Give back children their childhood
My heart bleeds for the four-year-old boy who is killed by his own mother Suchana Seth in a hotel in Candolim due to marital discord in the family. One cannot imagine what the child must have gone through when seeing his own mother killing him. No child ever should go through this ordeal again.
This is a wakeup call to similar couples who are fighting fierce divorce cases along with custody of their children due to slight differences and misunderstanding in their marriage life. Nowadays, everyone wants equality and nobody wants to humble oneself with one’s partner. The main problem is ‘ego’. One only sees self-interest. All selfishness. The fight goes on and on and in some cases till lifetime. Ultimately, the children suffer mentally and physically too. They lose their childhood in the bargain. There is a saying in Konkani ‘Redea-padyeachea zongeak lagun zhadacher yeta kau’. Children want both their parents when they are growing up.
I humbly request such couples, when you have children please shed your ego and unite once again. Even if your case is dragging in the court for years because of your stubbornness, withdraw it amicably for the sake of your children. What God had joined together let no one separate it.
Jerry Fernandes, Vanxim
SC verdict is a hard slap on BJP govt
The Supreme Court’s historic verdict, quashing the order of an en masse remission of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case, is a hard slap on the face of the BJP-led Gujarat government, which acted in tandem with the prisoners and ‘facilitated’ their release in August 2022, totally bending the law.
It is all the more outrageous and shameful that a BJP MLA in Gujarat brought in the caste-elitism in defence of the release of these criminals! Bafflingly, the eleven convicts walked free on the day of India’s 75th independence just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rhetoric from the ramparts of the Red Fort on upholding women’s rights, dignity and celebrating women power – a total antithesis to the release of the criminals! The verdict exemplifies how the SC, through its judgment, shapes the legal landscape, reiterating the primacy of justice and the rule of law. The judgment reflects the SC’s dedication to ensuring that justice is dispensed with fairness, transparency, and allegiance to constitutional values.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Solve dual nationality issue once and for alI
After listening to a number of voices on citizenship issue of Goan natives, I would like to share some aspects on the same subject as India has two types of citizens.
The lately accommodated natives of Goa who already had Portuguese nationality and other people of all states of India excluding Goa and French provinces who never possessed any other citizenship.
If this distinction is drawn then the matter of dual citizenship becomes easy to understand and solve. If it is generalized then it becomes complicated and difficult.
Primarily, isolate this issue of Goans alone and still to further narrow it down the dual citizenship affair alone with it just only one country namely Portugal. The erstwhile rulers.
The Republic of India after invasion offered their Citizenship/Nationality to these people who were already having Portuguese citizenship. Can the Indian government erase their original citizenship of generations? And who are still governed by Portuguese civil code?
Why the privileges of these dual citizenships bestowed by the Divine Providence should be snatched away from Goans and which cannot be availed by any other Indian citizens? There is no offence committed under any act by the Goans who seek to avail this facility.
The agreement between France and India satisfactorily settled the issue for them now is the right time for us to solve this matter instead of begging for amnesty solutions of granting OCI etc. We should stand united and retain what is bestowed on us instead of filing cases and involving in mud-slinging on fellow Goans on this issue like pot calling the kettle black.
Granting of dual citizenship to Goan Indians with Portugal will be a pilot project for further implementation for all citizens of India with other friendly countries.
Alexandre Alvares, Navelim
Beggars need to be rehabilitated
The beggar menace that’s haunting certain areas across Goa, including Fatorda is extremely disheartening. Some foreign tourists seem to be a beacon of hope for these beggars in Goa.
Henceforth they run after the foreign tourists for some alms. Probably, this could be one of the reasons that these beggars come to Goa from other neighbouring states. No doubt, by encountering such type of pathetic scenes of beggars begging on the beaches and streets, the image of Goa gets tarnished across the globe.
In the past, there was news in certain media outlets of how these beggars were disturbing the peaceful environment across the beaches in Goa. After all, the beggars ought not to be blamed as they even lack the basic education/finance and skills through which atleast they can develop their lifestyle. Unfortunately, due to their utter poverty and lack of education, they have reached to such type of depressing stage of life.
In addition, as it is learnt that these beggars are found sleeping on the busy highways at nights, thus risking their precious lives. However, the government should deal with this issue on priority basis. Nevertheless, the beggars too are human beings, and should be provided accommodation by shifting them to some shelter homes or ashrams, wherein they can be taken care of, and trained with some basic vocational skills to earn a decent living.
Eventually, such type of innovative projects of dealing with this beggar menace can really work wonders in their lives and also help in eradication of poverty.
Joseph Savio Desouza, Candolim
