MyVoice: Views of our readers 15th September 2020

Not a 'neat' arrangement in any way

I am one of the NEET aspirants and as per NTA 85-90 per cent attendance was registered. The NTA has shared this information with Education Minister who has complimented "NEET participation reflects the tenacity and grit of young Atmanirbhar Bharat".

I just want to share my as well as thoughts of lakhs of others in NEET examination.

First thing first, NEET or other competitive examination are for our long term career and not simply participating in a school annual day or cultural event.

I am sure the Education Minister aware that before entering politics, he was himself a student and I was a bit perplexed what has Atmanirbhar has to do with taking highly competitive NEET and other examination. While preparing for 12th CBSE examination in 2019, like lakhs of others, I was simultaneously preparing for the NEET examination and appeared for the exam in 2019.

In spite of putting in hard work and preparation, like many others I was not lucky to get good rank. As I was not prepared to give up, after having cleared 12th exam, I was determined like many others to attempt one more time this year.

For almost one year I had totally devoted my time and energy to prepare for NEET not just studying/practicing test in home, was simultaneously attending study centre class and using public library. When millions like me were in the final stage of our preparation, the "Act of God" stopped everything and our hopes of taking the exam in May also turned non-essential when act of god cases were still low.

I still fail to understand why the study centres and libraries could not have been allowed to function on a limited and thus completed exam following the same protocols instead of postponing the examination more than once. Even if the postponement is for safety of ours, why the study centres and libraries were not allowed to re-open on a limited scale for us to make up the loss of time while announcing the new dates and even Court failed to give such directive.

As for as arrangement for the NEET exam, the less said the better. Contrary to the claim by NTA and government, the center which was school in an urban village, no protocol was in place, as promised neither mask was provided nor any physical distancing was followed inside or outside the centre.

I have not shared all this to blame anyone, but want to share the reality authorities, the politicians who were fighting for and against conducting the exam were ignorant of. Now, everything is over, we are simply left in lurch at the mercy of "God".

R Anita, New Delhi

Needless objection

The UPA allies staged protests outside the Parliament on Monday to demand cancellation of the NEET exams. This objection seems to be needless at present because the revocation of the continuing entrance test will affect lakhs of students' futures those who are preparing for it for a long time.

The Central Government has eased several restrictions under Unlock 4.0 and Indian Railways too started some special trains for students. The state governments and local authorities must ensure the hassle-free transportation facility of examinees and assist them toward following COVID-19 safeguards in all test centers.

Amit Singh Kushwaha, Satna, MP

Vaccination exercise

The Union Health Ministry's plan to allow vaccination of a section of people even before completion of Phase 3 trials of Covid-19 vaccine candidates and their results analysed for safety and efficacy comes with its own perils. Curiously, the announcement follows the Trump administration in the US declaring a similar intent.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan remarked that the government will implement this after it reaches a consensus, but rushing to vaccinate people unmindful of the consequences is foolhardy.

N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru

Modi's masterstroke

PM Modi on September 13 inaugurated three petroleum sector projects in Bihar virtually. This is a great move by the government to re-employ the indigenous labourers near their home town. The three multi crore plants will be set up in the districts of Durgapur, Champaran and Banka.

The LPG bottling pant in Banka will help the state of Bihar to achieve its aim of 'Aatamnirbhar Bihar' in the cooking fuel sector. These plants have been commissioned by Indian Oil and HPCL under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Bihar has always been a hub of migrant labourers and as the pandemic has left a number of them jobless, this announcement is definitely good news for the Bihar localities.

This will boost the petroleum sector in the state and will also open up new doors for investment in the backward regions of the state. Seeing such developments in the state of Bihar is indeed a ray of hope for the distressed labourers. It will stop many migrating labour of Bihar to move to other states in current scenario of this pandemic.

Kudos!

Kavya Shah, Ujjain

Dubious politics

Hurrah! Throwback to protectionism and regionalism. We are living in the most cosmopolitan of times. Have a look at the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. An electorate,drowned in poverty, unemployment, pandemic, suffering, floods, ignorance, and what not, will rise above all petty issues,and 'caste' their precious vote to avenge against the "despotic and anarchist government of Maharashtra".

Cheers to the highly imaginative nature of Indian electoral politics and more cheers to the electronic media that has become the best opium for the masses.

Ashish Painuly, Dehradun

Manmohan Singh as Cong prez?

Congress finds itself in deep sea on its leadership issue to steer the party in the next elections. Senility prevents Sonia to lead the party. Apparently Rahul accepted defeat before the battle began. Prianka may not be acceptable to the family.

Azad is well-known in Kashmir añd a little known in AP. He doesn't have national stature. It would be good to recall the services of Manmohan Singh who is known very well to the entire nation. In this way Sonia can have the çake and eat it too by pulling the strings from behind and if things go wrong the buck can be conveniently passed on to somebody else.

D S P Rao, Kakinada

Save Balochis from Pakistan

This refers to write up by Sobdar Baloch, who made a forceful appeal for India's support and cooperation for independence of Balochistan from the tyranny of Pakistan. The country has been a victim of brutality and human rights violation by every government that came to power in Pakistan, in a systematic and determined way.

As a first step, there must be some sort of liaison office in India by the freedom movement from Balochistan so that people in India will know the developments and difficulties that are being faced by the people there, to bring pressure on Pakistan. There was a time until recently when separatist and secessionist groups from the Kashmir Valley had free access to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

This proved easy for the jihadi elements that were working earlier in J&K to receive funds and other assistance from Pakistan to perpetuate anti-Indian activities in the Valley, about which nobody had qualms. The abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in J&K ended this all. But the proxy war on India by Pakistan, nonetheless continues, in various forms.

There is however apprehension in the minds of Indians if Balochistan would go the Bangladesh way, when India spared no help and support to help liberate Bangladesh which was East Pakistan before. Contrary to lofty expectations, Bangladesh declared itself as an Islamic country after it became free, like Pakistan did.

But, India cannot shy away from providing meaningful and humanitarian support to Balochistan; whatever be the outcome later. What is vital at this juncture is to help people of Balochistan from the draconian treatment meted out by the Pakistan military and the ISI to silence the sane voice for freedom.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad