MyVoice: Views of our readers 26th March 2021

Shameful attack on nuns

The detention of four nuns, by right wing zealots, from a train in UP, on the suspicion of forceful conversion of certain youth, is highly barbaric ,unconstitutional and un-Indian. (Forceful conversions? 4 Nuns briefly detained from train in UP, THI, 25 March ). What right these misguided forces have, to insult, intimidate and persecute the nuns , who are respected for their distinguished services to the society in the fields of education, health and charity all over the world ?

As we all know , conversion is a false allegation being floated by these right-wingers for taking political mileage. In fact this ancient theory of forceful conversion of gullible poor taking advantage of Article 25 of Indian Constitution by the Christian missionaries , is invented by the rightwing family and is baseless and without any proof ,because the stats and ground reality do not match with the allegation. The demographic data shows that Christian population remains 2 per cent since 2021 years right from the days of Apostle Thomas's visit to India about AD 48. Therefore, it is time, India should wake up, deflate the falsehood of forceful conversion and protect the rights of our fellow Christian citizens as guaranteed in the Constitution in the interest of social tranquility and national solidarity.

P H Hema Sagar, Secunderabad

II

The attack on two nuns over suspicion of forceful religion conversion by Bajrang Dal members is highly condemnable. The home minister Amit Shah gave assurance that the culprits who allegedly harassed nuns will be punished, just because keeping in view that there are elections in Kerala. Lynching of innocent people ,frequently attacks on minorities are carried out because of BJP government policy that is winning by dividing people to create vote banks. The seeds of hatred is spreading throughout the country and it will take a long time to recover.

Zakir Hussain, Kazipet

III

We deplore and condemn the harassment, heckling and de-boarding of two nuns and two postulants travelling by train by ABVP members in Uttar Pradesh. We are still a secular democracy to countenance such an atrocity as this one. The incident laid bare the BJP student wing's religious intolerance and demonstrated its inability to curb the tendency to act against people of other religious faiths wantonly. It exposed the hollowness of BJP's posturing of reaching out to the second largest religious minority in Kerala – Christians – in its anxiety to gain a toehold in the state.

It is here worth noting that the so-called upper class Christians in Kerala who claim a superior descent to maintain their identity distinct from Dalit and OBC Christians' may lean towards the Hindutva forces. Race sometimes prevails over religion! It is also here interesting to note that most of the proponents and leading lights of the Hindu Right are products of church-run schools and colleges. The nub of the matter is that the notion of equality of all religions is something that Hindutva outfits find hard to accept. Hindu revivalists are so myopic that the very sight of nuns in their religious attire leads them to the conclusion that they are engaged in 'forced religious conversion'.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Pollution chokes Indians to death

The fact that 22 out of the world's 30 most polluted cities are in India is alarming and needs urgent attention. Instead of trying to improve the air quality, the leaders of the central government are busy with campaigning in states due to go for polls. The adverse effects of breathing polluted air are well documented. Children are the worst affected, thus ensuring a generation of unhealthy adults. The economic cost of providing health facilities is going to be enormous and the government is going blissfully around as if it does not matter in the least. We are being slowly poisoned to death and nobody seems to care. Even the people do not place air pollution as a priority. The people must force the political parties to make it an issue at elections. Unfortunately we tend to vote on emotive sentimental issues rather than the real ones that matter most.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Vaccinate all above 10 yrsMyVoice: Views of our readers 18th February 2021

Vaccinations are given to all aged above 45 years of age. But people above 60 years old are retired seniors and almost stay indoors, very rarely go outside. Hence it would be better to vaccinate people aged between 10 and 60 years first on priority as they go out every day on different works, who can't sit at home. But it should be done without stopping vaccine to seniors.

Jakka Vijay Kumar, Secunderabad

Crocodile tears over Lankan issue

P Chidambaram is ranting against the Centre for abstaining from voting on UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka and said the development is a "gross betrayal of the Tamil people". He should know that,the UNHRC resolutions are non-binding, and it is not possible to haul Sri Lanka up before the International Criminal Court on the basis of the resolution at issue; the UN Security Council has to sanction, and any attempt, at that level, to initiate a war crimes probe against Sri Lanka is bound to be vetoed. It is also a crying shame that a State, like the United Kingdom, which had committed many atrocities in the world - including the biggest genocide in separating India and Pakistan, as well as a co-sponsor in annihilating the Middle Eastern countries, with spurious weapons of mass destruction allegations - is leading the UNHRC resolution against countries like Sri Lanka! The pile-on over Sri Lanka by UNHRC is a blatant use of human rights as a political weapon in the geopolitics of today's world.

J S Acharya, Hyderabad