The imperfections today
That India is no longer a secular, inclusive and pluralistic democracy is so tangible, ever since 2014, with innumerable instances to prove the same, the present instances being the way the Bilkis Bano case is being handled as well as the case of the murder of Scheduled Caste IAS officer Krishnaiah.
The minorities and the marginalised always seem to be at the receiving end (Editorial, “Present imperfect”, May 4).
When the top political leadership in the country seems more eager to keep a count of the number of times it has been subjected to verbal abuse by the political opposition than focusing on the plight of the common man in general and the minorities and the marginalised in particular, India is bound to attract detrimental observations such as those made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
G.B. Sivanandam,
Coimbatore
The deep anguish expressed by the judiciary in the Bilkis Bano case is understandable. The audacity of the 11 convicts in trying to hoodwink the judiciary is shocking. The Bench comprising eminent judges should now scrupulously follow up the case, even if it means working during vacations in order to ensure that the judiciary is to be revered and respected. The law of land is supreme and equal for all. One should appreciate the efforts of the judiciary in voicing its opinion in this case as it would help in creating awareness on the realities.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Intriguing contest
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in Karnataka have a slew of freebies in their election manifestos. Despite its disdain for the ‘revdi’ culture, the BJP has promises such as free cooking gas cylinders. The Congress too has quite a big list. With religion being a sensitive subject in Karnataka, one also finds the two parties on opposite sides of the fence. Overall, one has an intriguing contest on the horizon, with polarisation and populism playing key roles.
Vijaykumar H.K.,
Raichur, Karnataka
‘Incapitation’
It bodes well that the Centre is planning to form a panel to consider the need for a painless and more dignified alternative to death by hanging, taking into consideration today’s medical science and technological advancements. (“Centre plans panel to find alternative to death by hanging”, May 3). That execution of death convicts deters a certain amount of murders has been discredited by social science research. Death penalties by execution falsely convince the public that the government has taken effective measures to combat crime and homicide. Living in modern times, the best alternate method to execution is ‘incapacitation’. Capital punishment is a barbaric remnant of an uncivilised society.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
Policy mishaps
While the perception is that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been earning a good name for a number of beneficial schemes, it is unfortunate that the government has had to reverse some of its policy decisions, examples being the 12-hour working schedule for employees and allowing liquor service in private functions and stadia, which resulted in much opposition. The many policy mishaps make one wonder whether some advisers to the Chief Minister are misleading him. Are we in for a phase of more damage to the credibility of this government?
Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai
Spat at the stadium
Sledging and cricket are like a violin and its strings — they are together. On the field, cricketers sledge in the spur of the moment. Not all players can be expected to be as cool as M.S. Dhoni. It is fortunate that the spat between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, did not end in a fist fight. A wrap on their knuckles is a must if still cricket is considered to be a gentleman’s game.
K. Pradeep,
Chennai
Manobala
Actor, director and producer, Manobala, besides being a versatile person was also affable. Though he was a producer and director, he was in his element as a comedian. The cine world has lost yet another veteran.
Manoharan Muthuswamy,
Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu
His lanky frame enabled him to shine in comedy and he was a perfect foil to ace comedians such as Vivek, Vadivelu, Santhanam and Suri. He also earned a reputation as being an able administrator as well as a vital cog in film unions and associations.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
