Nonavailability of abundant oil resources
This is regarding the recent move by the US to discontinue oil import waiver from Iran whilst reiterating its stand to end the Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs) renewals. The SREs were granted by the US with a caveat to renew after a six month period post-November 2018 has only come to an end without any hope for further renewal. Though India, which has been impacted by the nonrenewal of waiver, will now be hit hard owing to the current government’s tenure ending shortly. The nonrenewal of waivers will adversely impact the oil prices cascading to increase the petrol/diesel rates a move which will be inevitable for the new government to be formed by June.
India should be highly worried due to nonavailability of abundant oil resources at home and its heavy dependency on imports especially from Iran for its survival in the economy. At a time when the call to the push to switch to EVs is not high in the economy, the petrol prices have now severely impacted the markets affecting the further prospects of the automobile industry.
The de-facto government under the shadow of elections should tread cautiously and make sufficient plans to in the absence of nonrenewal of oil waiver. The Diplomatic patrons and industry experts should now strive hard to tirelessly convince the new government and US to negotiate in an amicable manner. Thus, the move will help the situation to return to the normal and avoid inevitable price rise post elections and formation of the new government.
Varun SD
We remember failed promises
So, Narendra Modi wants to become the Prime Minister of India once again in 2019? After he became the Prime Minister of India in May 2014, we Indians are suffering a lot. He had even promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of every Indian citizen after he came into power in 2014 but he did not keep his promise. He is just making false promises and taking every Indian citizen for a ride. We should think twice before voting for him again.
Jubel D’Cruz
Street named after Mahavir Swamy
It is indeed a matter of pride that the Jain community is honoured by the USA through naming a street in Chicago as Mahavir Marg. Jains are basically in India with the community being the highest contributor of tax per individual. Unfortunately, this community has minimum growth-rate after Parsis where the share of Jains in population has declined to 0.37 per cent in 2011-census as compared to 0.40 per cent in 2001-census with a fertility rate of just 1.2 against replacement rate of 2.1. This vegetarian community is the flag-bearer of nicest ancient Indian traditions in terms of religion, talent, and tax-contributor. Selfless society has in recent past has witnessed much ultra-talented youth and rich families leaving all worldly pleasure to adopt spiritualism which otherwise also is a holy part of Jainism.
Department of Posts should honour the community by issuing a series of commemorative stamps on renowned selfless Jain monks with a special fabric-stamp on Mahavir Swamy like was issued once in memory of MK Gandhi. A silver-alloy commemorative coin together with ordinarily circulated coins in different denominations should also be issued on Mahavir Sawmy.
Madhu Agrawal
Sri Lanka tragedy
It is really very condemnable act what had happened in Sri Lanka where many people lost their beloved ones and many of them have injured badly. As an Indian citizen, I am paying my all the well wishes and heartfelt sympathies on behalf of all Indian to the bereaved families. There is no room for doubt that it is a terror attack and it should be not attached with any religion because terrorism has no link with religion all religions share the same instructions of peace, harmony, love, and affection.
Md Azim
Noteworthy act of an alert citizen
A shopkeeper has displayed a board on his shop at Chiplun (Dist. Ratnagiri) that ‘Candidates and party-workers need not come begging for votes’. ‘Opportunism’ is an inseparable part of most politicians and leaders. It is experienced especially during the election canvassing. During this period, the voter is a king; but it is usual to experience that these politicians and leaders conveniently forget this ‘voter-king’ as elections get over as there is a saying in Marathi meaning ‘sweet talk is over once the need is over’. Guts shown by this shopkeeper should be shown by every wise citizen without wasting much time and opportunity; so that these leaders would have to change their mentality of going to voters only when there is need.
Kishor Auti
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
