Is Christmas only about Santa Claus?
If you ask any child, he/she will only remember Santa Claus and his gifts. If you enter any mall or shopping centre, you are welcomed by the red-coated Santa Claus, with no mention of Jesus Christ at all. But Christmas is not all about Santa Claus and his wonderful gifts that he brings for little children year after year. Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. The children innocently associate their gifts with Santa Claus but we forget that the greatest gift that we all got on Christmas Day was our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who was born of simple parents, Joseph and Mary. Yes, Jesus is the reason for this Christmas season. “For God so loved the world that He gave us His one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Christmas is also a season of sharing and giving not just gifts, but also forgiveness to our enemies, tolerance of our opponents, maintaining honour in our relationships, and setting a very good example to our children.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
Construct market for fish vendors
Village Panchayat of Durbhat, Ponda, is badly in need of a fish market for the vendors. At present these vendors are selling fish by the main road, posing a danger to their lives and their customers. Vehicles have been over-speeding on this stretch on a regular basis and there is every possibility of the vendors and customers being knocked down in the process.
With a large number of travellers using the Adpai and Durbhat ferries, vehicular traffic along this route has increased tremendously. However it is rather a sorry state of affairs to note that the elected representatives at this VP have failed to assure safety to this community. I sincerely request the acting sarpanch to consider this matter with utmost seriousness and initiate immediate positive action to provide safer premises to the fish vendors so that they can continue their age old occupation with safety and comfort.
Pravin U Sardessai, Adpai
ISIS enticement to underprivileged
It is a matter of grave concern to the India’s national security, to see the ISIS sympathiser hailing from West Bengal, being arrested from Bengaluru. While such well-qualified persons enjoy hefty salaries are prone to ISIS propaganda, the possibility of ISIS recruiting the underprivileged Muslims from India is a further challenge. It is also dangerous to see that extremism is rising in Indian society. The Muslim Ulemas, Shahi Imam, and other high religious leaders need to come together and issue a joint appeal to the Muslim brethren to stay away from the nefarious tentacles of ISIS.
Prof (Retd) Dr Brinda Singh, New Delhi
Award harsh punishment to rapist
Banning the Taxi Company responsible for rape of a young woman by its driver is the right step, but not all such (taxi) companies can be held responsible for such shameful incidents. Regulating more controls in public interest in all public transport system is the need of the hour, for instance there can be an alarm signal connected to police control room as in banks and/or a loud siren type device-for alerting the public which can be fitted at a convenient position near the passengers in the taxi.
But the moot question remains as to why rape occurs so often? Many a times it is generally a momentary lust that results in the crime. Animals upon seeing their opposite sex go for mating in public. But man has a superior brain to help him take right decisions unlike animals. Such rapists need a mental asylum with proper treatment through education in all spheres of life and not just formal education, the strictest form of punishment and even social boycott.
Also unfortunately, rape takes place on a daily basis in some part of India just because there is no fear of law in such people’s minds. It is duty of government to ensure that every citizen respects and obey laws and most stringent punishment must be meted out to those who violate such laws. Harsh punishment should be meted out to such criminal to minimise such crime against women.
Mahesh Kumar, New Delhi
South left in the lurch
The biggest setback of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar shifting to Delhi has been that South Goa has been left in the cold. All the promises made by Parrikar have remained just that and there is very little hope of any development works being initiated by the present CM.
This is a good lesson for all the MLAs who are supporting the present BJP government and also for the people of the South. All these so called ‘Altar Boys’ of the BJP should come out and speak for / against all the statements being made by the BJP against the minorities and also about the religious conversions.
Matias Lobo, Oman
