MyVoice: Views of our readers 26th December 2023

Indian women cricketers on a roll

Re: “India women’s team secure first test win over Australia” (THI, Dec 25). This is, indeed, the season of content for India women’s cricket for the simple reason that the team is having a great run after a splendid victory over England in the one-off test at Navi Mumbai recently followed by another convincing win over Australia within a fortnight in a one-off test. Both the victories are special because it puts India team on a different level. As Indian women’s cricket has been making great strides over the years, these two test wins coming back to back against the formidable England and Australian teams due to some splendid performances is not only sweeter and historic but can be said that Indian players are shining bright in the international firmament. All in all, the women’s premier league is indeed the best thing to have happened for women’s cricket.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Expedite police probe against Brij Bhushan

It refers to “Centre suspends new WFI “. At last, better sense seems to have prevailed over the sports ministry which has suspended the newly elected Wrestling Federatio of India (WFI) body over technical grounds. Sanjay Kumar Singh-led WFI would have been run by none other than Brij Bhushan Singh only as this wrestling federation was literally run from the latter’s house. This turn of event presents a golden opportunity to completely clean up the wrestling federation and select a body with a right mix of both genders, former sportspersons and administrators like retired civil servants. Ultimately, WFI should protect the welfare of wrestlers with an unbiased approach but currently it seems to be doing anything but this. Last but not least, Delhi police must finish the investigation against Brij Bhushan Singh and start the prosecution process without any further delay.

Bal Govind, Noida

Put checks in place for private varsities

The mushrooming of private universities in the country does not augur well for quality education at higher level, considering the fact that nepotism rules the roost and, therefore, there is no guarantee that students having strings to pull could ‘manage’ one degree after another. Within the public universities we have had many failed the test of quality education because of which there have been restrictions in the negative on job-seeking graduates from so and so university. To my mind, two universities viz. Sagar University in MP and Osmania University in Telangana have had the ignominy of its graduates barred from applying for jobs, etc. It is argued that private universities provide innovative courses suiting the needs of the present day and are better equipped financially. While this aspect is not disputed, the same is not sufficient because there is always room for nepotism in private universities and thus quality of education gets sacrificed.

Govardhana Myneedu, Vijayawada

INDIA bloc can take on BJP’s Hindutva

This refers to the editorial “INDIA bloc stares at BJP’s soft Hindutva blitzkrieg” (25 Dec). Whatever blitzkrieg BJP may follow using the place of worship, the INDIA bloc should focus on the Rozi Roti Kapda Paani and Rozgar issue and present a programme before the voters. The bloc leaders should explain to the people that they respect all the religions and gods, but temples alone can’t provide jobs and develop the economy. They must explain that people need temples of learning to overcome poverty and they also need hospitals and health facilities which should be no better than temples of god. The bloc can promise that there are thousands of temples in India which are crying for support and money. Let the INDIA bloc promise better facilities in temples of ordinary people.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

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It is beyond doubt that the INDI Alliance is yet to learn its lesson, and work out a plan contriving a strategy to stand up to the winning spree that the BJP has been enjoying in the country, in the aftermath of its thumping victory in the three states of Hindi heartland. If the INDI Alliance wants to put on a pseudo mask of soft Hindutva to woo Hindu voters, just to outwit BJP, it is into a terrible miscalculation. Hindutva is not about visiting temples before the elections, having one foot firmly on the Muslim vote bank, being anti-national on most of their views. They are doing this wilfully, swearing safely on secularism, despite being out and out anti-Hindu.

S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Increase standards of government schools

Your newspaper report on ‘Private school dominance continues in Telangana’ published in the edition of 25th December 2023, shows the low priority given by the previous government on education. Because the funds allocated for education sector in the state budget for the past few years have been around 10% while for welfare schemes it varies from 24 to 30%. For example, the fund for the year 2022-23 for education was about Rs 18,127 crore but for Special Development Fund for SC & ST was around Rs 52,000 crore. For economic reasons, students belonging to SC & ST community study in government schools. So, is it not desirable to increase standard of education and facilities in government schools, stepping stone for their development, instead of spending after they grow up with substandard or no education. The dropouts in government schools particularly in case of girl students are due to lack of infrastructure and teachers, more so in rural areas. Education is a social obligation which is the responsibility of government to fulfill, not of the private sector.

Dr O Prasada Rao, Hyderabad