This is regarding my last middle published on 4 May entiled 'The
Lord and Dal Fry'.
The manner the article was edited has placed me in an embarrassing
situation. It has been presented in such a way that it seems that I went to a friend’s house, availed of his hospitality and then wrote a satire on it..
The entire para where I have written "celebrities are also humans,
with their own eccentricities, just like any of us" has been deleted,
putting me in such an embarrassing situation regarding Lord Meghnad
and people who know him.
Sajla Chawla
Riders with scarves
This refers to Samson Fernandes’ letter “Lady riders with scarves”(Herald, April 30, 2012). Firstly, riders when wearing “helmet” are also difficult to identify, so scarves should not have any issue.
Secondly, every bike has a registration number, so people please make a practice to note the registration number of suspicious riders. Thirdly, terrorist don’t use ladies’ bikes.
Wearing scarves is a healthy step of conscious people and it must be appreciated. It protects allergic people from dusty environment and also from faceburns....,
Patrick Pinto, by email
II
I would like to point out to the fact that if the lady was wearing a helmet instead of a scarf, then also she would have been able to escape without being identified. So does this imply that the government should ban helmets?
Raisha Fernandes, by email
III
Now-a- days, most women prefer to wear jacket, gloves and cover their faces with scarves while riding two wheelers obviously to protect themselves from sun damage and pollution.
Although there are various brands of sunscreens available in the market, they are not as efficient as they claim to be. Is it a crime to protect our skin from damage of the scorching May sun? Everybody cannot afford the comfort and luxuries of travelling in a car. Unfortunately using an umbrella while riding a bike is not a good idea.
Using a pollution mask is definitely a good idea, for people worried about pollution. Pollution does not only affect our breathing, but also damages skin and hair. Pollution mask does not cover hair. Wearing such kind of masks still hides people’s identity, thus making people unidentifiable.
I belong to the group of thousands of lady riders who prefer using scarves and helmets. To my best of knowledge, India is still a democratic country. The term ‘Human Right’ is surely not new to us. Stopping or bringing a ban on using scarves to cover one’s face will be denying people their right towards health and safety. We should also not forget that certain religious groups prefer to cover their faces with scarves or hijabs.
It is a shame to know that even in the 21st century, the society is very much patriarchal in nature. There have been numerous incidents reported of men wearing helmets and snatching mangalsutra and gold chains. Does this mean we should ban men wearing helmets? So, why some gentlemen are targeting the females who want to protect themselves? It is nobody’s concern or business to keep a check with whom others wives or daughters are roaming. If some people are paranoid, they should get help! Or, find some better source of entertainment than gossip. Terrorism is a rising social issue. It does not have religion or gender.
Do terrorist need to cover their faces to carry out an attack? Terrorism needs to stop. Will bringing a ban on wearing scarves while riding stop terrorism? All vehicles have a registration number. If the riders (with or without scarves )are not responsible and not human enough to help the accident victim then the registration number should be used to track down people or vehicles involved in hit and run cases. I strongly believe that there should not be a ban brought against covering faces with scarves.
Nikita Poriemcar, by email
RP2001
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is following all the plans of Digambar Kamat: Mopa and RP2021. I think Kamat said that if RP 2021 is not wanted , then RP 2008 would be activated. Parrikar will renotify RP2001. This is what Kamat would approve of. Where is the change then? From RP2021 to RP2001?
If RP2001 will be used, it is all right if experienced people are involved in planning it.
John Razana, USA
Flyover at Mapusa
The Tar-Mapusa-Bastora junction
connecting NH-17 has become an accident prone zone, as it is used by thousands of light/heavy vehicular movement from morning till late night. The one or two inexperienced home guards sometimes posted on either side of the NH 17 have a tough time controlling traffic at this spot. They leave the spot by 6 pm and then, there is nobody to control the traffic during peak hours, specially when Mumbai-bound buses/lorries and tourists leave the state. On Sundays and holidays, there is nobody to control traffic, but is left to the vehicular movement to man themselves or die in an accident.
At this sensitive zone, many people have been killed under speeding Mumbai-bound buses/lorries. Some escapees are left with injuries. Neither the previous Congress government nor the city fathers of Mapusa did give any serious thought to build safety for the people. Now, CM Parrikar, Dy CM D’Souza and Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo, a businessman, all are saffron and residents of Mapusa. They should combine their thought on this sensitive issue and take priority to build a flyover bridge in the interest of public safety.
Babluis Pereira, Pomburpa
Growth rate
People oppose RP2001 for the wrong reasons. They say that builders can build on 80% of the plots. Or that the building lobby gave the BJP largesses. True, but the building lobby also gave the previous Party largesses. This did not insure Kamat’s success. Parrikar should remember that.
People don’t realise why Parrikar is insistent on RP2001. It’s because he wants a 15% growth. That won’t win him the elections later as a 15% growth means more migrants and inflation. Yes Inflation. This is happening all over Europe and USA.
If people don’t want RP2001, then oppose the inflation producing goal of 15% growth.
