Letters to the Editor: 24 February, 2020

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February 24, 2020

The Goa Carnival

The carnival is the most famous festival and has been celebrated since the 18th century AD as a precursor to the abstinence of Lent. It is exclusive and unique to Goa and was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled the state for over five hundred years.

Huge colourful parades take over the state’s cities with bands, floats and dances. Although, the four-day festival is primarily celebrated by Catholics, it has also absorbed Hindu tradition revelry, western dance forms, and turned into a pageantry of sorts. Though it started as a celebration enjoyed only by the local population, it has today crossed the state frontiers and attracts thousands of people from all over the country as well as from other parts of the world.

The carnival is held either in February or March for four days (depending on when Lent starts) when the legendary king Momo takes over the state and the streets come alive with songs and dances.
The carnival is meant to be a feasting-drinking-merrymaking orgy just before the austere 46 days of Lent. Huge parades are organised throughout the state with bands, dances and floats out all night on the streets, and grand balls held in the evenings.

The history of the Goa carnival goes back to almost 500 years. It was essentially introduced in Goa by the Portuguese. The trend of celebrating the carnival with hedonistic pleasures dates back to ancient Rome and Greece. It came to be known to the Portuguese and Spanish people with time and when the Portuguese established their colony in Goa, they introduced the concept there. Since then, the carnival is regular feature every year and a time when people all over Goa take part in it with pleasure.

Jubel D’Cruz

Toilets on highways, a boon for travellers

The Kerala government has to be really lauded for an ambitious sanitation initiative drawn by its cabinet. The state government is planning to set up 12,000 pairs of public toilets on the highways. The government has decided to instruct local self-government institutions to identify three cents of land in their areas alongside the state and national highways for constructing these toilets.

Often road travellers face inexplicable problem and remain clueless to find a loo while travelling by road. They have to either go to public toilets which are normally unmaintained and in pathetic conditions or they have to visit hotels and order for food simply because they have to use the toilet there.

The initiative to have toilets on the state and national highways, crisscrossing Kerala, will be a boon to short and long distance travellers. Lack of public toilets on highways cause inexplicable difficulties for people, especially women and children, while travelling by road. The government has further stated that those agencies willing to cooperate with the project would be made partners. The land of the government, public sector undertakings and cooperative institutions would be utilised for this purpose. There is also an idea to start small shops and snack parlours along with these complexes which in turn can give employment as well as give a boost to economy.
The project is really a good one, truly humanitarian and therefore the public will have to use and maintain them properly. It is really a good initiative which other states can follow.

M Pradyu

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Mumbai zoo being revamped with bringing in lots of animals

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 24, 2020

After years of having hardly any animals around, the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan is finally getting its act together. The stunning space gained the country’s first and biggest walkthrough aviary, existing enclosures et all are getting a facelift, new ones are being created to house leopards, hyenas and tigers.

While the revamp is welcome, one hopes the accent is not just on decorative, beautiful enclosures but also educative ones. When asked the 15-year old Manjushree said, “The stress should be on safety and cleanliness. Good sanitation facilities are a must and the washrooms within must be hygienic. Often aesthetics take precedence over important aspects like cleanliness, clear directions, good lighting and safety. Signboards in the space, must also warn people of the dos and don’ts of zootiquette. Moreover, the important thing is that the whole experience should be educative.”

The recently got in two Royal Bengal Tigers Shakti and Karishma that were brought from the Aurangabad zoo have been quarantined and visitors can expect to see them only by the end of March, as their enclosure is currently being done up. Everyone thinks that the zoo must regain its previous glory and bring back the animals that had disappeared for one reason or the other.

“The Rs 50 entry fee should not go higher as the entry must be accessible to all, that was one of the best parts about our zoo. Here is to Byculla’s iconic, changing Mumbai facility. We wish it grows in strength and visitors treat new infrastructure and the animals with the respect they deserve,” adds Manjushree.

