THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Assault on democratic process
The current great fiasco in the delimitation and reservation of Municipal wards across Goa, including that of the Corporation of the City of Panaji, amounts to an absolute fraud on the democratic process and the rule of law. It is an absolute daunting mockery of the electoral process. All this does not augur well with the State Election Commission having abdicated its bounden responsibility and its autonomy gone for a toss.
The admission by the government that there is no set procedure and guidelines while undertaking the process of delimitation and reservation of wards is very disturbing and alarming. The only inference that can be drawn is that everything done was politically manipulated. All this is totally unacceptable and must be strongly condemned. This delimitation and reservations of wards was done for the contentment and pleasure of those in power.
Those involved in these blatant illegalities must be ruthlessly punished for this planned assault on the democratic process that ought to have been done through a laid down very transparent process and strictly in accordance with law.
It is imperative that the proper rules and guidelines must be immediately framed and this delimitation and reservation process will have to be properly done all over again by firmly following the law and with no political intervention whatsoever. Only after all this is done the elections to the Municipal Councils and the CCP must be conducted.
Moving the goal posts to win at all costs, by hook or by crook by disrespecting the rule of law is a highhanded act of battering democracy and the will of the people.
Aires Rodrigues,
Ribandar
The English debacle at Motera
Cricket has been shamed no doubt at Motera, maybe because the stadium was re-named after Modi (sic!). Pitches should be balanced and sporting to prosper the game. If Test matches get finished in 2-3 days as is happening these days, the most at loss are the spectators. On the one hand cricket administrators want more people to come to the stadiums and they have matches finish within 3 days! The spectators will no longer then buy season tickets. Matches need to go till the 4th if not the 5th day.
However, we have to look at the other side of the coin. First, there is the aspect of home advantage.
When we go abroad to England and Australia, we are made to hop and dance to chin music on their fast, grassy and bouncy tracks. Made to do the salsa and tango, here at least we are making them dance the slow waltz. There are no injuries to factor in here. Otherwise in the recently completed series in Australia, we have had Pujara and Vihari bodily attacked with Shami and Jadeja having to drop out with fractures. The Aussies were playing a tactical game from Melbourne to ground our best players. The pace bowling was reminiscent of the Bodyline Era which was being condoned because of the protective gear that is used by the batsmen now. So if we make our tracks spin friendly there is nothing wrong.
But both in Chennai and in Motera we overdid it. After the 1st Test in Chennai, the BCCI sacked the Curator for not preparing a pitch friendly to our spinners and for the 2nd Test there, the local groundsman was asked to lay out a dusty track and the India team management helped out, it is said. Thus at Motera, it was natural for Narendra Modi's maali (!)to prepare the track. Therefore the match got over in 2 days.
They used to say that the Indian batsmen need to learn how to play swing and pace. By the same code do not the English and other foreign batsmen know how to play spin?
But I am not complaining. Winning is a good feeling. A few lessons to the English team and future touring teams to India.
Srinivas Kamat,
Alto St Cruz
Coordinate action to reduce fuel taxes
The price of petrol and diesel has skyrocketed. In some States the price of petrol has touched the Rs 100 mark. As if to add salt to injury, the common man has also to suffer due to the rise in price of LPG. It must be said that the rise of prices of fuel has a direct impact on the price of essential commodities as the cost of transportation increases. All this price rise coming during the pandemic when joblessness and fall in business activities is affecting the lives of the citizens.
It is learnt that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said that there is a need for coordinated action between the centre and the State governments in order to reduce taxes on petrol and diesel as there are inherent taxes levied by both the governments. It is true that the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has put revenue pressure on both the Central and State governments. Hence it is necessary to hold discussion on how best to deal with the situation.
It must be said that on days before the State elections, political leaders at the Centre and the State go into overdrive on how to fight the State elections. The Central and State government needs to show the same enthusiasm in formulating a coordinated action to reduce the taxes on fuel.
Adelmo Fernandes,
Vasco
Decision on private banks welcome
The Centre’s decision to lift the embargo on granting government-related business to private banks is a welcome move. Till now, public-sector banks and select private banks such as Axis Bank handled government banking transactions. The decision paves the way for the private sector to participate in government-related banking transactions running into crores of rupees besides creating fair competition.
NJ Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
