Where has tolerance gone?
Desecration of the holy cross at Vile Parle (W) resulted in vociferous protests by not only Christians, but even other peace-loving citizens (July 16).
The voice of Jesus Christ on the cross was ‘Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.’
The basic factors which help our nation to survive are love, forgiveness and above all, respecting the faith of others.
In spite of the manifold issues which the nation faces, India is going to be a super power in the near future. Besides education, noble values should be practised by each and every citizen.
V Thekedath
Puzzling justice
The Supreme Court, which we look up to, is supposed to dispense justice in a fair and equitable manner, but recent judgements have left us puzzled. Like in the Campa Cola case, it is the victims of the fraud who have been penalised, while the builder, in cahoots with the BMC, and politicians are the real culprits.
The Supreme Court termed the tenure of N Srinivasan, BCCI president, as nauseating due to match-fixing, which erupted in the current IPL tamasha. He was made to quit the post. But the court had no objection to Srinivasan becoming the chairman of the International Cricket Council, the supposed apex body of cricket.
In the heinous 2012 Delhi gang rape case, the convicted rapists have got a stay using some loophole. At this rate, no rapists will ever be hanged for their crime. No wonder rape has become the pastime of the country’s lechers. Even babies and six-year-old kids are subjected to this heinous hobby, because the law is quite useless, as witnessed in the recent Bangalore school case. Why should convicted criminals be granted appeals which take years for a decision? Was the appeal of the victim given any heed?
As for politicians, there is a completely different yardstick. How are the scamsters in cases like the fodder scam, 2G and CWG still roaming free on indefinite bail. The hit-and-run case of a celebrity filmstar still drags on even after 12 years, which speaks volumes for our justice system.
Shanmugam Mudaliar
Anchors hog the entire show
The news hour debates these days have turned out to be exercises in anchors lecturing the participants. The anchor questions the debaters and also answers them. Seldom do we find the anchor permitting the debaters to respond properly to the questions posed. The anchor is both the judge and the jury.
The debates should give viewers various perspectives, but popular anchors solicit an answer which suits them. Often we hear, this channel talks facts and is not like other channels. In fact, the anchor these days can sit in judgement in courts. The debate on the Vaidik-Saeed meeting was a classic example. The anchor kept asking what action had been taken, but did not allow participants to say what action had been taken (against Vaidik). The anchor plays provocative politics, that is all. The viewer does not get information..
If anchors are permitted the liberty of making panellists the accused and further, allowed also to suggest punishments, the channels had best be renamed as Lok Adalats, instead of news channels.
D M Rajan
News on FM channels
This refers to the reply by the Union I&B minister to a Lok Sabha question on July 16. Prakash Javadekar has cleared that FM radio channels can relay excerpts from All India Radio (AIR) news.
This reply raises two aspects.
First, if private TV news channels are allowed to relay their own news bulletins, then private FM radio channels should also be allowed to do so.
Second, since private TV news channels concentrate more on TRP-based news stories, full of sensation and criticism, it should be compulsory for them to dedicate at least a half hour of prime time, say between 8.30 pm and 9 pm, for direct telecast of a news bulletin and important Parliamentary proceedings from Doordarshan.
The timings of DD news bulletins and the coverage of Parliamentary proceedings can be rescheduled accordingly. Likewise, it should be compulsory for private FM radio channels to broadcast simultaneous news bulletins in arrangement with AIR.
Madhu Agrawal
On RTI, Parrikar does a Modi
The RTI Act was enacted to ensure transparency and accountability in public life, but the Goa government has conveniently kept the State Information Commission in utter disarray.
After the politically motivated scrapping of
four names shortlisted for the posts of information commissioners, the posts will
now be re-advertised for the fourth time in the last two-and-a-half years.
While as Leader of Opposition, Manohar Parrikar was an RTI fan, now he has turned foe and is scuttling the implementation of the Act as glaring acts of omission and commission of his government have been coming to light.
It is very dismaying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, to date, not uttered a word on the RTI Act. As Gujarat CM, he was not comfortable with RTI and now in Goa, Manohar Parrikar has fallen in line with his maestro.
Aires Rodrigues
Thick of the action elsewhere
The Congress and the other opposition
parties should not interrupt our Parliament’s precious time in discussing the Gaza issue.
If these political parties are really brave, they all should go together on the actual battle ground of Israel and Palestine and register their protest over there, not in India, where they enjoy complete security.
Hansraj Bhat