Buddha in queue; After Lord Ram and Hanuman RPI demands Buddhist temple in Ayodhya

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 23, 2020

With the way things are moving, looks like Ayodhya is likely to be a converging point of religions. With Hindus, Muslims and Hanuman bhakts already in queue, it is now time for Buddhists to lay a claim for a land to construct a Buddha Temple in the holy city. The Union Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale has demanded 20 acres of land for the construction of a Buddhist temple in Ayodhya.

Athawale told Afternoon Voice that he is soon going to meet all BJP leaders including CM of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath to demand land for a Buddha temple. “Nearly 20 acres should be allotted to Buddhists and a grand Buddha temple should be constructed in there,” he said.

In its verdict last year, the Supreme Court gave the disputed land in Ayodhya to the Hindus for the construction of Ram temple in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit verdict. The apex court directed the UP government to give 5 acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board as an alternate place in Ayodhya to build a mosque. However, Ramdas Athawale has demanded 10 to 20 acres of land for the construction of a Buddha temple. “If my demand is not considered, those of us who believe in the Buddhism will form a trust. We will acquire a piece of land in Ayodhya and construct a Buddha temple there,” Athawale observed.

During the reign of Emperor Ashoka, there were many Buddhist temples in India before the influence of Hinduism increased. Many temples were constructed at several places with the influence of Guru Shankaracharya and Hindu religion. “After the arrival of the Mughals in India, they demolished temples and started building mosques. The government has now decided to pursue the construction of Ram Temple after the Supreme Court’s decision,” added Athawale. On Thursday, the members of Shri Ram Bhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust (or Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust) met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence and invited him to lay the foundation stone of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Champat Rai was appointed as the general secretary of the Trust. Later, it was said that the Prime Minister has urged the ‘Sangh Parivar’ to avoid controversial statements.

With Dalit power in hand, Athawale demands land for Buddha temple

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 23, 2020

Dressed in dark blue kurta-pyjama, a yellow jacket and a turban, Ramdas Athawale ended his speech by shouting ‘Jai Bheem, Jai Bharat’. Though he looks a joker and a hysteric but he has very much weight in Maharashtra politics. After Ram Janmabhoomi Temple issue, he has demanded a piece of land for a Buddha temple in Ayodhya. His demands can’t be ignored because Dalit votes really matter for BJP; they have already lost to Pawar in the state, now it’s time for Bihar elections. A leader who is known to be a party hopper now has come in the news with his demand. Let’s see how the BJP takes it.

In Maharashtra, Dalits constitute 10.8 per cent votes. In Mumbai, the Dalit population is 16 per cent. This is where that the party feels that will work to its advantage in the 227 wards in the BMC elections. There are at least 60 BMC wards in Mumbai with a Dalit population ranging from 10,000 to over a lakh. Athawale is expected to help in vote transformation of Dalits in favour of BJP candidates in the BMC polls. Athawale is a Dalit leader and is a member of the Rajya Sabha. His party, the Republican Party of India, is an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra. Some are even speculating that he can merge his party with the BJP in the coming future. Anyways, Athawale has not proven his stand yet as leader or he did not do much for his community or state. He is poet and very famous for his four liner stand-up comedy speeches. He is also known for his fashion statement of wearing gaudy colours and combinations with all sorts of odds. His public speaking has generous spoons of laughter mostly due to his poetry. He is an extempore at poetry and very promptly, he cracks jokes and anything contemporary. One good thing about him is that he is fearless and always tells his alliance they are strong because he is with them, if they don’t behave, he can quit. He is good at mocking anyone.

Athawale, the president of the Republican Party of India has represented the Pandharpur constituency of Maharashtra. He also represented the Mumbai North Central in the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998-99. He left the NCP-Congress alliance in 2011 after having lost the 2009 Lok Sabha election. Athawale led the RPI party, joined the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in 2011 and contested the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections together. He lost in the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency election in 2009. In 2014, again he joined the BJP and left the Shiv Sena. He is one political leader who has tried aligning with all political parties which he himself agrees too. Whichever party he feels strong at that point of time, he forms an alliance with it. In the 1970s, he was a firebrand activist who, under the banner of Dalit Panthers, rose in the political scenario.
His mother wanted him to do some work or job, but he refused that and joined social revolution and meanwhile joined causes that are dear to the Dalit constituency. Athawale was one of the only two politicians in Maharashtra, the other being Sharad Pawar, who could call out his karyakartas (workers) and followers by their first name wherever he went in the state.

