MyVoice: Views of our readers 27th November 2020

Great loss for Congress party

The death of veteran Congress Parliamentarian, Ahmed Patel, a seasoned trouble shooter, suddenly created vacuum in the party. Picked by then party Chief, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1977 as MP, Ahmed Bhai, as he was fondly called by his colleagues, gradually elevated into 'coterie' of the family, like PV Narasimha Rao in earlier years.

Party Presidents, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, Sitaram Kesari, Sonia Gandhi came and left from 24 Akbar Road, but Ahmedbhai remained sincere confident to all his party Chiefs. Interestingly, when then Party President Sitaram Kesari was reluctant to give up the post, Ahmed Patel politely switched over to Sonia camp and remained her trusted lieutenant throughout.

A good fund raiser for Congress, he was also its Treasurer. As political adviser to Sonia, he prevailed upon Madam to forge Congress alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the government in Maharashtra in 1999, in spite of the Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, just then parted ways with his parent party.

Interestingly, again in 2019, Ahmed Patel proved his political skill, convincing his party bigwigs to join Maharashra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), this time accepting Shiv Sena as one of the partners, pushing BJP to wall. It's hard to find a dedicated party leader in present day political era of fence sitters and faction changers. Sonia Gandhi rightly said Ahmed Patel demise is 'irreplaceble' loss to her party.

Govardhan R Jilla, Mumbai

KCR is being brave

The saying that "there are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt" is applicable to the humble attempt of brave KCR at greater things like an anti - BJP front which is a political necessity in Indian democracy today and necessity is the mother of invention ( KCR should set his own house in order first. 26 Nov )

As the Constitution envisages, India is a union of States and federal spirit suggests a strong Centre and equally strong States.

At the same time, India today badly needs a strong opposition which can act as checks and balances to the mighty ruling party which has massive majority.

Against this background , the brain child of KCR to form a front with non BJP parties is good news as it strengthens the secular Democracy in India. Who knows, in the days to come , KCR may play the role of shepherd boy "David" and flatten the mighty warrior "Goliath " with his sling shot.

P H Hema Sagar, Hyderabad

Criminals in politics

The Forum for Good Governance needs to be complimented for releasing the list of 49 candidates belonging to all the parties who have criminal cases pending against them.

This would alert the voters and help them make informed choices. 49 candidates is no small number. The only consolation this time being, is that the number has reduced from 72 last time. The other big consolation is that this number of 49 is less than 10 per cent of the total contestants.

N R Raghuram, Hyderabad

The immortal Maradona

A uniquely gifted footballer with his riveting style, Diego Maradona had the world at his feet. He had a talent unmatched by any other player of his time. In his era he was a player without equal.

With his footballing skills, he held audiences all over the world spellbound. Like the legendary Pele, Maradona was synonymous with football and symbolised the beautiful game.

Incredibly, Maradona began to pick up his skills as a football player in his childhood by repeatedly flicking an orange in the air with both feet and dribbling a rag ball. From humble beginnings as 'a child of the potreros', he became a football icon, a cult figure among football fans and a household name in the 1980s.

The Argentinean player was a sporting legend in his own lifetime. His absolutely superb and scintillating performances produced some of the most magnificent goals ever in the history of football and won him lasting global fame. His gambetas - slaloming glides and dribbles - were a delight to watch.

His agility and ball control were phenomenal and energy was inexhaustible. He was buffeted on the football pitch so much that he had to often take cortisone injections and wear a second pair of shin pads to protect his Achilles tendons.

The goal scored by sleight of hand - the so-called Hand of God – (when he couldn't head it) in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final was perhaps the most talked about goal ever in football history. Then remember that the goal that the soccer superstar scored single-handedly in the same match after four minutes of the controversial goal is hailed to this day as the best goal of all time – 'a product of pure genius'.

Deified for his impossibly superhuman sporting prowess, Maradona did not fit into the traditional mould of a class player; he individuated himself and led a very intense life and his bohemian and unhealthy lifestyle choices took him to a condition where he had to battle drugs and alcohol.

He tested positive for banned substances on several occasions. Nevertheless, the plastic penis and fake bladder that he once used to evade drug testers was displayed in a museum as if it was a holy relic – an amusing anecdote bespeaking his deity-like status.

The immortal Maradona has scaled the peaks of glory and found his place in the pantheon of football's all-time greats. Pele's tribute 'One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky' best sums up Maradona's greatness.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu