MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th March 2021

Curb communal riots in TS

According to the Constitution of India, ours is a secular country. It has been over 73 years since we attained Independence, but even today we are witnessing communal riots in the country. The real development of a country is not measured by the large buildings of the country but the good relations among people and the peace that existed in the country.

Some political parties are stirring the riots to get politically benefited. Shops were gutted and people suffered injuries in these riots. TS govt must take this issue seriously and find out the people who are behind it. Irrespective of the religion, culprits must be punished. Or else these communal riots may spread to other parts of the state too. Then it becomes a hard nut to crack to the state. In affected areas, Govt must propagate how important peaceful relations among people for the growth of our country. We must not forget the saying 'United we stand, divided we fall.'

K Manoj Kumar, Huzurabad, Karimnagar

End this discrimination

I first prepared and appeared in the NEET examination when I was in the process of completing my Class 12 examination in 2019. Since I was simultaneous preparing for both board and NEET, I could not get the desired rank for getting admission in government medical college and therefore devoted the full year in 2020 to appear for the NEET examination and thanks to Covid, all coaching institute and libraries were closed.

Hundreds of students like me did not get the support except online classes which had its own problems and we lost the rhythm as, after several postponements, the NEET was held in September 2020. In this attempt, I scored more than 2019, but my rank went behind as a result I again missed the seat in government college but got a call from a private medical college in Pune and as I did not want to burden my parents, I have opted to take one more chance with all determination. This year NEET examination would be held on August 1 in pen and paper mode and aspirants would get only one chance, unlike the JEE aspirants who get 4 chances.

I want to know why this discrimination between aspiring Engineers and Doctors. Is it because more boys appear for JEE as compared to NEET? I think the government is helping the private medical college as students like me and others would be forced to finally get into such a college as we cannot waste one more year. I suppose this is not the right way to promote Beti Bachao Beti Padao! in order to help the private medical college unless the government is ready to pay us scholarships and reduce the burden on our parents.

R Anita, New Delhi

The power of NOTA

The demand in the PIL before the Apex Court for nullification of result and for fresh elections in the constituencies where the NOTA columns in the ballot sheet are strongest, is a just one deserving deep examination. In a sense, NOTA is also as much a choice as a candidate before the electorate in the poll fray and in case it receives highest number of votes, it should mean that none of the human contenders is worth being declared elected.

E Sethuramalingam, Kollam

Manifesto madness

The election manifestos of leading political parties in Tamil Nadu viz DMK and AIADMK are very imaginative in the sense that they offer freebies in all possible areas. Both are trying to intimidate voters unethically. None of them is concerned about incentivising productivity but grants, gifts, loan waivers etc are promised for all sections of the society without any justification. The student mind is corrupted at the budding age itself by promising waiver of educational loan while the right spirit should be for the student to study, earn and repay.

There is hardly any mention about Navodaya schools, sea water desalination, opening of new hospitals, public transportation etc. One party has promised free distribution of washing machines without realising that they require running water supply. One party has promised huge amount for renovation of temples which will only help politicians to prosper. It is obvious that the promises are made recklessly and innocent voters are getting carried away. The malpractice needs to be curbed and election code has to be amended stipulating that the manifesto should specify estimated expenditure for each item, source of funds and timeline for implementation.

M Raghuraman, Mumbai

Don't quit in haste!

When you are down and feeling very low on your confidence some people will take extreme measures of ending their lives much to the discomfort of people dependent on him. At this juncture what that person has to do is to seek the guidance of right person and act accordingly till the situation improves.

Here are some instances when prominent sporting fraternity benefitted from the advices of suitable persons. When Virat Kohli was facing consecutive failures recently he had a chat with AB De Villiers. When Prithvi Shaw was faced with repeated failures and Surya Kumar Yadav was not selected in the Indian cricket team, they took the advice of Sachin Tendulkar and the results are there to see. Sachin himself wanted to retire from International cricket after series of low scores in 2007 World Cup. Then he had a long chat with Sir Vivian Richards, who guided him not to take the hasty decision of quitting cricket. Eventually Sachin was part of Indian cricket team that had lifted Cricket World Cup in 2011.

V Nagendra Kumar, Hyderabad