MyVoice: Views of our readers 26th March 2023

Rahul verdict baneful for democracy or good riddance?

Apropos, "Rahul disqualification," (THI, Mar 25). It does not lend any credit to India's democracy that the country's most prominent Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified from parliament for an offence which in normal discourse would not be considered important enough to invite such a serious punitive response from the system.

Rahul Gandhi's comment made from a public forum was in poor taste and it reflected the low levels to which political discourse has sunk in the country. All politicians, including the Prime Minister, are guilty of lowering the standards of public discourse. But some are picked out, picked up and made to pay a price. The defamation verdict and the disqualification will be used by the BJP as one more weapon to escalate its attacks on Gandhi as he has emerged as the most consistent and strident critic of the government, the BJP and Modi.

In the present circumstance, he will not be able to contest the 2024 elections if he does not get a reprieve from the courts. Imagine the largest democracy in the world, which the Prime Minister claims to be the 'mother of democracy', going to elections with its most important Opposition leader in jail and unable to contest for a remark he made targeting the Prime Minister during an election rally speech. Such a thing happens only in authoritarian countries. Are we taking lessons in democracy from Putin's Russia or some banana republic?

– N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

The Congress party despite its near decimation is still considered an old war horse with veterans having a wealth of political experience. The punishment of a jail term coupled with disqualification as an MP for Rahul makes another prominent head roll from its ranks. The party is slowly losing its front ranking stalwarts with almost none to give it a sense of direction & a possible revival of its sagging image. This is sad and even painful to say the least. Should I say it's even bad for the democracy? There is, and will be young blood in the party who can be groomed on sound political values, ethics with a sense of patriotism who can be egged on to help revive the party. An agenda to identify and groom such youngsters has to be drawn. This is apart from finding a substitute for the void likely to be created due to Rahul's exit. Unless the party initiates steps to put in place a damage control exercise across its entire rank and file pan-India, things will not improve & its status quo will stand to remain. Will the party allow a 'Congress-Mukth Bharat' and help BJP is for them to decide.

– N R Raghuram, Hyderabad

I am sure with this episode our political leaders will be cautious and control their tongues while criticising opponents with harsh words. The ethical, moral, proffessional and human values are slowly eroding among politicians in these days. But the way Lok Sabha Secretariat hurried to disqualify Rahul Gandhi within no time of Surat court judgement raised many eye brows! All should learn a lot how PV Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee maintained best relations respecting one another and worked for the nation irrespective of different political ideologies. Let us hope to expect some transformation among the minds and hearts of our politicians.

– JP Reddy, Nalgonda

Though many tall leaders in the past were convicted and disqualified by the same law, there was not much furore as is being created with a few saying that an alternative civil remedy against defamation available could have been invoked. Shame on these so-called leaders dictating terms to the judiciary when the defamatory statement of Rahul has the potential to cause harm to the reputation of the person against whom the imputation is made. In short, calling the whole community having surname as "thieves" is absolutely wrong because there were stalwarts like PilooMody who was downright honest and capable. Hence, lesser punishment given will only send a wrong message that the purpose of defamation is not served and anybody shall easily slander anyone without fear. For that matter, despite Rahul Gandhi been cautioned by the supreme court for misrepresenting the court's remarks as an endorsement of his "Chowkidarchorhai" during the 2019 election campaign, his thinking that he can get away by passing snide and insulting remarks against anyone not only proved costly for Rahul but is also a stark reminder to all politicians to maintain restraint by keeping a check on their tongues while making any statement or passing remark

– KRSrinivasan, Secunderabad

The impact and advantage which the Congress might have secured on account of the padayatra for Bharat Jodo Yatra undertaken by Rahul Gandhi is purported to be negated by the SCs recent verdict & his disqualification as an MP. The verdict can damage Rahul's political career as 8 years is quite a long time to spend in political hibernation. An effective & more forceful voice to represent the Congress in the Lok Sabha has to be scouted for. It seems, its curtain down and all over for the dynastic Gandhi rule & it also seems reviving the party is a gigantic task ahead. The other opposition parties should take Congress on board and seek its valued experience.