Athawale married a Brahmin woman and as result of which he wants inter-caste marriages to be encouraged by the government. He appealed to the state government to give government jobs to a person who marries out of his caste and give him some financial help to curb the caste discrimination in society. He wants that the Dalit youth should marry Brahmin girls and Dalit girls to Brahmin boys. Athawale is arguably the most potent mass leader in Dalit politics in Maharashtra. His rivals viz B.R. Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar and Vidarbha-based Jogendra Kawade never compared well with Athawale in terms of popularity with the Dalit masses. Yet, political observers in Maharashtra who have followed Dalit politics insist that Athawale has bargained a great deal for the Dalit cause for his own gains. His commitment to the Dalit cause is always limited to symbolism and political exigencies of the day. Power politics has made him a white-collared politician like it has other Dalit leaders in Maharashtra. Still, he retains a rare personal warmth and openness no other Dalit leader has. There is nothing much to talk about his achievements as leader or his contribution to society as a Dalit neta. He always lived in his fancy world with his whimsies.

Athawale was one of the Dalit activists in 1972 when Namdeo Dhasal, a formidable revolutionary poet and Dalit activist along with others founded Dalit Panthers. The said party later spilt into several splinter groups and Athawale went with Arun Kamble, a Buddhist scholar and one of the founders. It was the issue of renaming of Marathwada University after B.R. Ambedkar in 1977 that provided a boost to Athawale. Those days, he used to fight street battles with Shiv Sena which was against the renaming. This was also the time when Athawale travelled across Maharashtra to mobilise support. He still retains many of the followers and supporters he enrolled during this period. In the mid-80s, the then Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar spotted Athawale’s talent as an organiser and leader of the Dalit masses. After much persuasion, Athawale became a minister for social welfare in the Pawar government. This was the beginning of his end as a raw, activist politician.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

Yes, I am changing

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 23, 2020

As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to, and less critical of myself. I’ve become my own friend. But I am what I am, I was. But age has transformed me that have even changed my outlook. So I have diverted.

Days slip into weeks, weeks turn into months and months transform into years. Calendars are changing and so am I.

As I am aging, I am getting tired. Earlier I had the habit of getting angry just for nothing. But not anymore. And I have now gradually changed and am doing so gradually.

Yes, I am changing. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children, my friends, now I have started loving myself.

I just realised that I am not an ‘ Atlas’ and the world does not rest on my shoulders.

I have now stopped bargaining with poor vegetables and fruits vendors. After all, a few rupees more is not going to burn a hole in my pocket, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

I pay the autowalla/cabbie and walk away without waiting for the change. The extra money might bring a smile on his face. After all he is toiling much harder for a living than me.

I have learnt not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. After all, the onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

I give compliments freely and generously. After all it’s a mood enhancer not only for the recipient but also for me.

I have learnt not to bother about a crease on my shirt or a spot on it. After all, personality speaks louder than appearances*.

I walk away from people who don’t value me. After all, they might not know my worth, but I do.

I remain cool when someone plays dirty politics to outrun me in the rat race. After all, I am not a rat and neither am I in any race*.

I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. After all, it’s my emotions that make me human.

I have learnt that its better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. After all, my ego will keep me aloof whereas with relationships I will never be alone*.

I’ve learnt to live each day as if it were the last. One day, it certainly would be the last.

I am doing what makes me happy. After all, I am responsible for my happiness and I owe it to me.

Am old but happy

As I’ve aged, I’ve become kinder to, and less critical of myself. I’ve become my own friend.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read, or play on the computer until 4 am. I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60s & 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.

I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, eventually, we remember the important things.

Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody’s beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength understanding and compassion.

