MyVoice: Views of our readers 19th February 2025

BJP’s gestures, Pitroda’s remark mean the same China not enemy

It appears BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi is given the task of twisting every statement by congress leaders and paint it with treacherous propaganda. He executed this role by opposing the statement by Sam Pitroda that China should not be viewed as an enemy country. While Congress has distanced itself from Sam’s statement, what justification can BJP assign when India joined BRICS in partnership with China, and itself persistently denied any occupation of Indian villages by China, while the truth is to the contrary? Don’t these gestures by BJP insinuate that India has no problems with China, and thereby confirm with Sam Pitroda’s statement?

P R Ravinder, Malkajgiri, Hyderabad.

Pitrodra’s remark contrary to reality

Indian overseas Congress Chief, Sam Pitrodra, is reported to have said that China was not a threat to India and it is blown out of proportion (Feb, 18). The Congress itself has distanced from his claim. Right from 1959 onwards China is making intrusions into Indian territory. China is claiming the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as theirs. They have renamed certain of the places there. 20 soldiers died in Galwan valley in a fight with PLA which China claims as its own. It also claims Aksai Chin as its territory. China had constructed roads and even villages in our territory. China is greedy in expanding its territory. Not only there is confrontation between China and India but with all its neighbours China has no cordial relationship. So Sam’s remarks that China is not a threat to India is contrary to ground realities.

Sravana Ramachandran, Chennai.

Extend hassle-free health cover

to sr citizens

The Central government introduced the major healthcare initiative PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) in 2018. It strives to give underprivileged groups adequate monetary security and medical care. After completing the Ayushman Bharat registration process, prospective beneficiaries can take advantage of free healthcare for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation up to Rs. 5 lakhs per household per year through this programme. To provide medical facilities to people who formerly weren’t eligible, like senior citizens 70 and above, GOI introduced the major healthcare initiative, Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The eligibility is only having an Aadhaar card and no other criteria. The AB PMJAY hospitalisation and treatment becomes effective as soon as the ID card is downloaded. Several of us, senior citizens, rushed to E-Seva centers only to be told that it would take some more time. Since then we have been visiting online centers almost every week. We are now being told the system is accepting all the details and the card is approved, but the system shows the nomination as approved but the card does get downloaded. We request the Telangana government to initiate the following action. Remove the hurdles to Ayushman PMJAY scheme for 70 and above citizens or, alternately, provide an equivalent system in Arogyasri to 70 and above citizens on par with A-PMJAY. The writer is a senior citizen aged 84 without pension and medical facility.

V S Sudhaker, Hyderabad

Fight of the fallen

Winning is a habit and Arvind Kejriwal was hoping to win its third term in Delhi’s Assembly elections. Alleged corruption, a jail term, declining public goodwill all have put paid the hopes AAP. A resurgent BJP has put Arvind Kejriwal’s evolutionary story to test. AAP was dreaming of slum area votes but the poor people could not be cheated. BJP’s return to power after nearly three decades is history. The fight of the fallen is rather tense.

Jayanthy Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai

Stampede: Govt/authorities solely responsible

The tragic stampede at New Delhi railway station is another stark reminder of chronic inability to regulate large crowds at transport hubs and at religious congregation. Knowing that stampedes are man-made and not random acts of fate, it is a sad reminder that no such framework exists to prevent it. Like in large stations where multiple trains arrive and depart every few minutes, bottlenecks at entry and exit points are inevitable that witnesses movements of people. In Delhi station, failure to foresee large crowds to go to prayagraj was a glaring lapse on the part of railway authorities. Consequently, this led to congestion of heavy crowds on the platform pushing and jostling to get into the train resulted in stampede. It is irony that despite a proactive RPF presence at the station, the preventable incident could not be stopped. It is time, government/authorities puts in place a structured system of crowd management where large religious congregations or crowds are expected to avert such unfortunate accidents in future.

K R Srinivasan, New Bhoiguda, Secunderabad.