Violent behaviour unacceptable
A motorist from Mapusa has reportedly been booked for threatening a Mapusa Traffic Police Inspector and obstructing him from carrying out his duty at Peddem junction on Monday. The alleged accused was stopped for not wearing a seat belt and asked to produce his driving licence. He reportedly argued with the officers, refused to provide the licence and threatened the inspector thereby obstructing the officer in carrying out his duties. The video has since gone viral. Be that as it may, there have been several incidents in the recent past of vehicular drivers picking up fights with the traffic police and even threatening them of dire consequences.
There is a strong possibility of violators of traffic rules having political connections which emboldens them. It is observed that not only tourists are involved in such incidents but also Goan road users. According to Section 186 of IPC, whoever voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both. There should be zero tolerance towards threats to traffic cops. Unlike in other countries there seems to be no fear of the law enforcing agency in the state. This could result in complete breakdown in law-and-order in the state.
The body-cam worn by traffic cops can come in handy as proof of the violent behavior of the motorist.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Social justice gaps
need to be bridged
Though the world has tremendously taken off in all spheres of life, there are some races, classes and religions who feel deprived of equal chances to education, healthcare and employment among others. Social justice aims at correcting this and a robust social justice system encompasses social integration, equal employment opportunities and poverty eradication.
Nations around the world are interlinked socially and economically. Social development and social justice are indispensable to each other and are crucial for fostering peace and security among the nations. On the corollary, social justice and social development cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security or in the absence of human rights.
"Empowering inclusion: Bridging gaps for social justice" global coalition for social justice" is a natural theme for the World Social Justice Day on February 20. Global prosperity has a big stumbling block: injustice and insecurity faced by sections of the society.
Inclusive governments bat for social justice and, consequently, national progress. Institutional reforms and better labour market outcomes are offshoots of effective governance.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
AI could wipe out
50% of jobs soon
Sophisticated AI solutions that is likely to emerge due to competition say at the moment between OpenAI and DEEPSEEK which are locked in a fierce battle for supremacy through competitive pricing could in a few years sound the death knell for the employment sector that is already a cause for concern and which is likely to replace the availability of youth due to the population decrease in China, South Korea and Japan where the birth rates are plummeting.
So vast is the availability of the volume of data in almost all the fields that with the advent of mathematical models, the permutations and combinations of various calibrated versions could lead to almost unlimited choices that would be available in all fields especially science, technology, engineering, banking and information technology. With the astronomical development which is without borders, research work could be done by AI in several fields which could be faster and better if the data fed into the systems are of the most advanced quality that could beat the capacity of the human brain to be able to keep pace with. Unending possibilities are in the offing and sophisticated controls should be devised so as to prevent rogue elements from exploiting the situation.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Centre, TN embroiled
on 'language war'
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's comments that central funds for Education will not be released for Tamil Nadu unless the state government agreed to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) including the three language policy exhibit not only the arrogance but also the crude and blatant arm-twisting tactics of the autocratic BJP-ruled government at the centre.
It is heartening that all the opposition leaders except those from the saffron party and G K Vasan of the Tamil Manila Congress, have opposed this black mailing of the union government and their intention to impose the RSS ideologies through the NEP and Hindi on non-Hindi speaking people. While none of the Hindi speaking states learn any other language and not even one such state learns Tamil, why should the BJP government impose Hindi on us?
Having failed to make non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu accept imposition of Hindi, the central government is trying to enforce the same dictatorially by refusing to allot funds rightfully due to the state. The central government has no right to deny the eligible funds linking it to accepting new policies floated by them like the NEP with ulterior motive. Their move should be opposed tooth and nail by all the people of the state and defeat the language - chauvinism of the imposters.
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
Passenger safety needs
to be prioritised
The recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which tragically claimed the lives of 18 people and injured many more, serves as a grim reminder of the pressing need for Indian Railways to prioritise passenger safety.
While the incident occurred due to a sudden surge of passengers heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela, it highlights systemic issues that must be addressed to prevent future tragedies. This surge in passenger volume overwhelmed the existing infrastructure and crowd management systems. The railway authorities appeared ill-prepared to handle the massive influx of passengers.
There was a lack of adequate crowd control measures, such as proper barricading, clear signage, and sufficient personnel to guide and manage the crowd. The New Delhi Railway Station stampede offers several crucial lessons for Indian Railways, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive overhaul of passenger safety protocols and infrastructure. An independent safety regulator should be established to oversee safety protocols and ensure accountability. This regulator should have the authority to investigate accidents, conduct audits, and impose penalties for safety violations.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai