MyVoice: Views of our readers 16th September 2021

Owaisi versus Yogi in UP?

It is very odd to watch the attitude and mentality of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, living up to his Razakar mindset while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, with the sole aim to dethrone the well-managed government of Yogi Adityanath. The demeanour of Owaisi was akin to an outside conqueror, to berate things in UP that are far better and well-managed that the state did not witness during the rule of Akhilesh Yadav. The Opposition in UP is conspiring to come to power, hook or crook, levelling false and irresponsible allegations against the Centre as well as the Yogi government. Owaisi's repeated challenge to the Centre questioning if it treated Taliban as a terror organisation or not, is ludicrous. Every child in India knows Taliban is a terror organisation. His preposterous comment that the Indian High Commission officials in Kabul should not have left the country, in the wake of Taliban takeover is absolutely despicable.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad

Cronyism propping up TRS

Dr Ramu Suravajjula while eulogising the efforts of KCR for a separate Telangana state carved out of Andhra Pradesh has rightly summed up that the Chief Minister belied the expectations of people as many of the promises made in 2014 still remain unfulfilled. There is no iota of truth that despite KCR bringing new schemes to benefit a section of society and coining impressive slogans to build vote banks, his rule by and large is authoritarian in nature with a singular purpose of continuing the dynasty. The classic example of political skulduggery by KT Rama Rao and Kavita witnessing growing corruption and mess all around reveals KCR's inner traits that he is a biased personality and a rank opportunist who could go to any length to remain in power. Thus, it is seen that all the electoral promises of better governance have been bartered for petty family aggrandisement, the plain fact remains that TRS is holding office in Telangana is largely due to support of corrupt cronies in the party and minority appeasement politics.

KR Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Hang the rapists

It is agonising that rape and murder cases have become very rampant in the state. Up to July this year around 1,800 POSCO crimes were reported. Crimes are not reduced with reformative, preventive or deterrent measures. Only option left out is retributive justice by encountering rapists. It appears to be the only solution as laid down in the Criminal Procedure Code and as rightly stated by Minister Malla Reddy while addressing the public on the rape and murder of a six-year-old committed by Pallakonda Raju. A special act is needed to authorise police to take the action themselves as in recent Disa crime. Alternatively, a law is to be enacted to hang the rapists till death without allowing mercy petitions.

N Ramalakshmi, Secunderabad

A raging 'mystery' fever

Before people in parts of Uttar Pradesh and several other states could heave a sigh of relief over the subsidence of Covid-19 pandemic, they have been hit by another tragedy in the form of the outbreak of a 'mystery fever.' In most cases it is attributed to dengue. The ICMR has found 2D strain of dengue that impacts platelet count, causes haemorrhaging and proves fatal in many samples - and in others to scrub typhus, malaria and leptospirosis. Sanitation, fumigation, prevention of waterlogging in the monsoon season, draining out stagnant water, equipping hospitals to provide medical care for all without turning anyone away and food for kids from poor households to reduce vulnerability to diseases are low on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's agenda.

G David Milton, Maruthancode

A healthy sign of democracy

There seems to be growing confrontation between the judiciary and the executive these days on various issues, which is of course a healthy sign for democracy. The Apex court has come down heavily on the Centre on latter's cherry picking of appointments for tribunals. It has asked the government to come with a solution for filling up all vacancies within two weeks. The other day the government refused to submit a detailed affidavit on its alleged use of Pegasus for surveillance, as it thinks it deemed not fit to reveal in view of national security. It's the beauty of democracy to have vibrant systems with checks and balances in place. Unless they turned in to ego clashes, such clashes do good for the people and the nation ultimately.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

Low LFPR a worrying trend

The labour force participation rate (LFPR) of India is one of the lowest in the world. It has declined to 21% today which is not even half of the global average of 47 per cent. Women aren't expected to work and the ones that have the courage to try aren't provided with the necessary means to progress. Generous parental leave benefits, gender transparency and work style reforms mandating equal pay for equal work boosted Japan's GDP by 10 per cent in 2019. Given the potential of the women workforce in terms of contribution to GDP, 'Womanomics' is even more imperative in India than anywhere else. India needs to take inspiration from Japan.

Tejal Kumar, Pune

Not a NEET solution

The Tamil Nadu government has passed a bill to exempt the State from NEET. The TN lawmakers should understand that NEET is already working well in rest of the country and seeking exemption for the State alone tantamounts to undermining TN students and does not have any merits. The politicians should appreciate that NEET relieves students of huge capitation fee and hence the government should help students with coaching classes and guidance instead of trying to resist an existing system. The private medical colleges will be definitely affected by NEET and the government should not side with them and clear the uncertainty in the minds of students by accepting the examination.

M Raghuraman, Mumbai