MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th January 2026

Triple engine governance hits the bull’s eye

Thenation witnessed a comfortable and effortless victory when the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena breached the Thackeray citadel in Asia’s riches civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), by winning 116 of 227 seats that were up for grabs, narrowly going past the halfway mark of 114 to establish in power. This is for the first time in three decades that the Mahayuti wrested control of the coveted BMC from the clutches of SSUBT.

The overwhelming support that Mahayuti received by the electorate was on the predictable political calculations as Mumbai has been witnessing steady changes by way of infrastructure development, and is in the process of providing more for the people that is possible only when the state ruled government is in control of the BMC to live up to the growing expectations of people of Mumbai who have been facing untold travel snarls.

The Mahayuti government promised the citizens more public transport amenities by way of increasing the number of buses- connecting the length and breadth of Mumbai; and also promised concessional bus fares for women. This is a testimony to the performing government in Maharashtra, the trend of which became evident in the earlier held Municipal elections.

The SSUBT believed in playing out negative policies against outsiders and Raj Thackeray needlessly vitiated the situation – calling slogans like ‘Rasmalai’ ’lungi-pungi’ to belittle the Tamilians, when TN BJP leader said the Mumbai metro belonged to all. The UBT overplayed its Marathi Manoor card for its sheer survival and vote bank politics, not caring for the feelings and sentiments of others who reside in the city of Mumbai, as if giving an impression that the state of Maharashtra belonged to Maharastrians alone.

The profound insecurity prevailed in the minds of the south and north Indians tilted the scale in favour of the BJP, who felt that there could be peace and stability only when the Mahayuti takes over the reins of the BMC; and the people believed naturally in the performing government that could deliver meaningfully over the long term, with various projects in the pipeline – no wonder the BJP called the victory for a triple-engine to be in place to rectify the ills of Mumbai’s civic services that the people have been enduring stoically.

S Lakshmi,Hyderabad

Is this the India of our dreams?

Thethrashing of non-Marathi-speaking people in Mumbai by Raj Thackeray's goons is a matter of serious concern and a shame to the country's image and the state. Hindi is the official language of India, spoken by nearly 90 percent of the people. People working for a living in other states of the country are also being forced to speak the language of the state, despite Hindi being widely spoken and understood by a majority of the people.

This divisive politics is ruining the lives of poor migrants, who are trying to make an honest living in a city far away from their home. For Raj Thackeray's goons, it does not matter if fathers no longer educate their children or send money for the medical care of the old. If we are to go by Raj Thackeray's argument that non-Marathi people are redundant in Maharashtra, perhaps the party should begin at the top. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) should first banish non-Marathi-speaking film stars, sportsmen, politicians, and entrepreneurs who live in Mumbai.

However, the party is unlikely to do this since political leaders stand to gain from the rich and the famous. If the non-Marathi entrepreneurs are driven out of Mumbai, some other city will take its place as the financial capital of India. Raj Thackeray should remember that Mumbai did not automatically become the proverbial city of dreams -- it became so because of the contribution of those who migrated to the city.

Earlier too, Bihari workers were beaten up in Mumbai by the MNS supporters, forcing them to leave their place of work.

Is this the India of our dreams? These political goons are upending the integrity and democratic character of the country. How would the Marathi-speaking people feel if they were meted out the same treatment in other states of the country? The wrongdoers must be prosecuted so that no one dares to indulge in such anti-national activities again.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai

Communists need a total overhaul

Withreference to CPI leader K Narayana's imperious statement 'CPI is an elder brother to the newborn and younger sibling to those growing' (Hans India, 17-01-26). Communist party is an idealistic one with no public image. It's different methodology made many splinters that disunites them. They were the ardent followers of Chinese Communist Party and many stalwarts visited China, read each and every line of Karl Marx and communist philosophies. Yet they could witness no prosperity in India. However, this party's derivatives ruled for three decades in West Bengal and still holding power in Kerala. After Independence, in United Andhra Pradesh, communists were in second position in winning Assembly seats. This splinter party members joined State and Union Governments since their support was lent to Congress party.

Hundred years age was completed by this year but it seems they are not maintaining oneness and communion for grabbing power in Delhi. However, it is a tough task in near future unless and until a great change takes place in that party. Now and then, communists are limited to conduct agitations on the streets exposing problems of the people.

