Why legalise encroachers on Comunidade land?
In his recent speech, the CM said that the Comunidade laws would be tweaked in order to protect the homes of Goans residing illegally here. This is definitely an attempt to harness a nefarious, anti-Goan legislation through the back door to be later exploited by the powers that be.
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Has a Goan been defined in legal terms? What connotation does the CM mean or when he utters the word ‘Goan’? Is there any criteria outlined to categorise any person in Goa as a Goan person?
A domicile of 20 years and the knowledge of Konkani were some of the criteria laid down by erstwhile governments. Later, in the name of vote bank, Adhar and an election cards were issued to anyone and thus migrants wore the Goan tag. Now then, would these “Card Holders” come under the Goan umbrella?
For Goans, this is definitely a dark bolt from the blue and yes…The writing is on the wall. I urge all Goans and any sincere MLAs left in the Legislature to oppose this upcoming legislation and go tooth and nail to save Goan land and our precious Goa.
Felicio S Fernandes, by email
Is ID Card mandatory to attend Mass at Old Goa?
With novenas and feast of St Francis Xavier approaching, the Goa police has reportedly issued an advisory asking visitors/devotees to keep an identity card on-person for access to the church and not to carry any kind of baggage or handbag.
It is learnt that the advisory has been issued in view of the recent security-related incidents in India as well as foreign countries. This is a step in the right direction. However, it is pertinent to note that all the services during the novena and feast of St Francis Xavier are held in a pandal put up outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
Will the devotees attending the Masses in the pandal also be required to carry their ID-cards? This aspect needs to be clarified. Given the sheer number of visitors/devotees who come from within the state, from neighbouring states and other countries will it be possible to check the identity cards of all the people at the entrance of the churches? If the ID cards are indeed necessary it would be prudent to publicize this aspect by making announcements at the various parishes much before the novenas at Old Goa commence. It may also be necessary to make the announcement in the tourism brochures for the benefit of the visitors. If proper announcements are not made visitors/devotees who do not carry an ID card will have to return without taking the blessings of Goencho Saib.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
So now Modi is scared of deep fake and AI
The Prime Minister of India has now stated that deep fake and artificial intelligence can cause chaos. What does he have to be scared of if in his hearts of hearts, he is clean and above reproach with respect to he having treated the people of India without the stain of sins of commission and omission? Can he put his hand on his heart and determine that he has not manipulated the finances of India, just for the sake of staying in office, to the detriment of the people who are taxpayers and would not like their money to be squandered on giving doles so as to appease vote banks?
The taxpayers are contributing for the good of the country and not for the sake of Modi remaining in power through the manipulation which is done in order to remain in power. Can Modi place his hand on his heart and state that he did not indulge in divisive politics in India on religious lines in order to coax and cajole the secular Indians to give him support? So he is now scared that what comes around goes round and that he is himself deeply entrenched in deep faking? Looks like your time has come, Modi to relinquish office and be judged for all your stark misdeeds. Remember that you were denied a visa to the US because of your involvement in a crime.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Most polluted city in the world
For long, Delhi has been in focus for its worst air quality level. And the recent findings by the Swiss air purifier company IQAir that India’s capital is the “most polluted city in the world” only accentuates Delhi’s woes in tackling the air quality menace.
Delhi’s toxic air is caused by vehicle and industrial emissions, dust from building sites, smoke from the burning of rubbish and crop residue in nearby fields.
All these combine to choke the life out of the Delhiites. It destroys the vitality of flora and takes the blue out of the sky, making everything look dusted and dull. The Delhi government has reportedly rolled out a number of policies targeting various sources of air pollution, from industry to road traffic. Despite this, its air quality has consistently worsened to the point of today’s public health emergency.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
US, China restore ties, but Taiwan still an issue
Joe Biden and Xi Jinping agreed to restore military communication between the US and China, but Taiwan remains a sensitive issue. The biggest takeaway was they decided to pick up the phone and talk if they had any concerns.
Xi didn’t like the US sanctions in tech and made that clear to Biden. The two leaders hadn’t seen each other since their November 22 Bali talks, and relations worsened after the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon in February.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Cong shedding crocodile tears
This refers to the apology drama of Senior Congress leader, P Chidambaram, for the loss of lives lost during the Telengana Statehood agitation, which is not only too late but seems to be an election eve stunt. In fact, it is during the tenure of more than five decades by the Congress, we have seen thousands of lives lost due to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Sikh riots, farmers suicides, etc. etc. They are yet beg for apologies for those deaths and had even allowing the culprits to escape the law of our nation. Hence the present apology is nothing but a crocodile tear by Congress leaders, just to garner vote in Telengana State and capture power.
N Viswanathan, Coimbatore
Leopards too surely warrant attention
Amid the tigers and the cheetahs, the beautiful Indian leopards are often forgotten. There always has been a huge confusion about the leopard–number in the country. As of 2020, the leopard count was approximately 13,000 within forested habitats in tiger range landscapes in India. The number may as well be much more if non–forest habitats and elevated areas are taken into consideration. Also, social media posts have needlessly exaggerated the “ fierceness” of the beautiful creatures that ordinarily do not attack the human-beings unless provoked. Deforestation and destruction of wild life habitats have forced the leopards to stray into towns and cities.
Recently, the spotted animal that ventured into an industrial -cum–residential area of Bengaluru was shot dead by forest officials who failed to capture it alive.
Although leopards are known to be flexible to changes, their habitats are needlessly being tampered with. India needs more sanctuaries and ground water to prevent the animal from straying to human dwellings. Landscape fragmentation, electrocution, poisoning and road accidents have proved lethal to the leopards. Stringent laws have to be put in place to preserve them. Poachers need to be dealt with severely to protect the animals from going the way of their famous brethren—the tigers.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Government should respect labourers
Far from accepting responsibility for one of the greatest railway disaster in Indian Railway history claiming around 300 precious lives in Orissa, mere “restoration of the railway line” had got projected as a “massive unprecedented achievement” of sorts and celebrated with zealous slogans of a particular ecosystem!
The tragic death of around 25 poor labourers following railway bridge collapse in Mizoram had got swept under the drumbeats of “Conquering the moon” — right from the authorities concerned to the privileged set of Indians!
Will we still allow ourselves to go gaga over India’s form at the World Cup without giving minimum thought to the ordeal of the unfortunate 40 labourers, trapped in Uttarakhand tunnel for several days, who perspire and toil day in and day out by endangering their own lives so as to lay infrastructure of the nation!
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata
