MyVoice: Views of our readers 20th February 2021

Murders most foul

The brutal murder of advocate couple, Gattu Vamana Rao and Nagamani in broad daylight in the presence of passers-by, in Peddapalli Mandal, allegedly by a local TRS leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar for taking on the government over Dalit custodial deaths; sand and land mafia, and other gross irregularities, having a passively supported by the KCR government, is highly condemnable. The murder has grossly undermined the democratic credentials in Telangana, to muzzle and silence any sane voice rising against the government for a course correction and justice.

If filing PILs in the High Court against the government is a taboo as being viewed by the ruling dispensation, is akin to clear and unmistakable tactics that are adapted by the Maoists and Naxals, by an elected government. If the investigation into murders cannot be efficiently handled by the state police, the demand by the opposition and the BJP that a CBI probe should be considered to probe the murders, with an open and unbiased mind by the TRS.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad

Path-breaking judgement

By acquitting journalist Priya Ramani, the Delhi court has given a land mark and remarkable judgment. Women having lost of faith in the justice of public institutions, they were making use of the tools available to them, so that mee #too movement gained momentum . Now a Delhi court acquitting journalist Priya Ramani is a huge step forward for women speaking up against sexual harassment. Her acquittal proved that women can speak truth of their experience without fear, especially about defamation case filing against them. This will definitely serve as encouragement to other victims and survivors to take on their abusers .Indeed this is just a start. This is the first step to give women a safe working environment. Indeed Priya Ramani is acquitted in the defamation case but still criminal proceedings against M J Akbar has not yet started. I appreciate court for its comments "women cannot be punished for raising voice against the sexual abuse in the pretext of complaint of defamation ".

Zakir Hussain, Kazipet

Break free from colonial legacy

The term 'sedition' now has wide currency. The credit or discredit for it should go to the ruling dispensation. The sedition law is increasingly misused against activists, dissenters and protesters. The spike in sedition cases does not show our democracy in a good light. It is most unfortunate that the government relies on or finds itself in a position or deems it necessary to rely on a draconian colonial-era law to govern the country. It is a sign of insecurity that the government slaps sedition charges on those who are not in agreement with it on issues affecting the lives of people.

Everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence until they are proved to be guilty. Nowadays the burden of proof of innocence is put on those who are framed for political reasons without adequate proof. Even comedians and cartoonists are not spared from being booked under the sedition law. The strength of a democracy lies in its ability to accommodate different points of view. One is at a loss to understand how criticism of, say, abrogation of Article370, Citizenship Amendment Act or farm laws or support to framers protests can be interpreted as seditious activity. No one ceases to be a patriot and becomes an enemy of the country by criticizing the government for its acts of commission and omission.

The Congress too used the sedition law against Arundhati Roy, Binayak Sen and S P Udayakumar who led the protests against the Kudankulam nuclear power projects to seize the moral high ground. There is a lot of substance in the inference that but for the Congress the BJP would not have come to power and the BJP is taking a leaf out of Congress' book on many issues. In a way, the Congress was the forerunner of the BJP. This is not to deny the fact that Rahul Gandhi represents the better side of Indian politics.

The 22-year-old green activist Disha Ravi was charged with sedition even though we have it on the authority of former SC judge Deepak Gupta that there is nothing in the toolkit now in the public domain, to attract the charge of sedition. Most countries have done away with the archaic sedition law. Still it is on the statute book in India – Section 124A of Indian Penal Code. It is part of the colonial legacy that we will do well to free ourselves from.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

Halt VSP privatisation

The editorial on VSP is an eye opener and wake up call for six crore Telugu people. The burning issue of privatisation of Vizag steel plant ,should be seen by Telugu people as a God given opportunity to fight unitedly and demonstrate the "Telugodi Debba" to New Delhi . (VSP stir: A wild goose chase?, 18 Feb). In this connection, it is pertinent to recall the heroic Gandhian struggle of 1969 for VSP, fought by the Telugu people in the erstwhile AP State, with one mind and one purpose.

Thanks to the united fight, a major industry like VSP was established and built on the foundation of blood , tears and supreme sacrifices of Telugu people.

The then Congress government,in a rare Democratic gesture, respected the sentiment of Slogan " Vishaka Ukku- Andhra Hakku " ,and magnanimously conceded the demand of the people of AP.

The same unity among the Telugu people and political parties is the need of the hour to launch the Gandhian struggle to stop authoritarian decision to privatise VSP and make the GOI to honour the sentiment and restore VSP.

P H Hema Sagar, Secunderabad