MyVoice: Views of our readers 31st January 2023

Freebies will derail growth schemes

Apropos, "Freebies of Congress will not work", (The Hans India, Jan 29). The Congress has announced 200 units of free power to every household if voted to power in the state. AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has further announced Rs 2,000 per month for the woman head in every household in the state if voted to power. It is estimated that 200 units of free power and Rs 2,000 per month deposited into the accounts of every woman head of household would come up to a whopping Rs 45,000 crore cost per year. The BJP promise, if kept, could cost up to Rs 54,000 crore a year. The expenditure on freebies could derail existing programmes and affect planned ones for want of funds. That these freebies are being announced much ahead of the respective parties' poll manifestos indicates a degree of desperation in both —BJP and Congress. These promises, even if met, are not likely to sustain. Instead, convincing the electorate on how issues like the environment, unemployment, education, ecological sustenance and security for farmers, women and minorities are addressed could bear fruit.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

KCR, Governor end bitter tussle

Since all is well that ends well, it is a happy augury to note that the tussle between the government and the Governor of Telangana has taken a reprieve through withdrawal of case from High Court by the former. People expect both to settle any differences diplomatically without taking any political advantage from their respective sides. When the Assembly begins as per convention, people would love to see the Governor sharing bonhomie in public interest as much as they would love the reciprocity from their favourite Chief Minister.

D Nagarjuna, Hyderabad

U-19 women cricketers win laurels

Catching them young is true as far as Indian cricket is concerned. Having laboured for the promotion of women's cricket from the 1980s, I feel proud that Shafali Verma-led the squad thump England to win the U-19 T-20 World Cup. Both the senior men's and women's team struggled to win an ICC sponsored tournament for a decade now, and found their junior counterparts are on cloud nine winning the coveted trophy in style. BCCI deserves all credit to bring the juniors under their fold and provide lots of encouragement. Women's cricket in India is on the upswing and the world cup triumph has taken the stature of women's cricket several notches higher.

C K Subramaniam, Mumbai

Post yatra, Rahul turns mature neta

Rahul Gandhi deserves all praise for completing his padayatra, Bharat Jodo Yatra, successfully. His five months walkathon from Kanyakumari to Kashmir has covered 12 states and two Union Territories. He might have understood India well by interacting with people of different states and different cultures. His words will be taken more seriously hereafter by people as his yatra has brought about a change in the perception of his image of casual politician to a matured one. Now he will have to rebuild his organisation with new found confidence and act smart in making alliances with other parties.

Dr DVG Sankararao, Vizianagaram

To quote Rahul Gandhi, the yatra has opened 'shops of love in a market of hate' and given an 'alternative vision of politics' to India. As citizens, we all have a moral responsibility and a patriotic duty to conquer fear with courage, hate with love, and division with unity and virulent nationalism with true patriotism. It is time we act to halt the drift towards Hindu revivalism, hasten the end of the dominance of the Hindutva forces and ensure our continued existence as a secular, pluralist democracy. In this context, Opposition unity and election victories become more important than usual. The snowfall in Srinagar during the BJY's 'grand finale' looked like a good omen for the country's future.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, TN

What's in a name?

It's no surprise the present government wants to erase both Mughal and colonial era names from India. It's different issue that if not colonial, foreign universities are now being welcomed whose name can't be changed by the government. Now the garden inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan has been renamed as Amrit Udyan. Whether it's called with new name Amrit Udyan or old Mughal Gardens, the colour and smell of Rose (or Gulab) in different colours and all other exotic flower's would remain same. The government should remember that we can't change history by renaming. It needs to learn lessons from the good and bad deeds of Mughal, Hindu and other rulers by following good deeds and forgetting bad ones.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad