History should be wisely used
It is necessary that history is wisely used. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Undoubtedly, we can learn from history and prepare ourselves for the future. Let’s learn from history as it is a neglected subject, which if we know, can help us find our way through the greatest crisis. However, if used at a wrong time to stoke violent sentiments, it can result in disasters. History is like a knife you can use in the kitchen to cut vegetables to kill someone. It is up to us to use it properly.
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Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Sorry state of two libraries
Mapusa Municipality owns and runs a library, named ‘Ataíde Library’. Its shelves contain rich fare of ancient books. It also has a big cupboard housing books belonging to Msgr S R Dalgado. It is quite a long time, maybe two or three years, that it is closed ostensibly for repairs of the building, with the result that readers and researchers are deprived of its use. What is worse, the library being closed, the books, specially the old ones, are deteriorating and may be lost forever. It will be a big loss of our heritage. Being emotionally linked to the library, I have been in contact with the Chief Officer of the Municipality. He has assured me that in no time the renovation of the building is being taken up and hence the library will come to a better life. I believe his words and hope that his good wishes come to fruition soon.
The other library, which is in a sorry situation, is the ‘Dalgado Library’, attached to the Goa Konkani Akademy, Panaji. I find no reason why such a state should befall this library. The GKA has a full-fledged board and office in existence, but its premises themselves are in dire need of repairs. Once, at a function in the GKA, I pointed out with finger at this state and asked why this is happening. The President seems not to have liked my remarks.
Do we need to sit in dharna at the gates of the GKA office and perhaps of the Ataíde Library also, and cry out aloud in tears? This year is the death centenary of Dalgado. Has the GKA thought of doing anything?!
Mousinho de Ataíde, Saligao
Water contamination during rains
It is learnt that in Vasco certain buildings are getting tap-water which emits a foul smell. The water could have been contaminated by sewage water. It is understood that on routine yearly examination of tap water by the health authorities, the sample from tap water of a hotel in the port town was found to be positive for coliform organisms. Hence the water was declared unsuitable for human consumption. The hotel owner has been ordered to stop using the tap water and make alternative arrangements of water. It must be said that if there is a leaking underground water pipeline there is every possibility of the sewage water from a broken sewerage pipeline seeping into the water pipeline. This can prove dangerous for citizens who use the water from the tap either for cooking or drinking. Sewage water from overflowing sewerage chambers mixing with the rainwater on the roads can spread disease to those who come in contact with this water. Hence overflowing sewerage chambers and leaking sewerage pipelines must be considered a health hazard. Cleaning of drains is one of the pre-monsoon activities carried out before the onset of the rains. Along with this it is prudent to clear choked sewerage chambers so that the rainwater does not enter it leading to overflowing of the chambers and also fix any leakage in the sewerage pipeline to prevent contamination of drinking water passing through water pipelines.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Sawarkar can never be compared with Mahatma Gandhi
This is with reference to the letter by Srinivas Kamat titled “The deification of Veer Savarkar” dated 20th July 2022. I fully agree with the views of the gentleman over the same in-detailed discussed topic.
Well, Savarkar has indeed played absolutely no positive role during India’s freedom struggle movement. In fact, Savarkar used to work as a loyal stooge for the British government after his release from Kala Pani jail and was even rewarded with a fat pension by the same colonial masters for doing so. He’s the one who created Hindu-Muslim rift by demanding Hindu Rashtra first, and consequently Muslim League justified its theory of two nation and later went on to successfully partition this country on that same basis. Sawarkar was also suspected of being directly involved in planning to kill Mahatma Gandhi for continuously harping on Hindu-Muslim unity throughout his life and whose close follower Nathu Ram Godse successfully assassinated later instead of killing Jinnah. I therefore feel that a main architect of divisive ‘Hindutva’ politics who was solely responsible for creating a Hindu-Muslim rift during the later part of India’s freedom struggle movement and partitioning this country based on religion along with his friend Jinnah should never be compared with a great soul like Gandhi and never be called as a patriot in India.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Minority status, tread cautiously
The Supreme Court’s observation that it is a settled position in law that religious and linguistic minority status is to be decided state-wise may be legally contested down the line. The Centre says it has the power to notify minorities but is mum over the fact whether the states shall be taken into confidence and their concurrence obtained. If the SC’s observation becomes a codified statute it might solve one set of questions but would give rise to many others. Under the National Minorities Commission Act, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains have been notified nationally as minority communities but in a few states in the North and North East some of these sects constitute the majority. Nearly every state in India has linguistic minorities and with minority status conferring significant autonomy in administering educational institutions this becomes a touchy issue. This reinforces the premise that states can be left to decide the minority question for themselves, but even if the states are empowered to decide this the anomalies can’t be wished away. First, there may be contested state-wide differences, as there are in the reservation policy. For instance not every community classified as OBC, SC or ST in one state may be recognized as such in another state; should centrally identified minorities lose their status in states where they are in a majority? It is to be understood that even implementation of minority status at a more granular state level won’t help much, these extremely sensitive issues need to be thought through with all stakeholders on board and microscopically examined before finalization else they would morph into another flashpoint in Centre- State relations which in the present context are already super-volatile.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
SC’s protection godsend for Nupur Sharma
The Supreme Court ordered no coercive action, including arrest, be taken against Nupur Sharma in any FIRs over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad. The top court also protected Sharma from coercive action till the next hearing on August 10 in any complaints or FIRs that may be registered on similar charges. According to her counsel, she faced a genuine threat to life and liberty. The SC’s protection must come as a godsend for Ms Sharma.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
