The long arm of the law, getting longer
The long arm of the law seems to have just got longer. The hanging of the four convicted men in the horrific Dec 16, 2012 rape and murder case in Delhi, looks set to be delayed. While the hanging is for sure, the Jan 22 date is not. One of the convicts has appealed to the president for mercy. Should the president reject the mercy petition, the law requires that the hanging can take place only after 14 days thereafter. These dilatory tactics are diluting the deterrent value of capital punishment.
The law must be changed so that there is a set time frame for appealing to a higher court and to the president and the final hanging. Curiously as per the existing law the other three convicts cannot be hanged on Jan 22 as all convicts in the same case must be hanged together!
Robert Castellino, Mumbai
Promote all-round tourism in Goa
Kite lovers in the State were in for a major disappointment as the sixth edition of the two-day Goa International Kite Festival scheduled to take place at Miramar beach on January 16 and 17 was reportedly cancelled after organisers claimed that the Goa Tourism was unwilling to provide free facilities and logistics for the event.
It must be said that in the past the Goa International Kite Festival attracted tourists of all ages, especially children, as well as participants from across the globe.
The festival was growing into a major tourist attraction. The sole purpose of the event was to enhance tourism opportunities. It is indeed a sorry state of affairs that the Goa government promotes the EDM festival in the state but not a clean event like the Goa International Kite Festival.
The festival may not bring in a sizeable profit to the government like the EDM festival. But then, profit-making should not be the sole aim of the Tourism Department. We need to promote all types of tourism related events. It is understood that the festival will take place at Belagavi as scheduled on January 18 and 19. This could be one of the reasons for Goa losing tourists to other States. These States are attracting more tourists as they promote all-round tourism.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Day to remember
our Goan heroes
Goa Opinion Poll Day — January 16, 1967 — 53 years back was when Goans joined hands to save their Goa. The Opinion Poll decided not to join Goa with Maharashtra.
Our Goans voted against merging Goa with Maharashtra and chose to remain a union territory. Goa is the smallest state of India and the local mother tongue language is Konkani.
We salute Goan heroes including Dr Jack Sequeira. A tribute to every Goan who fought to give us our beautiful Goa.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
Kerala becomes ideal
Kerala became the first State to join citizens across country to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, which fast tracks grant of citizenship on basis of the religion.
Many CMs opposed CAA and NRC but only orally. I want to say that if they really wish to resist it, they must stay on it by using State power and move to court as Kerala government did. Only opposing it orally is just an illusion.
Mahmudul Hasan, Gorakhpur
Govt should ban
bull taming in India
Jallikattu is a bull taming sport practised for years in the State of Tamil Nadu. The sport is also known as Eruthazhuvuthal or Manju virattu in Tamil. It is also conducted in several parts of other States in different names too. The Jallikattu is actually practised as a Tamil tradition during the celebration of Pongal. In Jallikattu, the bulls are not harmed or killed by any means.
Usually, the event marks the taming of bulls. The tamed weak bulls are used for agricultural purposes, while the untamable strong bulls are used for breeding. This is how this Jallikattu tradition in Indian villages preserved the ecosystem.
In my opinion, this sport should not be banned.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
