Locals should report roadside cooking
by tourists
It is learnt that the government has directed the police to take strict action against tourists who carry gas stoves and LP cylinders to cook food by the roadside, a practice which is tarnishing Goa’s image as a tourism destination.
All tourist vehicles will reportedly be thoroughly checked at Goa’s borders and gas stoves and cylinders found in their possession will be seized. It seems necessary to extend this ban to stoves and carrying kerosene in cans. Even then, low-budget domestic tourists could be using firewood for cooking by the roadside. With trees being cut for road-widening, firewood, dry twigs and dry leaves that can be used for cooking will never be in short supply. Police should also seize cooking vessels used for cooking from tourist vehicles. It is learnt that tourists can rent out a place to cook and eat. Will gas stoves and gas cylinders be provided to the tourists to carry out the cooking at such rented places.
These tourists do not want to spend on hotel accommodation and having meals in the restaurants. The only thing they buy in Goa could be liquor bottles. They either sleep in the vehicles or on top of it. Some even sleep on the beach sand, in the parks and open fields. They then leave behind all the garbage for the local authorities to clear. The police force may not be sufficient to act against roadside cooking. It is left to the locals to act against roadside cooking by tourists by being vigilant and reporting the same at the local police station.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Waqf Bill just
the beginning
The Waqf Bill which has just been bulldozed into becoming a law is another archetypal move to throttle the rights of India's largest minority. Devoid of even the slightest semblance of logic, this is another authoritarian exercise in showing the community 'its true place' in the scheme of things which is zilch, zero, nada.
What was once an attack on the individual has now morphed into a metaphorical mob lynching of the entire community. The BJP's machinations are proving Jinnah and Churchill right every day, day after day. The germane question is, what are the right thinking Indians (another minority) doing about it ? Are we outraged enough to voice our anger and speak truth to power ?
If we think that the treatment which is being meted out to Muslims today won't be doled out to Christians, Sikhs and the marginalised amongst the Hindu community tomorrow then there can be no bigger fools than us. Do the socially advantaged across all communities think they can keep watching from the periphery with nary a concern ?
Make no mistake, they are coming after all of us. Martin Niemoller enunciated the silent complicity of the intellectual class and clergy which enabled the rise of the Nazis thus, "First they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist, then they came for the Jews but I did not speak out because I was not a Jew, then they came for the Catholics but I did not speak out because I was a Protestant ; then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me." It takes just an iota of common-sense to understand that.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Trump‘s tariffs remind of Nixon‘s shock
In 1971, Republican President Richard Nixon stunned the world by severing the US dollar’s link to gold, dismantling the Bretton Woods system and reordering the global financial landscape. Over five decades later, another Republican, Donald Trump, unleashed a different kind of economic tremor: protectionist reciprocal tariffs aimed at redrawing trade balances in America’s favour.
The similarities are striking — both men made unilateral moves that disrupted established systems. But the world of 2025 is not the world of 1971. Then, the US was the undisputed economic hegemon. The dollar reigned supreme, China was a non-factor, and global trade was US-centric. Today, China leads global trade, the world is multipolar, and America's dominance is contested on all fronts — from AI to rare earth.
Nixon’s shock reset the rules. Trump’s actions may undermine them — and US leadership with it. As the US steps back from multi-lateralism, others are stepping in. New alliances, alternative currencies, and regional trade blocs are re-configuring the global order.
If 1971 was about asserting hegemony, 2025 may mark the moment hegemony slips away— not with a bang, but with a tariff. The world is no longer waiting for the U.S. to lead. In fact, it may be preparing to move on.
Gopalaswamy J, Chennai
Manoj Kumar,
a true legend
In the demise of actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor Manoj Kumar Indian cinema has lost one of the finest actor and most successful film makers who redefined the art of film making with a speciality of its own.
Born as Harikrishna Giri Goswami changed his name to Manoj Kumar inspired by a character assayed by his favourite hero Dilip Kumar.
His commitment and dedication to movie making makes him one of the greatest Indian actor cum film maker of all times. He was also one of the most successful film makers in Indian cinema. He was particularly known for acting and making films with Patriotism and nationalism as the main themes. His films 'Shaheed',
'Purab Aur Paschim', 'Upkaar', 'Roti Kapda Aur Makaan', 'Kranti' are cinematic masterpieces that have made it's way into the Indian cinema hall of fame . Apart from patriotic movies, he also showcased his excellent acting mettle in hit movies like Woh kaun thi?, Himalay ki God mein, Gumnaam, Shor, Dus Numbari, Pathar ke sanam, Shor and Sanyasi to name a few.
His ability to balance romance, drama, and social messages makes him a legend.
Songs played an important role in his movies and most of them are evergreen numbers that have passed from generation to generation without fading. Manoj Kumar's contribution to Indian cinema earned him a National Film Award, Padma Shri in 1992 and in 2015, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He instilled a sense of love and pride for the country through his films.
M Pradyu, Kannur
Gone but will never
be forgotten
As we mourn the sad demise of filmmaker and actor, Manoj Kumar, who expired on April 4, who is always be remembered as Bharat Kumar for patriotic movies, he gave the film industry and his movies moved people into patriotism. We always pray for the repose of his soul and may his soul Rest in Peace.
Cajetan Peter D'Souza, Mumbai