Shame on Salman!
Just because Salman Khan is an actor, it doesn’t mean that he can get away with every crime he commits. He needs to be taught a lesson for snatching a fan’s mobile. As per the law, he needs to be punished. There is no such law in India that you have to take permission for filming an actor who walks or runs on the road. Salman Khan should realise this. Shame on him! All his films should be banned henceforth.
Jubel D’Cruz
Stop production of diesel-cars
Maruti-Suzuki, the biggest car manufacturer in India, has taken welcome decision to stop production of diesel cars in India from April 1, 2020. With the procurement price of both petrol and diesel is almost the same, diesel was priced cheaper because it is used in commercial vehicles. Production of diesel-driven cars is a gross misuse of having the price of diesel less than that of petrol. There must be a complete ban on the production of diesel cars.
Also since big cars occupy more space in road and parking, their production should be discouraged also because these cars are purchased and used by affording rich. GST, road-tax, insurance and other levies on cars with ex-showroom price say above Rs 10 lakhs should be doubled. There should be a complete ban on loans on costlier cars. Only economical cars should be purchased by central and state governments and their public-sector-undertakings including even for judges of higher courts, ministers and top bureaucrats except required for use by foreign dignitaries visiting India that too on permission from Union Ministry of External Affairs.
Madhu Agrawal
My predictions
Though I am not an astrologer, I feel that the ‘Modi’ wave is still intact. Therefore, BJP may get more than 375 seats in Lok Sabha, mainly because Narendra Modi has done so many pro-people things without declaring a single word in advance. He has given paramount importance to the deserving poor farmers, poorest of the poor villagers, youth, national security and what not. On the basis of all these facts, I can also predict that Gopal Shetty will defeat Urmila Matondkar from the most corrupt party Congress in north Mumbai constituency. Gopal Shetty has done so many pro-people works in the past five years. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi will lose from Amethi as well as Wayanad constituency. Anyways, we all must go and exercise our right to vote on each and every date as declared by the Election commission for the different constituencies, without fail.
Hansraj Bhat
EVM worries
Opposition parties rejecting EVM is not new. The Election Commission has time and again reiterated that EVMs cannot be tampered with. It must be remembered that the same EVMs gave favourable results to Congress in the Assembly elections held last. The opposition is crying foul since they think they would lose the elections. They are raising the issue to mislead the voters and nothing else. The defeat for the Mahagathbandhan is imminent and hence, the complaints started piling up in defence.
Gundu K Maniam
Khiladi Ka Khiladi
PM Modi was at his eloquent best and Akshay Kumar used the opportunity very well. The opposition can fume but it was open from the heart. It was worth noting that Modi met a lot of people and got to learn about human nature. In the trains, there would be people who transport cows and buffaloes. Learning Hindi through filmy songs is a reality. It was clear that he was having friends and foes in the opposition parties. He used to have lunch with them once in a year or so. They are connected like a family, which you do not see on the outside. This may not harm Modi in the elections as he was getting Kurta from Mamata and she sends it to him once in a year. Bangladeshi PM also sends Bengali sweets especially for Modi and the relationship was cordial as observed in the interview with Akshay. After all, Khiladi ka Khiladi hai Modi.
Annaporni Shanthi
How can machine change votes?
Voting is at various stages in this country. On April 23, when former Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam cast his vote, it was observed from VVPAT receipt that his vote had gone to another candidate. He said that he didn’t lodge a complaint because the action is taken against a person if his complaint is found to be wrong. So many things must be happening related to these machines all over the country. Every vote is important but when will Election Commission realise its value? The Commission has claimed many times that the machines were working in a proper manner but there are different views on the same; so, when will the Election Commission take steps on its own, for necessary improvement in its working? The remedy is required to be found instead of thinking that there was not much need for making so much of noise since such technical snags are normal when the election process is carried out for population of hundreds of millions. It is a serious matter though. Former DGP’s experience showed the possibility of disarray about voting machines. Had votes cast to candidates earlier, gone to the concerned candidate? Every voter doesn’t express the problem faced by him. They leave after voting. If a former police officer feels scared to voice his problem, an ordinary citizen wouldn’t be able to even think of lodging complaint. How will voters have trust in voting machines, considering such confusion?
Jayesh Rane
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
