MyVoice: Views of our readers 14th May 2021

Celebrate Ramzan safely

The Muslims in India are going to celebrate Ramzan today ,under lockdown and tight restrictions due to Coronavirus outbreak that has paralyzed the entire country. This year too we are facing a different enemy which is invisible and merciless.

This Ramzan to prevent community spread of the virus all religious places are to be shut down. Large events and gathering should be avoided. I request Muslim brothers and sisters to observe all Covid appropriate measures during Ramzan. The safest way to worship this Ramzan is to pray at home.

Celebration is not just eating sumptuous food and wearing new clothes ,its more about sharing with and caring for those, who deserve two square meals a day as human. The money saved for the festivities has to be given to those who can't afford even plain rice or bread.

Teachings of Islam say that if you're neighbour goes to sleep hungry and you are eating your food then it's definitely not right. So this Ramzan let us avoid large events and gatherings, congregational prayers, help the needy, pray at home and stay safe at home.

Zakir Hussain, Kazipet

Zooming fuel prices

With petrol touching the three figure mark in a number of Indian cities, somebody should remind Modi and the BJP of their slogan 'Bahut ho gayee petrol ki maar...' While the minions are busy justifying the hikes, the PM himself is silent.

The hikes pause whenever there is an election, making a mockery of the governments claims that the prices are decide by the OMCs.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Booze and lockdown 2.0

Though it is not surprising that our CM again has taken a U-turn in imposing the lockdown 2.0, the shock is the immediate effect. Many of us assumed it will be after the Ramdaan since he vibes well with our other fraternity.

However, though the summer has not yet struck as severely as it normally strikes, it is a welcome move to have summer vacation for all of us, albeit forced. What needs to be deplored is the short time period citizens had to store to quench their thirst.

We have witnessed mini-Kumbh Melas across the city at wine shops. Hope this goes unnoticed by our judiciary lest the government gets another reprimand. The surreal thing was that liquor shops were included in the essential goods category by opening from 6 am to 10 am.

The government left this part of the lock down well hidden to enable the Excise department to laugh all their way to the coffers for just a day. We pray none of these citizens run to Covid centres later.

Yaddanapudi Srinivas, Secunderabad

Free vaccine to all

One of the demands of twelve opposition parties to the central government is to give free vaccine to all, which is just and apt. Though it is a herculean task, it would be an inevitable step to contain the pandemic effectively.

The government should take steps to ramp up vaccine production and end the duopoly on it by introducing compulsory licensing and encouraging more producers in that regard.

Meanwhile it should ease the process of making imports of many other candidate vaccines available globally. If the government can regulate the affairs and assure free vaccination for poor and low cost affordable vaccination to all others, it would prove to be a game changer.

Dr D V G Sankararao, Nellimarla