– N R Raghuram, Hyderabad

The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the membership of Lok Sabha is definitely not that urgent and the LokSabha could have waited for some time before announcing the disqualification. Afterall, there are no heinous crimes involved in the statements made by Rahul Gandhi during the year 2019 against the names of 'Modi family.' For that matter, the comments being made in Telangana between BJP and BRS are more pungent than Rahul's comments. They are literally using personal abuses against Modi and KCR in the highest superlative degree of English. If these are taken as points, hundreds of litigations must have been filed in courts ranging from district courts to even High courts and if these are decided by courts then probably there is little left for politicians to fight against one another.

– KaturuDurga Prasad Rao, Hyderabad

There have been several cases of others who bit the bullet for their variety of misdemeanour in their political and personal capacities to be disqualified from cross-section of political parties ranging from Congress, SP, BSP and BJP. But the problem with Congress is that it must be treated in a special way having different yardsticks applied to it; and when this is not achieved, the party doesn't hesitate to throw aspersions on the judiciary without compunction. The dynasty family; and its sycophant supporters are always thorough in this process; and are capable of going to any length to prove their point in an attempt to achieve it. Interestingly they succeeded too during the Indira Gandhi time, when she was disqualified from the Parliament and had been given the special favour of taking part in the proceedings of the House.

There is a grapevine in circulation that BJP has unwittingly united the Opposition in the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification in the Parliament. This is absolute rubbish. What is true is that fear has gripped these parties to embrace one another owing to a sheer sense of insecurity and apprehension that has nothing to do with either showing sympathy to Congress or getting more united in the process.

– S Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Recent unprecedented controversy on account of court verdict convicting Congress leader Rahul in defamation case and immediate disqualification for being MPis being interpreted by legal pundits as contrary to democracy and illegal.In fact,often,border line between politics and offence is very thinand vague. Political leaders might be entrapped in suits on account of various reasons.Those are cases which are being registered in the name of political reasons or agitationsrather than offences being seen by courts.There might be erroneous verdicts.That is why appeal provision is provided.Accordingly,on the same day when lower court verdict was issued,while a representative of people is oustedfrom Assembly,it is rather difficult to believe thatsuch provision is democracy.Moreover,it is also seen that present episode has amplified prominene of Rahul, devoid of leadership or governance quality, while he is never substitute to dynamic PM Modi on account of inherent reasons.

– JayashreeThampi, Thiruvananthapuram

Delhi High Court while hearing a plea to initiate criminal proceedings against Union Minister Anurag Thakur for hate speech said that if you're saying something with a smile, then there is no criminality and if you're saying something offensive, then definitely.

This observation has given a licence to elected representatives to abuse those with different point of view political. The judges while delivering judgement or making observation have their own way to deliver judgement and this is what has happened in Rahul Gandhi's conviction in relation to Modi surname.

Recently our Law Minister tongue lashed by claiming that some retired judges are part of "Anti National Gang." As per English Language Dictionary Gang means a group of persons working to unlawful or antisocial ends.

If the group of retired judges file a defamation case against Law Minister, we don't know what kind of judgement the Surat Court judge would deliver. Will the judge say he made this comment in a conclave so there is nothing wrong?

More than verdict and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi, BJP has made it clear that they will politically launch a campaign that he is against OBC. It clearly shows, a well-planned strategy was in progress as case filed was in PM's home state and timed well just before 2024 elections.

– N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

Towards ensuring health for all

As countries all over the world are poised to observe World Health Day on April 1, it is worth considering the call of World Health Organisation– 'Health for All'.

A crude fact is that in spite of insurance schemes extended by State and Central governments, a considerable amount of properties sold in India, especially in rural areas, are still attributed to meet health expenses.

