From swearing in to swearing at
Swearing in ceremonies for new State governments are fast turning into a grand show of strength under the garb of being an ‘inclusive’ event. Our CM has also invited one and all to attend the oath taking scheduled at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium on Monday. Besides the ruling party MLAs, the opposition has also been invited; it is interesting to note that personal invites have been extended by the CM designate to religious heads, seers, sadhus and heads of mutts, the inter-meshing of religion and politics is now unequivocally complete; it has become a deeply incestuous relationship and would stand the ruling party in good stead every time they seek votes in future elections.
Large attendance at swearing ins, broadcast across print and electronic media would be a strength projection exercise for the political dispensation ; now waiting for the ‘swearing at’ scenes once the MLAs enter the hallowed portals of the state assembly.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Do ‘Abide with me’
Mahatma Gandhi believed that it is the duty of every human being to study and respect every religion. In pursuit of this, he studied the holy scriptures of every religion. All his life, in all his ashrams in South Africa and in India, prayer services were held every morning and evening. In them, prayers from all religions were included and given equal importance. The hymn ‘Abide with me’ though it is a Christian hymn, was one of his favourite hymns and would be sung many a time.
After Independence when India became a republic, the Republic Day commemorations would end up with the Beating Retreat ceremony on Rajpath. Marching bands of all three services performed several songs. ‘Abide with me’ symbolises the syncretic culture of our nation where all religions are given an equal status and respect. This year inexplicably, the hymn was not sung for reasons unknown to us. It was hurtful more so because the next day, January 30, was the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. My appeal to all the Churches in India is to sing the hymn as often as they can during Mass and other church services, including novenas, as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.
Let us all make the singing, reciting and playing of the hymn our reply to the hate prevailing in the country today.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
UNAMA mission
People of Afghanistan are facing unprecedented challenges after Taliban took over Kabul. The transition has been painful. Citizens of all walks of life remain perturbed by an uncertain future. Therefore, the decision of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to extend the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for a year till March 23, 2023 is to be welcomed.
Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime should receive a fillip by this singular step of the United Nations (UN). Effective and timely dialogue with the Taliban, promoting good governance and law of the land under the oppressive regime, can be bolstered by the decision.
The UNAMA will take every relevant stakeholder into confidence to achieve its purpose of promoting an inclusive, responsive, representative and participatory governance. There are issues pertaining to gender equality and human rights that warrant sustained monitoring. In particular, engagement of women in important spheres of public life cannot escape the eyes of UNAMA.
A change of government in Afghanistan sounded like a death knell to women’s education and employment. Many Afghan women were forced to cool their heels at home. UNAMA has not lost hope; it is keen to convince the regime to allow educational centres and workplaces to embrace women.
Children orphaned by violence may need extra care. Even otherwise, their schooling should proceed in the right direction. Economy in Afghanistan is in shambles. There is food scarcity, and the ensuing chaos have crippled lives of the poor.
The UN has said the situation may turn from bad to worse in the coming days. Countries of the world have consistently donated liberally to Afghan’s cause. UNAMA should hold these nations together so that they do not shift their stance.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Shocked to hear Barty quitting at 25
Tennis world is shocked to hear the retirement announcement made by the world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, aged at just 25. Winning three Grand Slam titles and spending over two years at No. 1 ranking, Barty broke a host of Australian records in a career that captured the hearts of tennis lovers. It saddens the fans when some sportspersons leave the game early in their career when they have plenty of good playing years ahead of them.
It could be because they want to walk away in their prime. But, if someone like Barty leaves the game, citing lack of physical drive as one of the reasons, it is really surprising, considering her young age. Perhaps, Barty should learn a lesson or two from Martina Navratilova on how to cope with physical issues and stay long in the circuit, having the unflinching passion and desire for the game, as the former American world No. 1 retired only at the age of 32, winning 18 Grand Slams singles titles.
In fact, Navratilova won the mixed doubles at the US Open in 2006 just weeks before her 50th birthday!
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Where there is a will, there is a way
A young murder accused under trial in Bihar has cracked the world’s toughest entrance exam, the IIT joint admission test with an all India rank of 54 taking a step closer to his dream of becoming a scientist and ‘contributing to the nation’s development ‘.
He was ably assisted by the kindly jail superintendent who provided him with the textbooks required to prep for the gruelling exam, arranged nutritious homecooked food to boost his mental faculties and kept him motivated throughout. The jail official also arranged for a month long parole to enable the boy to write the examination in Delhi. It is interesting to note that before his imprisonment on charges of being involved in a neighbour’s murder, the boy had been diligently attending coaching classes at an institute of repute in Kota. There are signs that he was unjustly implicated in the crime by a neighbour to extract revenge for some earlier skirmish over land ownership.
There would be many such young men/women languishing in jail (worrisome fact: of the 4.83 lakh people incarcerated in prisons almost 76.1% are under trials, their guilt has not yet been proven in a court of law) whose future would have been extinguished by over the top policing, it is imperative that their cases be dealt with leniently. Suitable legislation needs to be brought in for adjudication of such cases on a fast-track basis.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
The pandemic still continues
Though the Centre has ended all Covid containment measures from March 31 following a visible drop in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country, the curtains have not entirely gone.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla stressed that using face masks, following hand hygiene and maintaining physical distancing will continue. However, the news comes as music to the ears and must cheer various sectors of the economy. The move comes two years after the government invoked the Disaster Management Act, 2005, following the onset of the pandemic.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
