MyVoice: Views of our readers 25th December 2020

Well done, THI!

It is quite heartening to know that The Hans India is coming out with series of articles to rally public opinion in support of 'Save Musi' to goad government into action to save this water body of precious heritage of Hyderabad. Musi is reduced to the state of dirty ditch to be an eye sore to the city, with garbage and sewage being dumped into it.

Musi River Front Development Corporation (MRFDC) has been unable to deliver any meaningful improvement in the improvement of the river. The Ganga Cleaning Project that is being implemented by the Centre must serve as an eye opener in this regard to achieve the task of restoring Musi to its old glory.

The illegal encroachments on the banks of Musi must be evicted within a short time, with tough and strict officials supervising the project. Demarcation of Musi that is completed, must be carried out without losing any further time, with no consideration whatsoever in achieving the goal. The dismal sight of trains entering the Kachiguda railway station over the rail bridge over Musi must be a thing of the past for people visiting Hyderabad.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Church should shed its ostrich-like attitude

The verdict of a special CBI court in Kerala convicting Father Thomas M Kottoor and Sister Sephy and sentencing them to life is a tribute to the long arm of the law. It is a case of justice long delayed, but not denied eventually. It will give the victim's brother, members of her wider family and all those who grieved the tragic death and fought for justice a sense of closure. The details of how the 21-year-old Sister Abaya was killed in cold blood don't bear thinking about.

The court found out that the convicts were together in a compromising situation on the night March 26, 1992 and bludgeoned Sister Abhaya to death when she accidentally saw them. Life is so unfathomable that it is very hard for us to comment on crime and punishment. Justice must be tempered with mercy.

There seems to be more than a legal angle to the crime. The convicts did not spare the accidental discoverer of their copulation because sex was so forbidden.

The church should ask itself whether it is necessary to be so rigid on sexual mores and stigmatize sexual gratification. Catholic priests and nuns take vows of celibacy when they are inducted into religious orders. But then celibacy is against the law of nature and priests and nuns do not cease to be men and women in flesh and blood or overcome biological urges or the desire for copulation just by taking celibacy vows and donning religious robes. Its abolition will bring about some desirable changes in the lives and lifestyles of those tasked with ministry in the church.

Normalising or legitimising what is now regarded as forbidden love through reforms could help abate crimes emanating from the negative feelings of fear, guilt and shame. There is no valid reason to keep the doors to the institution of marriage shut to anyone on any ground.

Sex is something 'ordained' for pleasure and procreation. It is life-affirming and need not be associated with sin. The church should stop adopting an ostrich-like attitude towards human sexuality and bring about reforms in tune with the times.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Wanted, faster justice

It is appreciable that the court had taken up the case of 21-year- old novitiate Abhaya who was murdered in a convent after the People's Action Council led by activist Jomon Puthenpurackal sought intervention of the case while the police and crime branch hurriedly concluded the case as a suicide. It is surprising to note how the police and the crime branch had concluded the death of novitiate,Abhaya as a suicide.

It is generally seen that even the case of a suicide would be probed on the lines of whether it is suicide or murder and if so what are the reasons that forced the victim to commit suicide. In this case it seems thorough enquiry had not been made and the evidence also is destroyed. But finally with the intervention of court the culprits are confirmed and punishment of life had been awarded to the murderers. Though the case was run for 28 years which is very abnormal, justice has been done to the victim.

The courts must find ways to reduce the period of judgement by bringing some innovative reforms in the laws. The cases must be prioritised according to the seriousness and judgement should be delivered as soon as possible by cutting short the number of adjournments especially in the cases of rape and murder so that people should not lose faith on the judicial system.

TSN Rao, Bhimavaram

J&K politics turns interesting

Due to the absence of Assembly in the state DDC will act as a link between the people and the government.These elections have reopened the political space and restored the link that was effectively snapped due to the dissolution of Assembly in November 2018 and there after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 last year.

Even though it was a local bodies election both the BJP and Gupkar alliance turned it into referendum on these elections. Naturally the PAGD has projected its victory as a resounding rejection of all that the Centre has done in the state over the last year and a half, and as support for its own demand that special status and statehood be restored.

Yash Pal Ralhan, Jalandhar