MyVoice: Views of our readers 19th March 2023

Global glory for Telugu culture

Winning Oscars -one for Telugu song "NaatuNaatu" for the best original song from Rajamouli's blockbuster "RRR" and the other one for the Indo-American Tamil short documentary "Elephant Whisperers" – is indeed a marvellous achievement and the glorious record in the history of Indian cinema(Editorial: "The real significance of Oscar glory for us"March 14).

Indian cinema is not Bollywood alone as "RRR" was wrongly referred to by Jimmy Kimmel on Oscar night (aptly brought to the notice of people and the cinema celebrities by your analytical editorial) as a Bollywood movie with nobody having attempted to point out the erroneous notion about the movie and declared that it was a Telugu movie with the flavour of Telugu culture and the beauty of Telugu language. The song "NaatuNaatu,"though sounds like a mass song with emotional intensity and high-pitched rhythm, is in fact a folk song that celebrates the beauty of customs and traditions of folk culture which,under the impact of western culture, is almost on the verge of being extinct.The folk culture as displayed in the song reflects rural ambience and varied dialects of Telugu language in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This folk culture of Telugu people is undoubtedly the essential part of the glorious Indian culture.

The lyricist, Chandra Bose, with his commendable grasp of the nuances of dialects of Telugu language, lyrical dexterity and his soaring poetic vision breathed beauty of folk culture into the song. The music maestro, Keervani, enriched the lyric with the rhapsody of mellifluous music, the lyric sung so vigorously by the singer and choreographed so skillfully by the dance director and the fast-beat dance performed so energetically by the young actors. So the Oscar was apparently for the whole team for their wonderful work. The Oscar brought on to the world stage the glory of Telugu culture and the ineffable beauty of Telugu language.

– Dr Venugopala Rao Kaki, Kakinada

Sad state of students in corporate Jr colleges

For teenagers, Intermediate education plays a vital role in their life.This period in their lives can make or mar not only their careers but also their future.In 2019 alone, about 20 inter students committed suicide within a week of announcing their results!It is therefore the duty and responsibility of parents to create and ensure congenial ambience for their wards both at home and places of learning.At this stage, teenaged students are like tender saplings and we have to nurture them and their curiosity in beautiful nurseries. But,alas,most of our corporate junior colleges are Rikers-like prisons in more than one sense.

From close quarters I watched and in a way experienced the stressand strain of my two children when they were in Corporate Junior Colleges.My daughter had done her Inter BiPC and later her one year EMCET coaching in a Hyderabad Corporate Junior College.She often experienced irregular periods and bouts of fever from stress and pressure.There were days when my wife and I used to wait at the gates of the college for hours to see my ailing daughter, just like visitors outside a prison.Many times after a lot of waiting and pleading with the warden,we were allowed to take my daughter out either for treatment or for shopping!One day I lost my patience and quarreled with the warden over the stressful conditions.Eventually we took out our daughter and kept her as a PG in a relative's house.During her EAMCET coaching,one of her batchmates committed suicide in the hostel and the college management sent all the students home for a short period.She took time to overcome the trauma and with lots of persuasion,she went back to the hostel,unwillingly. Similar is the experience of my son, too.

I am sure there are thousands of parents who have similar stories of their children in corporate colleges.Though my children had completed their education some 18 years ago,the story has been the same.Why our governments are deaf and blind to all these happenings? What is Intermediate Board doing?Can't these colleges be cut to size and made to fall in line with rules and regulations?

Out of about 16 lakh inter students in both the Telugu States, 50 to 60% are from these corporate colleges.So put a cap on this,and limit the admissions in these colleges to a couple of hundreds. Restrict the number of colleges run by one management.Vigilance committees of parents, NGOs and officials must visit these colleges and send compliance reports to governments. Government must impose huge fines for violations and even cancel recognition if need be.

– M Somasekhar Prasad, Badvel, AP

Communists dreading death of democracy?

There are many statements which politicians of all hues make which are ambiguous, contradictory, strange, and of course opportunistic. However, nothing beats them all (one might say 'irony just died a thousand deaths') when SitaramYechury (Shun BJP to save democracy, THI, 18th March 2023) declares that BJP is responsible for the death of democracy in India.

Anyone, whether right or wrong, has a right to moan about the death of democracy in India but it takes an enormous amount of gall and courage for the Communist Party to talk about democracy.

Throughout the world and in India, the consistently anti-democratic party has been the Communists. If one can believe some rankings, the Communist Party of India links to top terrorist/insurgent organisations, too. Democracy is doubtful as the best form of governance as philosophers since the times of Socrates have stressed upon but for the present world, it may be the least of all evils. Despite problems with all political parties, they have a place in the democratic system excepting, perhaps, the Communist party as its record of anti-democratic and anti-national activities have ample proof in the annals of history.

– Dr Pingali Gopal, Hanamkonda

An appeal to First Citizen of India

Dear Madam President! I am an ordinary Indian citizen addressing this letter or a missive out of concern for India and our democracy, which is in danger due to unruly behaviour of our representatives. Nevertheless, I can't be a by-stander and watch democratic institutions, in particular our Parliament, is not being used for the purpose it was established. During the British Raj it was called the Central Legislative Assembly, the Council of State and Chamber of Princes, it functioned more like a voice of British rulers than the people of India. No wonder, revolutionaries like Shaheed Baghat Singh and BatukeshwarDutt had to adopt a different method to raise people's voice by hurling bombs with the aim "if the deaf are to hear, the sound has to be very loud." Their aim was not to kill or harm anyone but to protest against the draconian "Public Safety Safety Bill and Trade Dispute Bill."

