‘Insult’ and complaint
Over 20 women Members of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party are said to have been offended by an alleged act of misbehaviour by Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi a ‘flying kiss’. One wonders whether these MPs spared a thought about the plight of women in Manipur, who experienced deep trauma as they were stripped, paraded naked and subject to abuse (Inside pages, “Women BJP MPs submit written complaint to Speaker”, August 10). It is ironic that Union Minister Smriti Irani was more concerned about the ‘flying kiss’ than the state of women in Manipur. Her speech citing violence against women during Congress rule indicated her insensitivity towards the present sufferings of women in Manipur (Inside pages, “Bharat Mata has always stood tall in the face of attack, says Smriti Irani”, August 10).
A. Jainulabdeen,
Chennai
Mr. Gandhi has literally squandered all the gains he made from the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the reinstatement of his Parliament membership. His speech went well but all came to naught with a thoughtless gesture. The Wayanad MP should have remembered that we are in India, and that Parliament is still considered hallowed ground by many, where decorum and propriety are expected of its Members. His earlier act of hugging the Prime Minister and then winking did not go down well either. Indians and its Parliamentarians may lack a sense of humour, but Mr. Gandhi’s action is a sign of a lack of maturity.
S. Kamat,
Alto Santa Cruz, Goa
It is a pity that both parties, the BJP and the Indian National Congress, find comfort in petty issues instead of having meaningful discussion on the serious issues the country is facing. The cases of “Narendra Modi’s silence” and “Rahul Gandhi’s flying kiss” are being unduly magnified by the parties. It is surprising that no political party reacted on being informed that banks have written off bad loans worth ₹14.56 lakh crore in the last nine financial years, from 2014-15. This also exposes the nexus between corporates and political parties.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
In Chennai
India’s 4-0 score win against Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Chennai was stunning. India is well on course to attaining hockey glory.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