I am so blessed to have lived enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and too many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore. I’ve even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being older. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Namaste Trump

By

Vinod Dixit

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February 23, 2020

This is for the first time in the history of Gujarat that a sitting US President will be visiting here. In Ahmedabad, Donald Trump will address the ‘Namaste Trump‘ event jointly with PM Modi at the newly built Motera cricket stadium billed to be the world’s largest cricket stadium with over 1-lakh spectator capacity. Being built at an estimated cost of $100 million, the Motera Stadium will be the world’s largest cricket stadium overtaking the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. They will participate in a roadshow themed ‘Unity in Diversity’ to the stadium where ‘Namaste Trump’ event is being organised. Around one lakh people from across Gujarat have been invited to welcome them. More than 100,000 participants have registered so far to greet Trump as he heads from the airport to the city centre.

This event is similar to the landmark ‘Howdy, Modi!’ (Here “Howdy” means Kem cho” in Gujarati) event hosted by the Indian-American community in honour of Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Houston in September 2019, in which President Trump participated. Around 28 stages representing the various parts of the country are being set up along the route, in what is being called the India Road Show and the route will also feature decorations depicting different events in the life of Gandhiji, whose association with the city is so well-known. It is said that the defence deal is likely to be the highlight of the visit given that a limited trade deal the two sides were looking to clinch is not expected to happen.

Donald Trump looks at this as a political opportunity to garner support from the Indian-Americans back home. One must remember President Trump who stated in his speech, after PM Modi welcomed him to speak, calling him “my friend, a friend of India, the great American President Donald Trump”, also appealed to the four-million strong Indian American community to vote for him, saying he was the best US president for strengthening India-US ties. An important constituency of Trump’s voters has been Hindu non-resident Indians, who made large donations and came out in strong support during the 2016 US presidential election. Similarly, the NRI vote is crucial, and of that pie, Gujaratis have a large share in it.

Trump’s visit will be brief but intense, with all essential elements of a State visit, and two additional legs in Ahmedabad and Agra, all squeezed into less than 36 hours. There is no doubt that the relations between India and the US are stronger than ever before. The visit of Donald Trump will more be grounded in our common values and our shared commitment to democracy when our PM Modi’s leadership in the world is being witnessed as a strong, driving and thriving republic of India. Both India and the US also understand that to keep our communities safe we must protect our borders.

In preparation of Trump’s visit, Gujarat government and the Ahmedabad administration have stepped up the renovation and the beautification process in the city. The leaders of China, Japan and Israel have all visited Ahmedabad since Modi became prime minister. Ahmedabad is the biggest city in Gujarat, the western state where Modi has made his mark as chief minister before his Hindu nationalist party swept to power in 2014. It is also reported that Modi and Trump will have lots to dialogue and debate about. India and USA share a common commitment to democracy and pluralism and there is no doubt that Donald Trump’s visit to India will strengthen India-US friendship.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Letters to the Editor: 23 February, 2020

By

Web Team

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February 23, 2020

Anti-virus needed to contain Coronavirus

Dilip Piramal of VIP Industries made the shocking revelation that his economists friends from abroad have warned that 8 to 10 crore people across the globe can die of Coronavirus in the days to come. Bill Gates too had predicted of somewhat similar numbers sometime back and COVID-19 is more dangerous than people believe which should not be taken lightly. Hospital director in Wuhan too has died of the disease on Tuesday which should sound alarm bells globally.

Economic impact on account of Coronavirus is going to widen deeply and we urgently need an anti-virus to contain the epidemic. The world unfortunately is heading towards its worst recession ever as nothing can be as alarming as loss of human lives in lakhs and crores. WHO should issue warning bells and the globe should take a note of it. Checklist to prevent the spread of COVID-19 should be circulated and strictly followed. India is a populous country after China and we need to be extra careful to prevent the spread of the virus here which could be extremely dangerous on our shores.

S.N.Kabra

Issue series of commemorative postal-stamps in memory of selfless monks

Jainism is known for totally selfless spiritualism of its monks who at times lost affection to their wealth worth millions and billions before becoming monk. In recent past, a rich and extra-ordinary talented topper youngster became Jain monk in Gujarat with even his family-members whole-heartedly supporting him to go on path of spirituality. An extra-ordinary rich Jain family showered all their wealth before adopting path of spiritualism. Such monks are real saints in an era when many commercial self-acclaimed babas are now exposed with some of them even put behind bars.

