MyVoice: Views of our readers 15th February 2024

India, UAE boosting economic ties

The signing of a bilateral investment treaty between India and the UAE and the launch of the UPI RuPay card service in Abu Dhabi mark significant achievements, reflecting a commitment to enhancing economic cooperation and embracing innovative financial technology. These developments are expected to boost investor confidence, stimulate foreign investments, and facilitate seamless cross-border transactions, contributing to economic growth and employment opportunities. Ongoing efforts to deepen ties will be crucial for realising the full potential of this strategic partnership.

Dr Krishna Kumar Vepakomma, Hyderabad

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The release of eight former Indian Navy personnel who were earlier warded the sentencing of death by a Qatari court, which was later commuted to prison terms, is a major victory for India’s patient diplomacy. The recent multi-billion dollar LNG import deal with Qatar is a case in point. Given the fraught geopolitical environment in the Middle East, India has its work cut out for deepening ties with Gulf countries. The peaceful resolution is a clear indication of the deepening bilateral ties between India and Qatar.

Jahangir Shaikh, Mumbai

A moment of pride for Telangana

As many as seven students from Telangana are reported to have scored a perfect 100 percentile in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains session-I this year. It is a moment of pride that Telangana is the only State across India to bag the highest number of 100 percentiles in the engineering entrance exam this year. Of the 23 students who achieved the top score throughout India, seven are from our state. Our state is progressing well in the field of education. This chain should continue in future also for which our students, teachers and parents must thrive.

N R Ramachandran, Hyderabad

Listen to farmers, do justice to them

The Central government has honoured Chaudhary Charan Singh, who championed the farmers’ causes, and agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan with the Bharat Ratna but has been doing ‘injustice’ to cultivators. How can our country progress when the farmers are attacked with tear gas shells for fighting for their basic rights? Instead of suppressing their protest and rulling out the minimum support price (MSP), the central government must focus on their decent demands and implementation of MSP so that they could get a better return for their hard work and farm produce.

Md Taukir, Bettiah, Bihar

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Though the latest salvo seems timed with the poll dates announcement, the Congress criticism of the Modi Government’s approach to rural and agrarian issues is not new and it has long accused the BJP of pursuing a development agenda that prioritises the urban elite and big business interests over the needs of the rural poor. However, with elections on the horizon, the rhetoric has reached fever pitch and it will continue till the Parliament elections are over

Yash Pal Ralhan, Jalandhar

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It’s quite perplexing to witness the stark contrast in the treatment of farmers by the BJP government. On one hand, they bestow Bharat Ratna Awards upon farmer‘s leader like Charan Singh and agricultural scientist Dr Swaminathan, lauding their contributions. However, on the other hand, the government remains adamant in refusing to provide the minimum support price to farmers. Instead of solving the farmers’ problems amicably with negotiations, the government is blocking their protest march with barricades, using tear gas, water cannons etc. It’s high time for the government to address this disparity and fulfill the legitimate needs of our farmers.

Ganti Venkata Sudhir, Secunderabad