MyVoice: Views of our readers 4th April 2023

Put end to drug menace with all might

The news updates on drugs and its abuse keep hovering once in a few days. The article published in Hans India gives a vivid content- knowledge on how these psychotropic substances make their way into India and causing huge toll on the lives of many people especially youngsters. The article does mention few unknown words to most of the people which are dark web activity, golden crescent and golden triangle. India is seen grappling with the abuse of these narcotic drugs as there is no proper means to completely curb its movement within the country. The police, NCB, other designated officials who are made responsible not to make the peddlers go scot-free are unable to justify the menace caused by those substances. Stringent laws, too, lose their shine when it comes to its proper enforcement on legal grounds. To protect our country and its young people, India should have a special court which wholly and solely functions for punishing the peddlers and buyers. It should be able to override all other judicial bodies or acts with respect to drugs etc.

Madhulika N, Hyderabad

Oppn should take up people's issues

Congress and other like-minded parties focus on issues on Modi-Adani case, Modi's academic qualifications and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP. Still, there are high intellectuals in all parties who are well-versed in practising how to turn the people to their side. Put them in political market and it will surely yield what is needed. Most important elements connected to the most voters are: reduction of high taxes, unemployment, free medical aid, cooking gas and motor spirit rates, housing for poor, pay revisions on time, payment of pensions, hiking of minimum to EPS-95 pensioners, restoration of rail concessions, and so on. First litmus test for a united fight by the opposition is ahead in Karnataka Assembly polls.

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

PM suffers from persecution complex?

PM Narendra Modi's recent claims that some people had given out a "Supari" (contract) to defame him and repeated assertions that opposition is trying to dig his grave are not worth the dignity of his post. The choice of language is unbecoming of PM's post. Now, a question arises who in the opposition is daring enough to take Modi's "Supari" and dig his political grave. Instead of talking about development and achievements during his regime, why is Modi playing the victim card? and how long he will play the victim card? It sounds so juvenile to whine every now and then that somebody or the other is out to malign him. It seems to be a serious case of persecution complex. The person who is in the power cannot play the victim card frequently.

Zeeshaan, Kazipet

Weaponising festivals a worrying trend

It is a matter of deep concern that festivals are being weaponised to attack other religions. Processions have become like a battlefield where the participants are armed to take care of any eventuality. The police are often called in to see that no untoward incident takes place. In spite of all this there have been disturbances in Bihar, Bengal and Maharashtra resulting in communal clashes. Sometimes provocative slogans are deliberately raised to annoy other groups. Every time, two festivals of different religions come at the same time, there is considerable tension in some areas. The SC has already made some strong remarks about mixing of religion and politics. GB Shaw had rightly said that a man would do anything for his religion. He would fight for it, kill for it and even die for it, but one thing he will never do is live it.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Durani played for love of game

First and only Afghanistan-born cricketer to play test cricket for India and will forever remain "Prince Salim" of Indian cricket is no more. He died at a ripe age of 88 and lived to remain a mark as "Ask for a six man" and so was the darling of the crowd. A Flamboyant cricketer, Salim Aziz Durani was awarded the C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI in 2011. He was the first cricketer to win the prestigious Arjuna Award in 1960. He acted in Bollywood film 'Charitra' with Praveen Babi as the heroine. Durani played 29 Tests for India and took 75 wickets, with the best bowling figure of 10 for 177. With the bat in hand, he scored 1,202 runs with the highest score of 104 against West Indies. The former all-rounder was famous for his heroic performance in India's series victory against England in 1961-62. Cricket fraternity lost out a dashing cricketer. Durani will forever remain as "Shahzada Salim."

C K Subramaniam, Mumbai