There has been some talk about making a law to weed out ‘compulsive litigants’. One wonders how anyone would be able to identify a compulsive litigant from a regular litigant seeking justice. The issue therefore is not to be dealt by avoidance but by getting our judges to assess the frivolousness or correctness of the cases that come before them and the other apparent objectives that the litigant is seeking apart from justice.
Once the judge is satisfied that this is the case then the bench can within the framework of the law pass verbal strictures on the litigant and in very obvious cases impose penalties financial and otherwise. Our laws should be designed to deliver justice not to prevent it from happening.
Our lawmakers may not know that the Government and its various establishments is the biggest litigant in India with more than 50% of the currently pending cases in the courts having the government as one of the parties. It is known that one government department or undertaking will with great felicity file a case against its sister departments or enterprises on the filmiest of grounds. Therefore if at all the compulsive litigant rule is brought about then the first casualty will be the government. In law making it is best that one proceeds with caution and look further than the end of one’s nose.
S. Kamat, Alto Betim
Age of Kallis
This is in response to the news report “Kallis retires from internationals”(July 31).
Though the “pundits”, media and the sponsors zealously project Sachin Tendulkar as “God” of cricket; but the fact remains that when Tendulkar averaged 53.79 in Test cricket, the comparatively unsung South African averaged 55.37! In One day cricket, Tendulkar (44.83) surpasses Jacques Kallis (44.36) by mere 0.47 runs in average. Not to forget that Kallis used to play like a Tiger in critical situations and had helped the team to win or save a Test on innumerable occasions. And who can forget his skills as a bowler? A handsome figures of 292 and 273 wickets in Tests and ODI is not a matter of joke.
Thus in this context, the last few decades was not the Age of Tendulkar, but the Age of Kallis who also scored as many as 45 centuries and scored 13289 runs in the highest form of the game ie Test cricket . And the greatest quality of Kallis remains that whenever he finds his performance not up to the mark in Test cricket or ODI, he immediately calls it a day from the concerned version with utmost dignity and accountability instead of lingering in the team by exploiting past record, glamour, backing of sponsors and media-imposed “divinity”.
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkatta
Save Christians
The Christians in Iraq are fleeing away from the clutches of the Islamic regime to save themselves they are in desperate help they have only one option to stay alive either to convert to Muslim or get killed .
The Christians around the world are praying for them but there is no stoppage to the carnage. The Vatican must take a lead to appeal to world leaders to find urgent solution to bring peace and stability to the region our goan religious leaders can take lead a lead to show our solidarity to the innocent people . It’s time to stop thinking who belongs to which religions and get together as one to put an end to such horrific crimes.
Dixon Vaz, Margao
Publicity stunt
After not having cared to yet visit the 14th January 2013 Vasco 7 year old rape victim, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar‘s recent offer to share a food plate with an HIV-positive child is a mere theatrical rhetoric and an extremely cheap publicity stunt that will fool no one.
While on the issue of HIV, should not Manohar Parrikar have been a role model to dissuade youth from venturing to wrong places. But does it not send a wrong message having himself been spotted at the infamous “Walking Street” at Pattaya in Thailand along with the flamboyant Atmaram Nadkarni?
Manohar Parrikar has publicly clarified that his visit to that red-light district renowned for its brothels was not to have sex but that he merely enjoyed two Thai massages. It is hard to believe someone who is known to be habituated in not speaking the truth. And why would someone go all the way to Thailand for a Thai massage when it is available at Spas across Goa. It defies all logic especially coming from someone who claims to be a brainy IITian besides a genius in economics.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