We have 0.77 doctors per 1,000 people (1:1655) as against the ratio of 1:1000 recommended by WHO. Shortage of doctors in PHCs is said to be 26% in the country and it is around 18% in Andhra Pradesh.

In general, doctors prefer to engage themselves in urban areas than serving in Rural India. Factors like little incentives to serve in rural areas and recruitment under contract basis are quoted as a few reasons.

Two-thirds of population is available in rural India. Only33% of health workers and 27% of doctors are said to be available in rural India. Most of the rural population is deprived of quality healthcare leaving them in the clutches of quacks.

It is said around 57% of those practicing allopathic system do not have medical qualification.

Besides the shortage of medical professionals we have complaints on the status and quality of medical education also.

Infusing skills, improving infrastructure and introducing research and innovation are essential to change the medical education system in the country.

We have 0.5 bed for 1,000 population. The pathetic scenes of lakhs of patients losing their lives just for want of beds in hospitals when Covid19 was at its peak are still afresh in the minds of all.Poor infrastructure also discourages doctors taking up assignments in rural areas.

We have 1.7 nurses in India against the WHO recommendation of 3:1000. We need 4.3million nurses. At present we have around 2000 nursing institutions with around 99,000 seats capacity. To transform the call of WHO ' Health for All' into reality the rulers need to infuse greater amount of sincerity in improving the status from 155/167 rank to a pride position.

– AGRajmohan, Anantapur

Eradicating TB calls for multi-sectoral drive

Over the last nine years, public participation through initiatives like 'Ni-kshayMitra' has played a very important role in the fight against tuberculosis. TB is worrisome and many precious lives were lost because of poor treatment methods. The TB-Mukt Panchayat initiative, the official pan-India rollout of shorter preventive treatment and family-centric care model for TB, and the release of India's Annual TB Report 2023. The Prime Minister was addressing the 'One World TB Summit' in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. It is a right step in the right direction.

The government dealt with the issue with strong measures. Early diagnosis of all the TB patients, prompt treatment with quality assured drugs and treatment regimens along with suitable patient support systems to promote adherence. First and foremost is that of engaging with the patients seeking care in the private sector.. Prevention strategies including active case finding and contact tracing in high risk / vulnerable populations and treating them in the best way possible. By having a check on airborne infection control and prevention.

Multi-sectoral response for addressing social determinants.by arranging medical camps in district head quarters. There lie the real success by eradicating TB by 2025.

- ShanthiRamanathan, Ghaziabad

Address the jumbo distress in India

While we all rejoice in the victory of the documentary "The Elephant Whisperers" at the Oscars, the elephant census in our country is alarming. It was a heart-wrenching incident that happened recently in the Dharmapuri forest area in Tamil Nādu, where a lone pachyderm lost its life due to electrocution from the low-lying transmission lines. It is unfortunate to see many elephant deaths in recent years in our country, which is home to 60% of Asian elephants.

According to the Ministry of Environment, in the last five years, i.e., between 2017 and 2022 alone, as many as 494 pachyderms died due to various reasons like electrocution, train accidents, poaching and poisoning. This problem is predominant in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Tamil Nādu. According to wildlife conservation scientists, the loss of one older elephant, which guides the younger ones in a herd, is the loss of experience for the others in the herd. The younger ones could stray into human habitats leading to human-elephant conflicts. In the past five years, over 1,500 people died due to elephant attacks in India.