Even there are real saints in Arya Samaj also like former Parliamentarian late Swamy Rameshwaranand, known for his indefinite fasts for public-cause, who even declined lunch and dinner at public-cost while attending to meetings of Parliamentary committees unlike many commercial ones adopting saffron clothes just for commercial purposes. Jain monk Tarun Sagar got special honours by being invited to address legislative-assemblies of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana that too in consensus of ruling and opposition parties. He was known for his Katu Pravachan (bitter talks for reforms). He kept best ideals of spiritualism by leaving the hospital towards end of his life. It is good that public has now started recognising commercial saints and at times humiliating them in public.

Department of Posts should make a survey about such real saints and monks like Jain monk Tarun Sagar and Arya Samaj saint Swamy Rameshwaranand who were totally devoted to spiritualism and public-interest without taking any advantage of their themselves being in politics or close to politicians, and issue a series of postal-stamps on such departed monks and saints of twentieth century. But all stamps of commemorative series should be in commonly used denominations. Followers of Jainism and Arya Samaj will purchase bulk of such postal-stamps giving postal-department huge revenue-earning besides popularising postal-service facing competition from private courier-agencies.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Cooking by menstruating women

It refers to sermon by Swami Krushnaswarup of Swaminarayan Temple of Bhuj wherein the seer said that menstruating women cooking food will be reborn in next birth as female dogs, while men consuming food cooked by menstruating women will be born as bullocks. If it would have been so, then population of non-Hindus not adopting this practice would be declining fast. It is noteworthy that it is the same Swaminarayan Temple which runs Shree Sahjanand Girls Institute (SSGI) where 66 girl-students were allegedly made to strip to check if they were menstruating.

Such statements by Hindu religious seers are totally unrealistic, and tend to defame Hindu religion. Rather such self-acclaimed preachers of Hindu religion are totally unaware of real facts about Hindu religion and its practices including like not cooking food by menstruating women. Practices of ancient-most Hindu religion of the world are based on basic principles of life, and are made religious rituals so that these may be adopted by people voluntarily and mandatorily.

Practice of menstruating women not cooking food was in fact adopted because women during this period are physically weak and require resting apart from hygienic aspects. If this practice would have been explained in such realistic manner, perhaps people of other religions would also have appreciated Hindu religion.

There are many other such practices like fasting etc on certain occasions which are good for health. In ancient times, people especially children from trains used to throw coins in rivers while the train crossing the river because coins usually used of copper at those times, and combination of copper with clean water used to further purify water. But this practice is now of no use because coins are not of copper, and river-water is as dirty as sewer-water.

Madhu Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Lord Ram and Hanuman new political lingo

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 21, 2020

As leads turned into results at the Delhi Assembly polls, giving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a near encore of its extraordinary electoral victory, Arvind Kejriwal said that the day, was blessed by Lord Hanuman. BJP was very upset when he recited the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, because they were hell bent on proving him anti-Hindu and a Muslim supporter.

Kejriwal had stumped many including leaders of the BJP by declaring to a TV News channel that he was a “kattar Hanuman bhakt” following which he recited the Hanuman Chalisa. Days later, the Delhi CM paid a visit to a Hanuman temple, riling the Hindutvavadi BJP further. Since then, BJP stuck its Rama and Aam Aadmi Party is banking on Hanuman. Kejriwal’s Hanuman strategy really paid him off in endearing himself and his party to the BJP voter.

Recently, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj emphasised on building a Hanuman temple at Ayodhya when he said that Lord Hanuman was a symbol of selfless service. Bhardwaj also announced that the recitation of Ramayana’s ‘Sunder kand’ every month in different parts of his constituency. He said that it was to take the blessings of Lord Hanuman, BJP played its long political stint in the name of Lord Rama and the Ayodhya temple. They have reserved the building temple issue for 2024 elections, as they have already run out of topic whereas Aam Aadmi party got elected once again due to its performance and they really don’t need to hang on to any such agendas.

