MyVoice: Views of our readers 15th October 2020

Whither goest our justice delivery system?

Even as the country is horrified to see spine-chilling crimes against the weaker section growing by each passing day, our justice delivery systems seem to have become even scarier. In the recently concluded Babri Masjid demolition case, the accused, who were very much present at the scene of the crime, have been acquitted. On the other hand, in the Elgar Parishad case, even though no violence took place and people like Anand Teltumbde were also not present at the meeting, they were made accused and imprisoned.

The present justice delivery system appears to be in alignment with the old Manuwadi system, where the degree of punishment is based on where you belong in the caste hierarchy. In what direction are we going? Forward or backwards? Today, our judiciary and justice delivery systems are standing in front of justice, as accused in a witness box. The country is becoming directionless. Let's bring a fistful of mud from the place where the Hathras teenager's dead body was burned or from the land that she walked and make a memorial, with her statue. Her mother wanted to apply haldi on the woman's face for the last time. All of us will apply haldi on her face. Can we apologise to her, and pay tribute to her in this way? Can this bring any consolation to her parents and to Mother India?

Rajeswar Maladi, Hyderabad

Farmers deprived of their rights

The Centre's new farm Bills are meant to exploit the country's farming community to the core. For a country like India food security necessarily means growing one's own food to the maximum possible extent. The market in this case cannot be the determinant of land-use. Since land is scarce, and domestic food production essential, land-use must be socially controlled. Kerala is the only region in the entire third world that has a law, enacted in 2008, preventing diversion of paddy land to any other use. While Kerala is too land-scarce to become self-sufficient in food grains, this law has prevented paddy-land being diverted extensively for construction.

Other regions in the country and other countries in the third world would do well to emulate Kerala's example. The damage that diversion of acreage from food grains to export crops does is best illustrated by the case of sub-Saharan Africa, which has been ravaged by a string of famines after it became import-dependent for food. In India, while there is no control over land-use, the old arrangement of MSP, procurement, and PDS implicitly ensured adequate domestic food grain production. The Modi government, alas, is dismantling that arrangement; it must be stopped.

Muktha Nair, Bowenpally, Hyderabad

Religion in politics heralds worst time to come

Growing religious intolerance seems to be the order of the day, the latest being the hullabaloo over a commercial issued by a prominent jewellery group. Despite the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv by extremists, in the last 73 years, India has emerged as a largely secular and tolerant nation, not having to pay the heavy price of religious dichotomies in the country. It is only now that the Modi government, where Hindutva sentiment is largely at play. It is important to note, that while this too may bring the Modi government significant benefit in the form of the support of the majority, he is playing with fire.

His efforts to vilify Muslims and divide Indian society based on religious differences in pursuit of a pan-Hindu vote bank seem to be flying under the radar of much of the population, perhaps due to the serious distractions brought about by Covid-19. This too shall pass and before long, the Modi government may well be paying the price. Reports have begun to surface, reporting widespread hate-crimes against Muslims, owing to Modi's anti-Muslim rallying. Many Indians are worried about their future in India and news of that uncertainty is spreading. Currently. Modi's government may harness religious nationalism for political gain, but India will likely pay a huge price in decades to come.

M Girish Goud, Hyderabad