MyVoice: Views of our readers 23rd May 2025

Mizoram’s literacy milestone is a wake-up call for India

Mizoram’s remarkable achievement as India’s first fully literate state (announced by its Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Wednesday) deserves celebration as also a serious reflection. In a country struggling with vast educational gaps, Mizoram’s success (a literacy rate of 98.2 per cent, surpassing the Centre’s 95 per cent benchmark for full literacy) offers not just inspiration but a workable model. Its approach—community involvement, consistent government policy, and cultural respect for education—proves that literacy isn’t a luxury; it’s a matter of will. Kerala has a literacy rate of 96.2 per cent.

Other states with far more resources continue to fall behind. Why? This isn’t just about statistics. Literacy transforms lives. It empowers people to think, vote, and build. It’s ironic that while we pump money into tech and infrastructure, we ignore the human foundation—education. If Mizoram can do it, what excuse do we have as regards the backwardness in other states? India needs to stop celebrating isolated successes and start ensuring that every citizen can read, write, and prosper in life.

Md Hasnain, Patna

A major blow to Maoists

The Maoist movement received a body-blow on Wednesday with the killing of its top leader Nambala Kesava Rao, alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Chhattisgarh’s Maad in an encounter with security forces. Basavaraju carried a reward of ₹ 1.5 crore on his head. Incidentally, he is the third member of the organisation’s top body to be gunned down this year with Jagan and Uday being the other two. Quite expectedly, the entire political leadership has hailed the killing, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that naxalism would be eliminated by next March.

On that count, the banned outfit’s members are facing a situation like the post-Emergency days in 1977. They suspended armed struggle and mobilsed masses before launching the CPI-ML (People’ s War) which was translated into MCCI before taking the present name CPI (Maoist). Meanwhile, the security forces honed their skills by using technology in jungle warfare. It is time the authorities put an end to the mayhem in the dense forest, where most Maoists operate from. Pratapa Reddy Yaramala,

Tiruvuru, NTR Dist

Paying the price for waging a mindless war

The country is witnessing a determined phase of mopping up operations against Maoists by the security forces in different states. This is in tune with the government’s resolve to eradicate Maoism and Naxalism by 2027. The elimination of Basavaraju and 26 other Maoists in the dense forest in Bastar region is one of the most significant operations in recent times.

These misguided radicals are waging a mindless war against the state on borrowed notions from China and Russia despite being highly educated. Interestingly, there are several pseudo-secular groups seeking a soft approach while dealing with such anti-nationals. It is both astonishing and astounding.

KR Parvathy, Mysuru

Herald case: ED asserts prima facie case

There is a prima facie case against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The fact is that Dr Subramanyam Swamy won’t take up issues without content or basis. More so where the top family of INC is concerned. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) took up investigation with right earnestness and culled out evidence enough to be qualified as prima facie, meaning the case is fit for a full-scale investigation.

The Congress party is not able to challenge but always plays the political victim card. This puzzle should be cleared, once and for all. The NDA government should know that it is okay if a particular issue is used to corner the opponent, albeit for a limited time and cause. Overuse is bound to boomerang. This simple logic should not be missed by the ruling party. If there is substance and evidence, rather than mudslinging the Gandhi family, why not bring the issue to its logical end?

Govardhana Myneedu, MG Road, Vijayawada