Letters

Readers write to the Editor.

Published : Sep 08, 2022 11:00 IST

Bihar

THE BJP must have been taken by surprise by Nitish Kumar’s decision to lead the Mahagathbandhan—comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Janata Dal (United), and other parties—after leaving the National Democratic Alliance (“A new lease of life”, September 9). The BJP was about to implement “Operation Lotus” in Bihar with the tacit support of turncoats belonging to the JD(U).

But, the BJP could not replicate in Bihar the social engineering it orchestrated in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The secular opposition has warmly received Nitish Kumar’s audacious act of calling a spade a spade. Now, the field is wide open for the secular parties in the 2024 general election.

S. Murali

Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Kerala

SINCE 2017, Kerala has faced many natural disasters of varying intensity and frequency that have adversely affected the lives and livelihoods of thousands (“Pouring hardship”, September 9). Crops and livestock are destroyed in the wake of these climate-related disasters, which have altered the topography of the State beyond redemption.

The worst affected is the coastal population, which depends on fishing and allied activities for its subsistence. Recent years have also witnessed sea erosion on an unprecedented scale with devastating consequences for the coastal people.

Although many of these calamities are attributable to climate change, at least some of them are the result of indiscriminate use of coastal and nearshore waters. Every year, vulnerable people are forced to abandon their homes and other property and migrate. The number of such “climate refugees” is increasing steadily. It is the responsibility of the state to mobilise resources and to protect the affected communities and their natural habitats by adopting suitable mitigation measures.

T.N. Venugopalan

Kochi, Kerala

Nanjamma

NANJAMMA, winner of national award for best playback singer, female, 2020, has brought to the limelight the real worth of the artistic sense and sensibilities of tribal communities, who mainstream society has always sidelined and perhaps even looked down upon for no reason (“Irula sensation”, September 9). The revelation will be good for the social and societal uplift of the community on a par with what the selection of Droupadi Murumu as President will do in the political sphere.

Ayyasseri Raveendranath

Aranmula, Kerala

75 years of Independence

AS a regular reader of Frontline, I was thrilled with the 75th Independence special edition (August 26). It was a treasure trove of information  and an issue I will  cherish for a long time. However, certain epochal events were left out, prominent among them in the political field was the installation in Kerala in 1957 of the first ever democratically elected Communist government. 

Similarly, the 1965 war under the leadership of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and the 1971 war under the leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, were left out as were the second nuclear tests. On the sports front, one feels that the remarkable progress made by Indian sportspeople in successive Olympic games in arenas other than the national sport should have been included.

However, through its special issue,  Frontline has again lived up to its reputation of being a publication whose hallmark has been its commitment to upholding/highlighting social causes and public values. 

Suresh Kumar

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

INDIA is celebrating 75 years of Independence even though it is still not free from the shackles of poverty, starvation, malnutrition, tax aggression, and corruption. Indians have not gained freedom from social and economic issues. When journalists are muzzled, harassed, and prevented from speaking the truth, where is the promised republic Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhi built? True independence is food on the plate, roof over the head, basic education for all Indians, secularism sans hypocrisy, and equal respect to both men and women, not the act of getting rid of the British. When people are denied their fundamental rights and the directive principles of state policy are not implemented, how can the country ensure the social and economic welfare of the people or claim to be a socialist and secular republic? Uzair Ahmed

MALAPPURAM, KERALA

Jobs crisis

THE interview with Jean Dreze (Cover Story, August 12) was about a proposed urban employment scheme. I am surprised that there was no mention of the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, or AUEGS, of the Government of Kerala.

This scheme has been in place since 2010 and aims to provide up to 100 days of employment to urban households willing to undertake manual work. It is the first attempt to extend the MGNREGS to urban areas and provide a guarantee of employment to urban low-income households. The scheme has steadily expanded and is expected to provide 50 lakh person days of employment in 2022.

Any proposal for providing employment in urban areas whether by the Central or State governments can clearly learn from the Kerala experience. 

Madhura Swaminathan

Bengaluru

OF late, there is widespread joblessness, unemployment, and underemployment in the country. The fact that 25 per cent of the nation’s youth are unemployed is alarming to both job aspirants and the government, which is falling short of addressing the problem on a war footing. 

Many people who leave agriculture to seek jobs in other sectors are frustrated, and those who are qualified and unable to secure a job for a long time are migrating to agriculture or making do with low-paid jobs. Gone are the days when jobs were waiting for the youth coming out of school or college after graduation.  It is within the government’s powers to provide employment to the unemployed. 

The people look to the government to provide bijli, paaniaur sadak (electricity, drinking water, and roads and bridges), which come under the purview of the government alone and which people cannot provide for themselves.  But people have to depend on themselves for rotikapda, aur makaan (food, clothing, and shelter). All they need from the government is that it provide them with gainful employment commensurate with their qualifications and skills.    

M.Y.  Shariff

Chennai

EPS vs OP

EDAPPADI PALANISWAMI (EPS) delivered a scathing attack on O. Panneerselvam (OPS) in his speech at the AIADMK general council meeting on July 11 (“A house divided”, August 12). EPS called OPS selfish and said that if the leader of a party behaved in such a way, how could the party come to power. The violence at the AIADMK headquarters came in handy for EPS loyalists to dub OPS as a “betrayer” of the party. OPS revealed his jealousy in a power game.

He has no reluctance in betraying those who trust him. OPS, who has been Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu thrice and held the AIADMK’s topmost post of coordinator until recently, suddenly finds himself reduced to being an unattached MLA in the Assembly.

C.K. Subramaniam

MUMBAI

Granting of bail

THIS is with reference to the article “Time for a bail law” (August 12). Innocent and law-abiding citizens should not be arrested without a warrant, and trials should be conducted by a fast-track court that dispenses impartial justice and urges citizens’ rights groups to provide legal  aid  to people who cannot afford  to fight their cases. 

Besides enacting a law for bail, the state should also monetarily compensate people who are wrongly accused and arrested. Police officers who carry out the arrest should be punished. Justice delayed and denied is injustice.

Peter Castellino

Mumbai

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