Thanks to our constitution makers, we no longer need revolutionaries to use this method as we have the right and choice to vote to send our representatives to speak for us and our problems. Madam President over the years and in particular the last eight years or so, the sheen of parliament is getting cracked and damaged. I am particularly disturbed like others, the way the functioning parliament has come to stand still over the last four days, as your representatives in Lok and Rajya Sabha are unable to bring an order over an issue of apology of the PM and his opponent over a remark made outside parliament in foreign soil. I can't allow our money which is used to run the house over non issue.

As a first citizen, I would like to convey my apology which you may please accept and convey the same to PM and his main opponent with request to resume Parliament. I do know you have limited powers to speak for us and therefore this letter from a.citizen whose taxes are used to run the parliament.

– N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

II

Apropos, "Another day of washout in Parliament over Rahul remarks," (THI, Mar 18).

The political tug-of-war between the ruling and opposition parties has completely paralysed Parliament. It has jammed the third wheel of democracy. All legislative work has stopped, and issues of people's interest are not being discussed in the highest national forum.

Parliament functions with a mutual understanding between the treasury and opposition benches and the spirit of cooperation. Important legislative business, including the finance bill, is pending before the House in the current budget session.

It is as much the responsibility of the opposition parties as that of the Union government to conduct this important business. Besides the Congress-BJP spat, other opposition parties are also on the streets. While they are on the same page with the Congress on the Adani issue, they focus more on the alleged misuse of central agencies.

As both sides appear unrelenting, the complete lack of cooperative spirit threatens to wipe out all the coming sessions in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This loss of Parlament's precious time and resources is unpardonable and amounts to criminal waste.

– N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

Govt-Governor spat getting uglier in TS

Though a tussle between Governors and the state governments is not new,the present case of ruffle between the Telangana Governor TamilisaiSoundararajan and the KCR government has crossed certain limits. The main accusation of state is that the Governor kept pending certain bills passed by the assembly for a time longer than expected of a Governor. It is TRUE that the Governor had commented on the State's machinery that it did not follow the protocol and felt the government is unfriendly and discourteous. But this may not be the reason for the bills kept pending. The options of the Governor are either to grant assent to the bill or decline it or reserve it for the President consideration.

Here a point to be noted is the absence of a time frame in the constitution to indefinitely delay decisions. This tactic effectively stalls the elected regime's legislative agenda. If the bill relates to the people and the development of the state it should be given priority. As the Supreme Court remarked recently,dialogue between constitutional functionaries should not become a race to the bottom. Constitutional functions should not be held hostage to political and personal differences.

– T S N Rao, Hyderabad

Pawan must beware of Anna's fate & TDP of Pawan's BJP leanings

VRamuSarmaeulogising the Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan for his ability to speak his mind fearlessly – at a time when the very fabric of democratic governance under the rule of YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh is threatened at every stage by intimidation or threat to life of those who speak against the misrule – rings true. The thinking that Pawan has nothing to lose if he joins hands with TDP to oust the present undemocratic government may be correct but at the same time TDP is no angel for having backstabbed NTR for the sake of power and severing its alliance with NDA again to stay in power, wherein it failed.

Notwithstanding the fire in Pawan's conviction only to see the people and the state prosper appears sincere and honest to the core, the power of the government in modern democracies today cannot be trifled with easily by mere words or speeches because most of the political parties when out of power claim to be victims by either coming together or conjure up to bring a transformation if voted to power. But once in power, they forget the promise by only conjuring up conspiracies against their adversaries to delay justice. The classic case is Anna Hazare's heightened protest against the highly corrupt rule of Congress in the company of Kejriwal and company in 2014. He was sidelined by Kejriwal once they started tasting power. TDP, a caste-based opportunistic party with a history of using parties to come to power, is now trying to get closer to Pawan only with an aim to come to power and nothing else. Hence Pawan must act carefully and sensibly to avoid perhaps facing similar fate like Anna Hazare later.

For that matter, Pawan making it clear that he would not have thought about politics had YSRCP delivered good governance and similarly aired his views openly that he continues to have high regard for Prime Minister and national BJP leaders only and not local BJP leadership is indeed a subtle warning to TDP that he cannot be taken for granted.

– K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Promote use of millets with awareness, sops

Millets which are coarse grains have enormous health benefits. They are gaining popularity slowly and their consumption has increased due to GOI's push as well as impetus. The prices of these millers, however, have to come down so that it can be purchased by the common man.

The government must consider supplying millets at subsidised rates through fair price shops under the PDS system. The pink ration card holders who do not get anything can be supplied millets thru them. Hotels, restaurants and other eateries who choose to offer various dishes & eatables made using "Shree Ann" can be extended loans and other incentives. This will increase the use of millets and enhance its popularity. Food stalls operating within hospitals should offer dishes made from millets instead of the usual dishes made using rice, dal & wheat etc. Doctors and the general health practitioners should and can also counsel patients an encourage them to consume millets in a big way. Millets and its overall consumption and benefits have to be propagated in a "Mission Mode."This is necessary 2023 is being observedas the International Year of Millets. The increasing dependence on the traditional staple food of rice has to come down & "Shree Ann" has to replace it slowly but surely. It is hoped that a change in people's food preferences leading them to adopt a nutritious and healthy lifestyle would be witnessed in the coming days ahead.

– NR Raghuram, Hyderabad