To protect humans from them, initiatives like cultivating crops that are unpalatable to elephants like ginger, chillies, citrus plants etc. at the boundaries of the fields can be useful. In Kenya, the farmers set up interlinked honey bee hives in the fences which, when disturbed release the bees which sting the elephants, forcing the elephants to go back to the woods. There is no threat to the lives of elephants. In the areas where there is a railway line in the natural habitats, using advanced technology such as sensors to caution nearest station or loco pilot, constructing underpasses for elephants to cross railway lines would be greatly helpful. Also essential is keeping transmission lines at adequate height to minimise the risk of electrocution. However, sadly, the implementation of these steps is quite patchy in India

– Dr MejariMallikarjuna, Chittoor

AP Assembly adopts very vital resolutions

The AP Legislative Assembly richly deserves compliments for passing two epoch-making unanimous assembly resolutions,keeping in view the much needed social justice for the long neglected backward communities like Boya/Valmiki and Dalit Christians in AP. (State govt urges Centre to include Boys/ Valmikis in STs, THI, 26 March). In this regard, the AP government has appointed one man commission and made a thorough study of the socio, political and economic conditions of the Boya/Valmiki in the districts of Rayalaseema and based on its recommendations, it worked for a unanimous resolution, duly recommending to the centre to include them in Scheduled Tribes list.

Similarly, the quota for Dalit Christians is a long pending case. In 2009, the Congress government led by Dr YSR passed an assembly resolution for inclusion of Dalit Christians in the SC list. Now after 14 years, the present government passed a unanimous resolution, duly recommending, inclusion of Dalit Christians in the SC list, as they deserve better treatment on equal footing as Dalits who converted to Sikhism and Buddhism. Now, the ball is in the court of BJP-led Centre, which is duty-bound to examine and consider positive action for inclusion of Boya/Valmikis and Dalit Christians in ST & SC lists respectively by amending the Constitution if necessary.

P H HemaSagar, Secunderabad

Happiness is key to one's healthy being

Regardless of cultural, ethnic, or social differences, the desire to lead a fulfilling and contented life is a universal human trait that transcends all boundaries. The International Day of Happiness is observed by the UN on March 20 each year in recognition of this. It is impossible to exaggerate how important happiness is to keep both our mental and physical health. Bhutan, which has recognized the importance of prioritizing the happiness of its people in matters related to economic growth, initiated the International Day of Happiness. Since the early 1970s, the country has placed more value on national happiness over national income. Studies indicate that people who are content tend to have happier lives, longer lifespans, more satisfying relationships, and greater professional success than those who are unhappy.

The significance of happiness cannot be understated, as it plays a crucial role in promoting our mental and physical well-being. According to research, individuals who experience happiness tend to have more positive relationships, achieve greater success in their professional lives, and enjoy a longer lifespan compared to those who do not.

Being happy is not a luxury but rather a necessity in our life because it has so many benefits for us. Everyone has a unique understanding of what it means to thrive and experience happiness in life. As they vary from person to person, it offers a chance to celebrate these variations and investigate the numerous ways we can find happiness and contentment. One ought to perform good deeds that bring joy to others and provide a sense of contentment to oneself.

– DrKrishna Kumar Vepakomma, Hyderabad

Democracy is at stake

As the general elections are fast approaching all the political parties at state and central government are elected democratically and they wish to follow undemocratic policies. As a common man we do wonder what kind of the government we are seeing at regional level and national Level.

Every party wants to retain power for which they don't want to list the other side of the coin and they want to praise their governments even if they are at fault. There is no freedom of speech and most of the channels are hired by the political parties. If any channel is really working and genuinely representing socio-political and economic issues, they will put in lots of hardships and they will file false allegations against them. It looks like the police and the ruling government are working hand in glove. We wish to have the Governments which are really working for the welfare of the people but we are seeing the reverse picture of it.

The common man will certainly have questions like what democracy means, we are living in an emergency and we need to appreciate praise if the government does wrong to the society also. We have learnt in school days we need to question if something is wrong but now the government says we need not question them. We have respect towards the judiciary and the political system and the democracy of our country and we need to uphold our democracy and should set an example to other countries. Let's hope it may happen in the course of time when younger generations participate in politics actively. Let's hope the best we will get good governance both at regional level and at the Centre in next parliamentary and assembly elections.

Kanagiri SN Prasad, Hyderabad