Train troubles
Local trains, lifeline of Mumbaikars is posing many problems for the locals. The main problem is the hawkers and the daily commuters will have to pass through these tricky movements to reach out to the station. Railway protection force proved to be a toothless one in securing the stations for the benefit of the passengers. The chain snatching in trains has been reduced but stone throwing and snatching of mobiles and handbags cause numerous problems to commuters. Moreover, the long distance train tickets are cornered by touts causing inconvenience to a number of holiday goers spoiling their trips. With Airlines industry in soup, the availability of train tickets pose a problem and the complaints and conniving did not reach the dump ears. It is a pathetic position indeed.
C.K. Subramaniam
 Crying foul on water scarcity In the wake of the severe drought plaguing the state of Maharashtra, water has become a crisis in drought-affected villages. Water is really precious as Maharashtra is facing drought. They tried their best to save as much water as we can and we were lucky enough to have an abundant water supply. There are more than 11,500 villages that are not even getting water for survival. The dry riverbed of Tawarja Dam in Latur, Marathwada is a cause of worry. Around 90 per cent villages in the eight districts in the region have been declared drought-hit. The water crisis is running deep in 10 seats of Maharashtra and that is going to be vital. Marathwada, Vidharbha, and Western Maharashtra feel the heat of water scarcity and unless and until winning candidate does something for the benefit of the water scarcity-bound regions, the voters’ verdict would prove vital.Anandambal Subbu
 Temples have to be clean! Temples are a source of divine energy for Hindus. It should be continued and it is necessary for devotees to acquire such divine energy with their help. Cleaning of temples is equally important; besides, performing ‘puja’ as per the science. Cleaning of temples is one of the most important services which can be rendered for God. Devotees go to different temples on different days of a week as per the day of that particular Deity for acquiring Deities’ grace e.g. they go to Shiva temple on Mondays; to Shri Ganesh Temple on Tuesdays; to Shani Temple on Saturdays etc. Thus, they keep going to temples. We should participate in keeping God’s house clean just as we keep own house clean. Temples’ priests and other related people do the job of cleaning of temples but devotees visiting temples should also take part in that service and seek more grace of God. Activists of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and few pro-Hindu organizations were seen cleaning temples and I even read about the same. One meets new people through this medium and they come together for this cause to offer service. Cleaning of temples seemed to be a novel idea. Instead of thinking about what others would say if they see me with a broom cleaning temples, I felt that I must take part in this service.Shakuntala Baddi
S.N.Kabra
 Pragya Thakur has all right to contest polls It refers to the unnecessary objections raised against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on her filing nomination for Lok Sabha elections on the grounds that she is on bail on medical grounds. There are too many top politicians including from top-most political family who is on bail but contesting elections. Even argument of Sadhvi being medically unfit does not hold well because George Fernandes was made Rajya Sabha member despite his being so much medically unfit that he even could not read out oath for Rajya Sabha membership. Instead, Union Home Ministry MHA should take cognizance of shocking revelations by Sadhvi about alleged 24-days long physical and mental torture by Maharashtra ATS in UPA-regime bypassing all rules of the judicial system. Sadhvi even at an earlier occasion disclosed names of several male police-persons involved in torture. It is also a matter of investigation of how male police-persons could be involved in the physical torture of a woman. Significantly some of the named police-persons are presently seated on high police-posts in BJP-ruled Maharashtra. If allegations of Pragya Thakur are found true, then strict-most punishment should be given not only to torturing police-persons if any but also to political rulers of that time only on whose behest such torture was possible.Subhash Chandra Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
