Vote conscientiously
The elections to the 18th Lok Sabha is currently underway in different parts of the country. India is considered to be the most important and powerful democracy in the world and this process is followed closely by almost every nation, mainly because it is the most diverse and complex exercise and has multiple parties involved to elect a representative to the Parliament.
Till now, this is how a democratically-elected government gets to rule our nation. But, there is a clear feeling of uneasiness and doubt, especially among the lower and middle class electorate, which also includes the minorities and the farmers, that the present dispensation is planning to bring about a radical change in the Constitution and also importantly in the way these elections will be fought in the near future, which I feel looks highly likely to happen, considering the power and financial clout that the present dispensation possesses.
In order to be called the most important and successful democratic country in the world, we will have to cast our vote conscientiously, so as not to allow this to happen. Therefore let us assess the situation that our nation is going to face in the future and let us vote wisely and without fear. Let us remind ourselves that whoever we choose to cast our vote for, will discharge his/her duties conscientiously in building a secular and democratic country, in which all sections of the society irrespective of caste or creed will live without fear and be able to receive all privileges as citizen of this country.
Aloysius D’Souza, Mapusa
PM still silent on Manipur atrocities
Narendra Modi is a very well educated and vocal Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy and although he gives interviews only to his favourite journalists, he gives his intelligent views on science, space, history, geography and many other subjects.
What is amazing is why PM is still silent on the atrocities in Manipur and also on the sexual crimes by his alliance partner in Karnataka? Will the PM respond?
Matias Lobo, Tivim
Digitisation of temple donation
Striking yet again within two months, burglars reportedly sneaked into the Shri Dev Bodgeshwar Temple in Mapusa in the wee hours of Monday, tied a security guard to a chair and decamped with more than Rs 10 lakh in cash from two donation boxes.
It is pertinent to note that in the recent past, several theft cases have been reported in the State wherein temples have been targeted by burglars and cash from the donation boxes have been stolen.
Since the security guard at the Mapusa Temple was attacked, it appears that the presence of security personnel does not act as deterrence to such burglaries. It is also pertinent to note that several temples across the country have resorted to digital payment of donations and through internet banking.
Having the age-old custom of placing donation boxes for the devotees to drop their offerings is an open invitation for burglars. This tradition needs to be replaced by digital payment apps integrated into point-of-sale (PoS) terminals and QR payment options.
Of late, digital payment has seen a huge surge in Ayodhya where QR payment mode has seen a meteoric rise. This blends spirituality with digital convenience. Digitisation of payment of donations will go a long way in preventing theft at the temples in Goa which is being carried out by breaking open the donation boxes.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Need to review UAPA
Amartya Sen rightly said, “Under British rule, Indians were often arrested and imprisoned without trial, and some were kept in prison for a long time…As a young man, I had hoped that as India became independent, this unjust system, in use in colonial India, would stop. This has not, alas, happened, and the unsupportable practice of arresting and keeping the accused human beings in prison without trying them has continued in free and democratic India.”
Citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau, the People’s Union of Civil Liberties in its draft report pointed out that of 8,371 persons arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) between 2015 and 2020, only 235 were convicted.
The high rate of acquittal (97.2%) showed that prosecution under the UAPA did not have merit in the huge majority of cases.
Indeed, the data that of 8371 persons arrested under the UAPA between 2015 and 2020, only 2.8 per cent were convicted, which raises serious questions about whether this law should be pursued in an independent democratic country.
A democracy cannot survive without dissent and free speech. It needs to be reviewed whether the UAPA tends to erase lines of demarcation between political dissent and criminal activity.
Sujit De, Kolkata
‘RDX’ a forbidden delicacy
The indulgence of wild boar meat consumption in Goa known as ‘RDX’ is a forbidden delicacy.
Over the last six weeks, while in Europe, I have witnessed this meat being openly sold and have had the opportunity to savour this and other delicacies like quail, frog legs and rabbit.
Maybe our Goa should take a cue from the West in legalising the forbidden delicacy by way of controlled and seasonal licensed hunting, encouraging breeding and thus not leading the animals to be endangered or extinct.
This is in no way being critical of people’s food preferences, be it vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian, which is a lifestyle choice.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