Delhi has voted them for better government schools, Mohalla clinics (mostly impressive). Some infra projects are definitely moving faster, auto drivers say that corruption is down. Just before the MCD elections, the BJP-run MCD actually stopped paying cleaning workers and made the city stink to make it feel like AAP was responsible. Basically there is the state govt., MCD and the lieutenant governor (Center). So, three entities determine Delhi’s fate. This is absolutely crazy and the current structure encourages everyone to pass the blame (in fact it encourages the BJP to be horrible and create a false narrative against AAP). Now, when AAP has successfully won the heart of the people of Delhi they should focus on MCD that is Hanuman. The MCD sanitation workers have gone on strike for non-payment of salaries as Government did not give sufficient funds to Municipal bodies. The Aam Aadmi Party can address each and every issue in Delhi as they all are educated leaders.

AAP has done extraordinary work despite the fact that the LG had constantly tried to delay the projects. Clean drinking water is the basic right of citizens. Since coming to power, the Kejriwal government has given and maintained 50 per cent subsidy on electricity bills without major hike in power tariff. Now, the electricity tariffs in Delhi are the lowest in the country. Free 20 kilolitre water scheme launched by Kejriwal government continues. The government is working towards bringing other areas into the water net. Over 8,000 classrooms have been constructed until April 2017 and over 10,000 more classrooms will be constructed over 2017-18. The Kejriwal government has already constructed 21 new schools since coming to power and will construct more in the years to come. From modernising infrastructure to building new schools to making school administration accountable to improve learning experience, the Delhi government under Kejriwal has achieved phenomenal success. With an aim to strengthen primary healthcare system and offer healthcare services to the urban poor the Delhi government under Kejriwal started a revolutionary Mohalla clinic project that reached millions of Delhi residents. To indicate the level of its requirement here are a few figures. In July 2016, nearly 1 million people had availed health services in six months. In 2017, between April and December, 110 clinics treated 1.5 million people.

The Delhi government, under Kejriwal, planned to open 1,000 such clinics by March 2017. Once all the clinics started running, most people had a clinic within a 5 km radius from their homes. Delhi has 180 clinics, 160 providing free healthcare. Here too BJP is doing everything in its capacity to stop Mohalla clinics. Minimum wages of unskilled workers have been increased from Rs 9,724 to Rs 13,350 per month for semi-skilled workers from Rs 10,764 to Rs 14,698 and for skilled labourers from Rs 11,830 to Rs 16,182. Disability pension, old age pension and widow pension have been increased by Rs 1,000 each. Rs 1 crore compensation for the family of security personnel’s in case of on-duty death. 200 categories of affidavits sought by various departments, local bodies and other organisations junked. Only self-certification is required now. VAT rates reduced in several categories from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent. However, in July last year, the GST was implemented in Delhi.

Doorstep delivery (In Progress): Birth, death, income, caste certificates, driving licence and ration to be delivered on their doorsteps. 1,000 AC electric buses will be rolled out over the two years. 25 skill centers across Delhi to be opened in the next two years. One such center has been approved at Jonapur. Anganwadis will also be revamped. There are a lot of other things that the Delhi government under Kejriwal is doing. What they actually need is to focus on all these developments. If they do then not only Lord Hanuman but the people of Delhi will save them, if they shift their focus even Lord Hanuman may fail to get them votes.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

BJP’s Ram vs AAP’s Hanuman: Development agendas replaces God?

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 21, 2020

All this while, BJP has baked politics on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya wherein the Aam Aadmi Party made Hanuman its saviour. AAP often invoked Lord Hanuman’s name during its campaigning exercises for the recently concluded Delhi assembly elections that was swept by the party. Two days ago, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, as promised earlier, organised the recitation of ‘Sundar Kand’ at a Hanuman temple in South Delhi’s Chirag Dilli area that falls under his constituency of Greater Kailash. Bhardwaj has now suggested that a grand statue of Lord Hanuman be built at the Ram Temple premises. Both AAP and the BJP had sparred over related issues during the poll campaign. BJP had trolled Kejriwal’s frequent visits to the Hanuman temple while campaigning for Delhi assembly polls. While the BJP accused Kejriwal’s party of supporting Shaheen Bagh protestors by feeding them ‘Biryani’ and speaking in Pakistan’s language, Kejriwal termed the BJP leaders as “pseudo Hindus”.