Dr N S R Murthy,Secunderabad

Is Mamata Banerjee losing her war with the Centre?

Thereare clear hints of unmissable indications that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is waging a losing war with the Centre despite formidable posturing and one upmanship in West Bengal. She fought tooth and nail for S.I.R not happening in WB, mobilising her party cadres to attack and intimidate Election Commission officials visiting sensitive areas where Mamata brazenly rehabilitated in large numbers the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis to fight for her cause and serve as a reliable vote bank. The logic behind Mamata’s argument is that people of WB and immigrants from other parts of Bangladesh speak the same language that makes them unmistakably the citizens of India.

But, Mamata’s arguments in this regard are fraught with solid anti-national designs to destabilise WB, as well as the entire nation with the onslaught of non-state actors getting entrenched in different parts of the country through bogus ids that compels the country endure the needless and unworthy burden for various national schemes that are meant for the deserving native Indians - definitely not for illegal foreigner out to wreck the nation.

The stalling of investigations of the ED, when Mamata Banerjee when she personally appeared on the scene with top police officials of the state to steal and snatch away vital and sensitive documents during The ED raid on I-PAC consultancy firms, where illegal hawala transactions related to the Coal scam alleged to have taken place. The Supreme Court severely chided Mamata for preventing the ED from carrying out its duties, dismissing the three FIRs filed by the state against the ED in Supreme Court.

Thus the intended routine of the Central agencies is continued in WB in spite of Mamata blowing hot and cold, directly aiming her angst against the Centre and Constitutional bodies to be indulging vicious witch hunt that the TMC has been repeatedly alleging in cohorts with the other members of the INDI Alliance, with no takers at face value. The rebuttal of the electorate against such mischievous propaganda by the Opposition is amply evident in the elections to civic bodies in Maharashtra; and during the state elections in Bihar.

West Bengal has witness more than enough political killings, rapes and arsons during the CPM rule; and in the present governance of Mamata Banerjee where Hindus and the members from the opposition have been at the receiving end of things by meciless brutalities that the BJP led NDA wants sincerely to end; and a systematic foothold for the party is unmistakably being carved out in the state that would soon ensure the end of the terror reign of the TMC under the rule of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal.

K V Raghuram,Wayanad

Mockery of democracy in Telangana

Telangana Speaker dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by BRS against defector MLAs in majority cases. He seems to ignore even public opinion in judging these cases . With this mindset , the speaker is preferring to be loyal to his party not to the constitution. He took two years . None of us can predict how much time will be taken by our apex court to decide on the correctness of his decisions.

The casual attitude of the decision makers on this subject is to treat the concerned electorate with disrespect . The time consuming litigation on defecting MLAs / MPs only reveal the serious flaws in existing anti- defection laws.

The Central government should immediately come out with stringent and effective laws to dealt firmly and quickly to disqualify such public representatives. The present mockery of democracy should not be allowed to continue in one state after another. It is time to say " Enough is enough " .

Satvik V M, Hyderabad

Needed, ethical journalism

Bureaucrats play a very significant role in policy formulation and also in implementing them. They are generally busy and do not have time to indulge in mindless & needless gossips. The recent news, linking some women IAS Officers with Ministers in Telangana is a slanderous insinuation casting allegations affecting both. This has been made without verifying the veracity of the accusation leading to tarnishing the image of both. The news channel (NTV) in question which raked up the news and subsequently broadcasted an apology and with it the arrest of 3 journalists proves that the issue was a mere fabrication. The Civil Services Association has rightly condemned the allegations

and has filed an FIR. The unsavoury episode should remind every news channel & print media to adhere to ethics of journalism and refrain from making false, baseless and unverified news which they cannot establish. This is equally applicable to social media as well.

N R Raghuram,Hyderabad

Chandrababu Naidu is pride of Telugus

Thisis with reference to 'The architect of tomorrow: Celebrating five decades of Naidu's visionary leadership' (THI January 17). The author explicitly and translucently narrated the 50 years of political career of Chandrababu Naidu in coalition with positive and negative shades. His political life started with Congress Party and soon embraced Telugu Desam Party founded by his father- in - law, NT Ramarao actor turned politician. Circumstances compelled him to part with NTR's TDP and it has accrued public acceptance.

