MyVoice: Views of our readers 18th February 2021

Digital-unfriendly Hyderabad!

People in Hyderabad, especially traders do not accept ten rupee coins even though they are legal tender and are minted by Govt of India. I could never get a valid explanation for this strange behaviour. Further, with the Govt encouraging digital mode for financial transactions, traders here do not encourage payments through credit cards on the ground that the customer will have to bear additional costs up to 2 per cent by way of incidental charges. This is totally unacceptable that too at a time when many of the merged banks have a host of software integration cum migration issues rendering most of the ATMs out of service. It's time the govt and the central bank put in efforts to stem the rot.

J Kannan, Hyderabad

Well done, CP!

This is with reference to the news item of three cops being suspended. It was common for hoteliers and restaurants to oblige not only cops, GHMC officials but also some govt dept officials to escape their harassment. This is a regular feature in all the places. Due to this slackness by cops, vehicles are parked haphazardly before restaurants making movements difficult for pedestrians. I appreciate the action taken by Commissioner of Police.

P R Vittal Rao, Hyderabad

Ban bars at Yadadri

Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Yadadri district is under construction by Telangana government as a prestige project for the new state. Government is doing great work as the temple is completely constructed with rock. Telangana people are proud of it and waiting to visit the holy temple in future. Keeping the holy place away from liquor sale and other unholy activities in the holy city is the responsibility of State government. I request Telangana government not to give licence to any bar shops to sell liquor. As we read the news that in Yadagiri Gutta's one shop got 317 applications for licence it is shocking. Banning liquor in holy places protects the holiness and increases tourism to that place.

D Kishan Prasad Rao, Thimmapur

Fuel prices hit commoners hard

The front page cartoon of coach Modi watching a person twist and turn made my day. Jokes apart, the fuel price is indeed hitting hard the ordinary people. Many families whose breadwinners are working in the private sector have faced salary cuts due to Covid and continuous rising price of petrol and LPG in turn making other basic essentials beyond the reach of all salaried class and in particular the poor. Since the opposition is weak does not mean the ruling party can take the people for granted and selectively make Assam government to cut down the petrol price.

While in Opposition, as Chief Minister of Gujarat he continued to slam the then Congress led UP for frequently increasing the fuel prices. On one occasion in oblique reference to the then PM Dr Manmohan Singh, he went to take jibe by claiming "Sardar '' (Chief) is not "Asardar '' (effective) in controlling the prices. Why Sardar Modi is keeping quiet now and coming forward to help the people who have extended full support during Covid.

S Natarajan, New Delhi

Sweet revenge for India

India going down in the first test against England and fighting back in the second test by carving out a spectacular win with a huge margin thereby levelling the series reveals its class in all departments of the game. The writing on the wall was clear that the match is in India's favour after it skittled out England for a paltry 134 runs and gaining a vital lead of 195 runs in the first innings.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad