It is seen that the number of football fans attending the ongoing matches of the 36th edition of the Federation Cup matches specially, at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium at Fatorda is not very encouraging. After the tremendous success of the India Super League (ISL) and the huge crowds that were seen for the matches held at the Fatorda stadium, one expected a better attendance for the Federation Cup matches that followed a few days after the Indian Super League concluded. That was not to be.
This despite the fact that most of the Indian star footballers who played in the ISL matches for their respective teams including, Romeo Fernandes and Sunil Chetri, and some foreign players like the Australian Tolgey Ozbey, among others, are also seen in action in the Federation Cup matches. But for some unknown reason these matches are being held to an almost empty stadium. In order to attract more crowd for the matches the authorities should consider throwing the gates open for the remainder of the tournament as even reducing the price of the tickets may not yield the desired result.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
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Playing politics on
terror-boats
India till now had a healthy tradition of all political parties being united against Pakistan’s anti-India activities to the extent that the then Prime Minister PV Narsimhrao (Congress) requested the then Opposition Leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee for representing the country at Geneva summit for utilizing his oratory skill.
It is beyond understanding that the same Congress is now openly assisting Pakistan by insisting for government establishing proof of self-destructed boats being of terrorists. Even if Congress doubted government’s version, it should have taken up the matter in confidence with the Prime Minister rather than raising such a sensitive matter in media.
Madhu Agrawal, Delhi
Throw sin out of state
If you look at the problems facing the state today you will realize that the root cause is the entry of the casinos in the year 2004. With the casinos came gambling dance bars, prostitution, massage parlours, rapes, robberies and suicides.
So if we want a solution to the problems facing the state we have to attack the root cause of the problem and throw the casinos out of Goa. We cannot expect God’s blessings on our state when we are silent spectators to sin in the state. Every year ever since the EDM festivals are being organized in the state young people have been dying at these festivals without fail due to drug overdose. This is innocent blood on our hands my dear Goans as we are silent spectators. Let us wake up before it is too late. God’s blessings are more important then blood money and money from casinos.
Avelino de Sa, Panjim
Will MMC act?
There is a rule which states that no commercial activities can take place in residential premises. Mapusa Municipality charges higher house tax for commercial establishments and also high electrical charges.
In Mapusa I have seen many advocates having their offices in residential premises and paying lower house tax and lower electrical charges while their friends pay higher dues and this is injustice done to some advocates who have their offices in commercial premises.
Sometime back the Mapusa municipality had done a survey but they have not taken any action. Will the Mapusa municipality take action?
Bosco Vaz, Mapusa
Full scale liberties
PK was a contrived, pretentious film which certainly did not work for me. Of course it had a nice social message told humorously and Aamir was a complete knockout.
However, it must be admitted that the movie took full scale liberties with the Hindu faith to drive its point home, something it would never have attempted with other religious beliefs.
That the vast majority of Hindus took this in their stride, laughed it off and rejected calls for its ban, makes me believe that the liberal values of Hinduism will forever remain alive and the narrow minded bigotry of Hindutva may not.
Dr. Oscar Rebelo, Panjim