When CBN was the first CM of the residual State from 2014 to 2019 after the combined AP was truncated into two, NDA government at the Centre which is in union with TDP gave a coarse treatment by not assisting financially that slowed down the progress of the state from all corners. Perturbed over this, TDP in a can't but situation, after getting assurance from Congress, opposed BJP in 2019 elections in the larger interest of the State. This episode left CBN with a black scar in his long political journey.

TDP's coalition with NDA bloc in 2024 became victorious. Surprisingly, he played a king maker's role because of landslide victory in Assembly and Parliament and Narendra Modi was installed as PM for third time. It looks like a snake and ladder game.

CBN was instrumental in decision making in critical situations when AB Vajpayee was Prime Minister. Leadership is a complex Art and it should be played with precision from situation to situation in a cross cultural environment in which CBN is a Master of Arts. He is, therefore, recognised as the ablest Administrator among the able ones. Telugu people are proud of him as his image has travelled across the seas and mountains.

N. Ramalakshmi,Secunderabad

II

Thisreference to " celebrating five decades of Naidu,s visionary leadership"( THI, 17.01.'26). " A visionary sees the light before the sunrise, but a true leader like Chandrababu Naidu is the one who wakes the world and builds a city where the sun never sets on progress " is the most apt sentence which highlights the true innate potential of a genuine leader whose vision is not to enjoy the power, but to work for the prosperity of his people.

There is a saying that leaders are not born but are made. Naidu who hails from a humble family which owned 5 acres of land in Naravaripalli, a hamlet village came under the jurisdiction of Shesahpuram, became a towering personality in Indian politics with his discipline, commitment and determination towards life. Having read much about Naidu , what I understood about him was that he was the one who had realised about life being very young. His early realisation of life, politics and leadership have made him one of the best statemen in Indian politics.

Being a student, one of his contributions which proved him to be a good organiser was that with the help of his seniors and juniors students, in 70s , he had organised a program "Shremadanam" that resulted in the road between Naravaripalli and Shesahpuram, his native place. "Shremadanam" is the brainchild of Mr. Naidu that became one of the flagship events of the government of United AP in late 90s, when he was the CM. Therefore, the generation Z must emulate him not as a politician, but a true and committed leader lives for the people' s progress till the last breath. A true leader lives in the hearts of people forever; a politician lives in the midst of stashes.

Dr. Venkat Avula,MASS

III

This refers to "The architect of tomorrow: Celebrating five decades of Naidu's visionary leadership" by Nomula Srinivas Rao (THI, January 17). Nara Chandrababu Naidu is no stranger to perseverance, dynamism, foresight and ability. A statesman-par-excellence who, as the CM of the undivided Andhra Pradesh between 1994--2004, placed Hyderabad on the global map transforming it into a much sought after investors' destination, the 75-year-old was once a fulcrum around which the non--Congress parties revolved.

Besides, courtesy- personified, even when he left the NDA on the "special category status" issue that is dear to his heart, Naidu took care to make sure that the resignation letters of his ministers at the Centre were cleverly drafted. Always ready to play the waiting game, a calculated and pragmatic Naidu is too seasoned a political customer to let go Andhra Pradesh's share of the pie so easily. He is ambitious and he knows the people's pulse. Now, firmly ensconced as the Chief Minister for the fourth time, people of Andhra Pradesh expect more of him.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat,Akola

Change of approach needed to treat diabetes

Apropos, "India home to world's second largest diabetes population in 2024," (THI, Jan 17). India’s position as the world’s second-largest diabetes-affected country is a stark reminder of a growing public health crisis driven by rapid urbanisation, lifestyle changes and genetic vulnerability. Diabetes is no longer confined to affluent urban populations; it is spreading aggressively across rural areas and younger age groups. Sedentary habits, high-carbohydrate diets, stress and irregular sleep have fuelled the rise of this metabolic disorder, often diagnosed late.

The complications are enormous and multi-systemic. Uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and limb amputations, placing a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system. The economic cost, in terms of lost productivity and long-term treatment, is equally alarming. Despite this, awareness, early screening and preventive care remain inadequate. India urgently needs a shift from treatment-centric approaches to prevention-driven strategies. Promoting healthier diets, physical activity, stress management and routine screening must become national priorities. Without decisive public health intervention, diabetes threatens to undermine India’s demographic dividend and strain its healthcare infrastructure.

N Sadhasiva Reddy,Bengaluru