MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th January 2021

EC action without any rationale

While concurring with the views of Allahabad High Court that 'extraordinary situation demands an extraordinary decision,' writer V.Ramu Sharma had rightly pointed out that the decision taken by Election Commission against the backdrop of rising cases of Omicron is out of sync in the present situation. The action of EC, a constitutional body vested with enormous powers, overlooking the observations of the High Court by going ahead to conduct polls in five States in the midst of raging pandemic is not only hasty but without any rationale because the rule book says postponing the polls by a few months till the situation returns to normal is absolutely within the law. Although no political party during a meeting raised objection, EC cannot construe this as the reason to go ahead with the polls.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Novac rightly lost his case

Novac Djocovik, Australian tennis defending champion, losing his case in a federal court there against the Australian government for revoking his visa on grounds of not being vaccinated for corona is a significant development. If that Serbian star player had been allowed to enter that country against the laid norms, it would have defeated the policy of mandatory vaccination of that country at a great length, boosting the voice of anti-vaccine groups as Novac had been identified as no-vac with his anti-vaccine stance in the global fight against pandemic. The Australian government has got moral boosting by the much-awaited verdict.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

A gifted exponent of epics

It is a sad news that Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry, the renowned vedic scholar, passed away. He rendered great services to the spiritual world rendering thousands of pravachanams on the epics such as the Maha Bharatam, the Ramayanam and the Bhagavatam. Late Purana Panda Appalacharyulu and Malladi were noted scholars and they took purana pravachanams to Himalayan heights. Apart from gaining authority on puranas, Malladi was blessed with stentorian voice by Vagdevi, his discourses used to be done at a stretch without break and taking water in between is never done by him such is his involvement in the topic he used to teach, his followers would be spell-bound at his scholarly discourses.

Rama Krishna M, Kakinada

Shocking acquittal of Bishop

Apropos 'Bishop Franco acquitted in nun rape case.' One may call a travesty of justice the acquittal of former head of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the sensational nun rape case involving Sister Lucy Kalapura, by Kottayam Additional District and Sessions Court 1 Judge I G Gopakumar who pronounced the verdict. The believers' community of all religious groups, and laity were shell-shocked by the verdict that went in favour of the rapist Bishop, who abused Sister Lucy sexually, by way of natural and unnatural acts that took three years to be heard; about which the people were eagerly looking forward to – are totally disappointed to the hilt. Does this mean a passive encouragement to the ilk, to legitimise sexual promiscuity in the Church?

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

II

People in Kerala are aghast and shocked at the acquittal of Bishop Franco in the nun rape case. Unfortunately, the verdict has to be respected as it has been pronounced by the trial court which examined the nun's charges, on the surmise that the judgment has been fair and free of considerations whatsoever. However, if the nun has indeed been victimised by the bishop, she must, without a doubt appeal against the verdict in a higher court in the interest of justice and Christianity, which ought to be freed from the influence of people determined to sully the sanctity of the faith.

Dr George Jacob, Kochi

Probe Secunderabad Club fire

It is shocking that a portion of the iconic Secunderabad Club founded in 1878 was gutted with an estimated property loss of Rs 20 crore. Thank god, only partial service was available due to holiday and there was no loss of life. It has been reported that the fire occurred due to an electrical short circuit. I hope the fire is not any mischievous act of vested interests eying the property or otherwise. A thorough probe is needed to find out the reasons of the massive fire to check whether it was an accident or otherwise.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

While concurring with the views of Allahabad High Court that 'extraordinary situation demands an extraordinary decision,' writer V.Ramu Sharma had rightly pointed out that the decision taken by Election Commission against the backdrop of rising cases of Omicron is out of sync in the present situation. The action of EC, a constitutional body vested with enormous powers, overlooking the observations of the High Court by going ahead to conduct polls in five States in the midst of raging pandemic is not only hasty but without any rationale because the rule book says postponing the polls by a few months till the situation returns to normal is absolutely within the law. Although no political party during a meeting raised objection, EC cannot construe this as the reason to go ahead with the polls.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Novac rightly lost his case

Novac Djocovik, Australian tennis defending champion, losing his case in a federal court there against the Australian government for revoking his visa on grounds of not being vaccinated for corona is a significant development. If that Serbian star player had been allowed to enter that country against the laid norms, it would have defeated the policy of mandatory vaccination of that country at a great length, boosting the voice of anti-vaccine groups as Novac had been identified as no-vac with his anti-vaccine stance in the global fight against pandemic. The Australian government has got moral boosting by the much-awaited verdict.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

A gifted exponent of epics

It is a sad news that Malladi Chandrasekhara Sastry, the renowned vedic scholar, passed away. He rendered great services to the spiritual world rendering thousands of pravachanams on the epics such as the Maha Bharatam, the Ramayanam and the Bhagavatam. Late Purana Panda Appalacharyulu and Malladi were noted scholars and they took purana pravachanams to Himalayan heights. Apart from gaining authority on puranas, Malladi was blessed with stentorian voice by Vagdevi, his discourses used to be done at a stretch without break and taking water in between is never done by him such is his involvement in the topic he used to teach, his followers would be spell-bound at his scholarly discourses.

Rama Krishna M, Kakinada

Shocking acquittal of Bishop

Apropos 'Bishop Franco acquitted in nun rape case.' One may call a travesty of justice the acquittal of former head of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the sensational nun rape case involving Sister Lucy Kalapura, by Kottayam Additional District and Sessions Court 1 Judge I G Gopakumar who pronounced the verdict. The believers' community of all religious groups, and laity were shell-shocked by the verdict that went in favour of the rapist Bishop, who abused Sister Lucy sexually, by way of natural and unnatural acts that took three years to be heard; about which the people were eagerly looking forward to – are totally disappointed to the hilt. Does this mean a passive encouragement to the ilk, to legitimise sexual promiscuity in the Church?

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

II

People in Kerala are aghast and shocked at the acquittal of Bishop Franco in the nun rape case. Unfortunately, the verdict has to be respected as it has been pronounced by the trial court which examined the nun's charges, on the surmise that the judgment has been fair and free of considerations whatsoever. However, if the nun has indeed been victimised by the bishop, she must, without a doubt appeal against the verdict in a higher court in the interest of justice and Christianity, which ought to be freed from the influence of people determined to sully the sanctity of the faith.

Dr George Jacob, Kochi

Probe Secunderabad Club fire

It is shocking that a portion of the iconic Secunderabad Club founded in 1878 was gutted with an estimated property loss of Rs 20 crore. Thank god, only partial service was available due to holiday and there was no loss of life. It has been reported that the fire occurred due to an electrical short circuit. I hope the fire is not any mischievous act of vested interests eying the property or otherwise. A thorough probe is needed to find out the reasons of the massive fire to check whether it was an accident or otherwise.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad