The most sought after Maggi noodles and other related items are being removed from the supermarket shelves due to the ban imposed on this favourite products. It is reported that the items contain lead and monosodium glutomate more than its permissible contents. It is not reported anywhere that anybody is affected, fallen sick or died after consuming it.
It is also reported that thousand of Nestle’s employees have been asked not to report to work thus causing unprecedented employment problem. In the remote areas of Sanquelim and Bicholim where entire family members were working in the noodles manufacturing units are being rendered jobless and one can assume unemployment impact all over India.
Now the rumors are making rounds in the markets, restaurants and public places that it is a conspiracy hatched to ban these products by none other than the BJP stalwart Baba Ramdev in order to sell his company’s products. It is learnt he is going into food manufacturing unit so he wants to capture the entire market and sent the foreign companies back home.
In one of his Ayurvedic medicine magazine ‘Yog Sandesh’ it is mentioned “Protect yourself and others from the deadly effect of adulteration, use Patanjali’s pure and healthy products. Countries wealth must remain in the country and should be used in the service of fellow countrymen. Therefore, you must use Patanjali’s products. There must be something cooking to ban the Nestles products without genuine reason.
Inacio Fernandes, Candolim
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Marital rape
Marital rape as understood internationally cannot be applied in India as marriage is a sacred institution in our country. The husband and wife are two wheels of a cycle and both the wheels are equally important and needed to run a family system.
There is no such thing as rape between married couples in India. Making love, repeatedly against the will of the partner means one is abnormal. Is it not?
For exceptional cases of such forced sex in marriage, there should be no new law. Further if such a law is enacted where husband is tried in the court of law for raping his wife, then the best remedy is for both of them is to get separated with mutual consent.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Illegal activities
I congratulate the Director of Transport for taking a strict action on two-wheelers regarding use of crash helmets and rash driving. The number of two-wheelers has increased on roads mainly due to poor public transport in Goa.
Two-wheelers are used for commercial purpose by fish vendors, biscuit vendors, etc. This should be stopped as they are using vehicles for commercial purpose without paying tax. I request the Director to take action on these illegal activities of two-wheelers.
Dr Umesh Netravalkar, Kepem
Hike in liquor prices
Last week a leading Mumbai tabloid carried a front page article that could spell bad news for Goa. Apparently, after imposing a ban on beef in some states (including Maharashtra) and tasting success, the centre’s ‘back office boys’ (RSS) are now gearing up to target alcohol. No, they do not plan to ban alcohol altogether.
The plan is to bring about a considerable reduction in the consumption of alcohol in the country by increasing the price of alcohol to such an extent that it will be beyond the reach of the common man. The increase will be applicable to local, IMFL and foreign liquor.
They also propose to introduce a central tax so as to have uniform pricing to curb smuggling of liquor from places like Goa and Daman where it is cheap, to Mumbai and Gujarat. What this implies is the liquor in Goa and Mumbai will cost almost the same.
The implementation of these ideas will be disastrous for Goa. If successful, domestic tourism will come to a grinding halt. (Domestic tourists constitute about 85% of all tourists visiting Goa). Goans will find liquor prices beyond their means. All stakeholders and their families will suffer very adversely. Well, we wanted achhe din. Here it comes!
Prof Robert Castellino, Mumbai
