MyVoice: Views of our readers 1st January 2021

The sorry state of Congress

Your editorial, "Can Congress be revived?"(Hans India, Dec 31) should serve as an eye opener to the Congress top brass at national and regional levels. No heart searching measures are taken by the party men in spite of repeated defeats of elections in various States. It has been proved more than once, the 'Gandhi charisma' failed to attract the voters to garner into votes. While Mrs Sonia Gandhi expressed her reluctance to carry on the mantle, her son Rahul proved his inability to take-up the job.

The coterie like Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijay Singh, AK Anthony, time and again prevailed upon Madam to continue, for their own interest, as this group in fact is calling the shots from behind the scenes.

Their minions like Manickam Tagore, (incharge of Telangana), with lack of ground knowledge, further deteriorated and shaken the confidence of grassroot workers. An impression is already created in peoples' mind that, if the party with its multi factions takes so long time to appoint its regional party president, how can it run the administration if elected to power!

You have rightly said, 'a leader is one who stands with the people'. A political party like Congress, cannot be run like a joint stock company. The party leader abruptly leaves and enjoys holidays. There were bold and aggressive Congress leaders in undivided Andhra Pradesh like J Vengala Rao, Dr M Channa Reddy, Y S Rajashekar Reddy who stood amongst the people and revived the Congress from shambles to power in past, much to the appreciation of high command. Those were the days.

Today, neither the coterie consist of able advisers like PV Narasimha Rao nor there is a bold party chief like Indira Gandhi to checkmate the erring ruling party to her advantage. The elected Congress alliance governments are falling down like pack of cards, due to 'horse trading' by the opposition party; and the party leadership remained mute spectator! In the present scenario, there is an urgent need for a non-Gandhi leader to enter into the shoes of party president to retrieve the Congress from its sorry state. Otherwise, days are not far away for the grand old party to go into the annals of Indian history.

Govardhan R Jilla, Mumbai

II

This refers to the editorial " Can Congress be revived ". It is distressing to note that the entire edifice of the party which ruled the nation for many years is a sinking ship and is on the verge of a total collapse. Rightly said, leadership crisis has been its bane. A visionary leader who can energise and revitalise the party and work earnestly towards removing internal dissensions needs to emerge.

The party has to build up its rank & file right from its grassroots level. The party has to scout for young, dynamic leaders who have progressive ideas and are willing to learn the nitty gritty of politics and have development politics as their motto and agenda The party's top brass has to take up the cudgels and work earnestly on a missionary mode towards this end. Else the party has no future ahead of itself.

N R Raghuram, Hyderabad

Vaccine and pharma lobby

The powerful MNC lobby would do everything to ensure they launch new products first.

Products of other manufacturers have to be tested and tried on native population and be permitted to enter their country markets only when safety and success are satisfactory. Indian companies' failure to get govt nod is not a surprise.

India has population of more than 130 crore. A minimum of 2 doses for each individual, a big consumer base in itself. Better Indian firms focus on Indians first.

G Sivaramakrishna, Hyderabad

Improve public healthcare in 2021

The year 2020 will remain an 'annus horribilis', a worst year for entire humanity in the annals of history. The world had been badly affected in terms of public health and economy by Corona pandemic taking away lives and livelihoods of many. Crores of people have been dragged in to penury due to havoc played out by the pandemic.

India, like other countries is looking forward to welcome the dawn of new year with great hope of recuperating from the losses. Now it's time for resolutions. The citizen should make resolution to inculcate corona appropriate behaviour in his daily routine, as the Damocles sword is still hanging on his head.

The country should take oath to become self-reliant and improve its public healthcare services.

Dr D V G Sankararao, Nellimarla