MyVoice: Views of our readers 4th April 2022

Nip anti-national gestures in the bud

The Allahabad High Court, while granting bail to three Kashmiri students for allegedly hailing the Pakistani cricketers' victory over India in a T20 cricket match, observed that "The unity of India is not made of bamboo reeds which will bend to the passing winds of empty slogans." This reminds me of a bedtime story. In a family, a child one day stole a few bundles of fenugreek leaves from a vegetable vendor. The mother, instead of chiding him, retained them. The second day also, he indulged in a big robbery. His mother accepted the booty and again condoned his stealing. This went on for some time until he was caught and handed over to the police. It is then his mother repented: "I should have warned him on the first day of stealing fenugreek leaves. Had I admonished him on the day one against his unlawful act, things would not have come to this pass." This is all to drive home the point that anti-national sentiments in the name of eulogising our enemy country should be nipped in the bud forthwith in the larger national interests.

Seshagiri Row Karry, Hyderabad

A novel experiment in Raipur

I would like to compliment the Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) to make dustbin compulsory in cars in Raipur. I think it should be extended to both two/three-wheelers. In fact, it was long overdue and I don't know why auto-makers have not thought of making provision for trash in the appropriate place. When they can provide fancy gadgets, why not a small trash bin. Recently the government has made six airbags for cars and it can include trash bin as well. How far the so-called elites who have no problem throwing trash on the roads make use of trash bin and clear it at appropriate place outside or at home, but RMC has made a good beginning.

N Rajagopalan, Secunderabad

Parents must respect will of wards

It is unfortunate that the Chhattisgarh HC has chosen to endorse the view that getting a daughter married is a duty of the parents by passing a judgement that the daughter is entitled to marriage expenses. An unmarried daughter is regarded as a burden to the parents and snide remarks are made against her marital status. Little wonder then that parents are usually desperate to get them married. The cultural values of 'paraya dhan' has been embedded in our psyche and needs to be slowly peeled off. Parents are more than likely to squander all their savings and even borrow to bear the expenses of weddings. This leaves them with little to survive on in their sunset years. It is high time parents leave the decision of marriage to their children instead of pestering them to get married. Interfering in their choices has led to numerous tragedies. If young men can decide who is going to govern them, they surely have a right to decide the choice of partners or the choosing not to have a partner at all.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Ridiculous state of affairs

It is something more than an act of cruelty and denial of right to education that the state government in Kerala known for highest rate of literacy is closing down multi-grade learning centres and thereby turning 344 teachers into sweepers and making students deserted and desperate. At the same time, the government is opening bars in technoparks and liquor outlets everywhere. What a painful irony!

E Sethuramalingam, Kollam

No alternative to saffron politics for now

As of now, there seems to be no significant threat to BJP which is equally lucky in spite of playing with the lives of common man who is being battered daily through hike of fuel prices and the cascading rise in cost of living. BJP knows pretty well when to beat and when to apply balm on its trusted voters. It is fortunate to successfully wade through the international uncertainties and adept enough to en cash such situations domestically. It has the uncanny nature of diverting the gullible people towards Pakistan, Ukraine, Russia, US and China and make the people in India feel comfortable after seeing the plight of Sri Lankans. Kashmir is always handy for it to highlight the fear of terrorists 24x7. In light of all this, the BJP is able to show hope to the people of India while allowing the media to go ahead with its blitzkrieg in the name of liberal democracy which is not really so, the way Ayyub Rana was barred from leaving India to cite an example. So, make hay while the sun shines is the dictum of all parties in our so called majoritarian democracy.

D Nagarjuna, Hyderabad