MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th Aug 2024

Key issue of women workers addressed

The Odisha government’s decision to announce one paid leave for working women during menstrual period is welcome. Both the government and the private sector woman employees can opt for day one or two depending on the need for paid leave duly considering the pain and inconvenience that a woman experiences beyond words. It is nice to note that Bihar is the first State to have introduced such measure in 1992. As Gandhiji said that both men and women together can build the Nation and this humanitarian concern goes a long way to uphold women’s stewardship in development of the Nation with due regard to their natural prerogatives.

Dr T Ramadas, Visakhapatnam

A trillion dollar question

From the ramparts of Red Fort Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation. taking a long time of 98 minutes, by highlighting three major points viz., Secular Civil Code in place of Uniform Civil Code, women safety and oft repeated slogan on a developed nation by 2047. The need for SCC was earlier addressed by Supreme Court as a large section of people opine it as the Communal Civil Code. Only then will we be free of discrimination on the basis of religion. What is in a name when we are bitterly stuck to religious codes? Women safety is becoming a dangerous epidemic day by day despite modifying criminal laws. Modi added that justice should win in preference to imposition of punishments. How? I can’t understand. Third one is a developed nation by 2047. India will achieve the target of $5 trillion economy in the years to come. Then will it push crores of poor out of dark tunnel? A trillion dollar question.

NSK Prasad, Hyderabad

BJP aiming at two birds with one shot

That Prime Minister adding adjective ‘secular’ to the issue of Common Civil Sode in his Independence Day speech is interesting. He might have added that to get a wider acceptability to that idea in the public. The controversial idea of Uniform Civil Code to the nation has been a main poll plank for BJP. Though it’s an intended goal for India to achieve as per Directive Principles of the constitution, it is deferred on the basis of country not having attained the suitability for implementation. It’s feared that the hasty implementation would have caused damage to the social fabric by undermining the different faiths. Now the prime minister has tried to get two birds with one shot. By reiterating the BJP’s poll plank, he sent message that though his party doesn’t have enough numbers on its own for ruling, it is bold to stick to its agenda and not fear the disagreeing allies. The second one is to disarm the opposition by reciting their recent weapons of secularism and constitutionalism and taking sail out of thier winds.

Dr DVG Sankara Rao, Vizianagaram

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 98-minute address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day contained several factors in terms of improvement and course correction for the country for achieving Viksit Bharat. The PM stressed the importance of secular civil code for the nation for granting the same justice and law for one and all without discrimination. A particular community is already up in arms that serious measures that are implemented and recommended are against the community, which shows the unmissable agenda to stand alone in the national scenario, swearing on the sharia. The community must understand and come in support of the UCC that is enshrined in the Constitution as it is the community’s bane to defend things that are followed in the name of the religion.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Will govt, oppn try to mend fences?

Your advice to the political class to rise above petty politics is unquestionable, but it is hard to see the parties accepting it. After the 2014 elections where the PM Modi was voted to power, matters have gone southwards. The bitterness between the government and the opposition has reached low levels and every opportunity is used to go hammer and tongs at each other. The endless debates on prime time television have only added fuel to the fire of bitterness. The government and the opposition are the two wheels of a democratic set up. Otherwise, the vehicle will not run smoothly. There is little hope the government and opposition will mend fences to see that the nation progresses.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

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The Independence Day speech by the PM stressed the rollout of reforms agenda, simultaneous elections and waging a war against corruption. That cooperation between the government and the opposition is imperative to strengthen the nation is absolutely correct. Further, it is all the more vital for all the parties to work together for the nation to move forward attaining self-sufficiency in all sectors. They should not indulge in cheap gimmicks, which will help enemy nations to wage proxy wars, and the west to implant false narratives to create anarchy-like situation.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad