outcomes. The majority of nations in the world are always perplexed as they want their countries to prosper without routing much of their budgetary outlays to the military armaments. The current apprehensions of devastation from use of nuclear weapons in the ongoing wars by nations need to be taken seriously. We have already seen the irreparable destruction in the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 in the World War Second era whose scars have yet not gone. Russia must desist from using such weapons. Humanity must not be held on ransom by such nations and let the human race be allowed to live in peace. Let the world raise its voice collectively against chemical and nuclear warfare.

Brij Bhushan Goyal,Ludhiana

AP witnessed a very aggressive campaign

The D-Day of elections has at last come and it is a more sensational electoral battle in the Telugu states than in other states in this 4th round of elections in the country. The reasons are many such as a change in Telangana state government rule with a new CM and a fierce and more aggressive battle in the AP involving three coalition opposition parties (TDP, JS and BJP) fighting with Jagan Mohan Reddy ‘s YSRCP. It is to be seen as to how individually TDP and JS would be able to manage wins with the assistance of Modi’s factor which certainly has made a remarkable impact in the minds of Andhraites this time. It is for the first time in the Indian political history that such an aggressive and ferocious canvassing happened. The results will certainly be a big news item on June 4.

Katuru Durga Prasad Rao,Hyderabad

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‘The conclusion of voting brings a sense of calm to the Telugu States; however, for the middle-class citizens, it’s a routine business as usual as the perpetual cycle seems to persist. The poor and underprivileged receive their promised freebies and subsidies, while the rich class continues to reap grants and concessions. The pervasive feeling is that until 2029, the prospects of holding elected officials accountable remain a distant dream by leaving the common folk to carry on with the daily grind. The saddest part is that the election promises or manifestos are neither registered nor legally tangible.

Ganti Venkata Sudhir,Secunderabad

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The16th Assembly elections along with the Lok Sabha elections in the state of Andhra Pradesh were visualised to be a game changing elections in the state. The inefficiency of the ruling party, its camouflaged atrocities, nurturing of radical mentalities and unnecessary distribution of doles and freebies in the name of welfare schemes that indirectly cater to draining of the state’s exchequer and many more for the past five years were patiently tolerated by the people. The alliance formed by BJP, TDP and Jana Sena and their vigorous campaigns instilled confidence and trust that the future of the state of AP would change for good.

Madhulika N,Hyderabad

A close fight and a cliffhanger?

Thereis still a lot of uncertainty and speculation over which way Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar are going. The BJP may end up the loser if the issues of unemployment, price rise and economic distress have weighed on the voters. On the other hand, needless to say, it will emerge the winner if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s polarizing hate-filled speeches have served the intended purpose of winning the favour of the majority community cutting across caste boundaries. Caste census which is needed to ensure social justice is one issue that has caught the imagination of Dalits, the Adivasis and OBCs and has the potential to tilt the balance against the BJP. A lot also hinges on the impact of the Congress manifesto on the voters.

G David Milton,Maruthancode, TN

HDI a better indicator than GDP

Accordingto the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), HDI (Human Development Index) combines indicators of health, education, and income to provide a broader measure of human well-being. It considers factors such as life expectancy, education attainment, and gross national income per capita. There are many ambiguities in the GDP evaluation process. Most striking among the flaws is its focus on macroeconomic evaluation. Second major deficiency is its lack of a proper evaluation of the demand-supply relationship. India has the unconvinced distinction of being high on the multi-dimensional poverty index. It is high time India’s politicians, economists and policy makers stop accentuating the GDP and constructing chimera of stateliness of growth.

Raju Kolluru,Kakinada