Said AAP National Executive Member, Preeti Sharma Menon, “In our party, the are Hindus, Muslims whose religion is their private affairs. Yes, you will see their religious display sometimes in public because they are public figures. But religion is not a part of our politics. Our agendas are the same, ‘Bijli, Pani , Sadak, Ghar, Sehat and Sikhsha’, Kyuki hamari kaam ki rajneeti hain.’ That is why we are the only party in the country that has won on the basis of work.”

Bharadwaj’s suggestion for a Hanuman statue in the premises of the Ram Temple comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s former principal secretary Nripendra Misra was appointed as the head of the Ram Temple trust formed to oversee the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. The trust also indicated on Thursday that the construction of the temple could start within 6 months’ time and take over two years to complete.

“I think a grand statue of Hanuman ji should be built in the Ram Temple premises as Hanuman ji was Lord Ram’s favourite. Hanuman ji is a symbol of selfless service,” Bharadwaj said without naming Ayodhya.

BJP leader Neeldaman Khatri said, “I don’t think so there is any problem if the AAP is following the Hanuman agenda. Infact, now the AAP is treading on the right path. Whether it is Ram or Lord Hanuman, everyone has a duty to worship them. I don’t think so they are doing anything wrong.”

Bharadwaj said a recitation of ‘Sunder Kand’ a chapter in Ramcharitmanas written by poet Tulsidas that talks about Hanuman’s visit to Lanka will be held on the first Tuesday of every month in many areas of his constituency.

AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at several events before the elections and visited a famous temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman on the eve of the voting. It is expected that the temple at Ayodhya will be built on the lines of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)’s model.

Navi Mumbai better off than Mumbai city

By

C K Subramaniam

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February 21, 2020

Seniors in the satellite city Navi Mumbai are better off than their counterparts in Mumbai. People in the city rue about the kind of space available in the satellite city for seniors to go for a walk, meet their friends during birthdays and spend useful time in the evening with a purpose whereas the city being congested , there is hardly any place to have a free walk in fresh air.

The “Helping Hands” of the seniors spread to every nook and corner of the country. It helps to spread awareness about the needs of senior citizens and makes them know of their own rights. This includes how to make use of the pension amount to profitable investments and earning good returns. Such returns earned can be made use for the monthly medical expenses without pinching the pocket.

In Navi Mumbai, there are number of yoga centres to spend the fresh morning time doing some useful exercises in the company of other seniors as well youngsters. In every nook and corner of Navi Mumbai, there are parks to enjoy the greenery and get fresh air as well. As the city is catering to the needs of pensioners, it can be rightly be called as pensioner’s paradise. However, there is a dearth of frequency of buses and the height of the foot board of the buses gives the seniors a nightmarish experience to board and alight from a bus. More and more user-friendly buses with low foot boards can help out the cause as in the case of air conditioned buses plying in the city with high cost. Co-operative societies should be formed to sell household items at a cheaper rate for 60 plus citizens in the State.

Undoubtedly, pension is a great help to the retired. But in the recent times, the house rent, prices of essential commodities, high cost of hospitalisation has harmed the pensioners to a great extent. The value of the pension has been eroded greatly. As a result, we as pensioners find it very difficult to maintain a decent living.

The city is not bereft of drawbacks. Footpaths have virtually become extinct due to over height and piling of construction material or garbage. Street dogs pose another problem. One can even see more than a dozen dogs flocking together sometimes. Casualties due to dog bites are not uncommon. Another problem is the prices. Everything is costlier than other cities whether it is house rent, transportation or fruits and vegetables.

It is time to give pride of place to pensioners in the satellite city. Further safety and security of the seniors should be ensured as there are number of chain snatching and the lonely senior is a target even when staying at home. It is a clarion call to bring the problems of seniors to forefront and give them freedom to live rest of their life in peace and harmony.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)