MyVoice: Views of our readers 14th March 2022

Congress on correction course

There is only one message: Unless the Indian National Congress (INC) rids itself of the threesome, there is no hope for it. Not only does INC suffer their presence, India fails to have a credible, effective, and a productive Opposition, which itself is misunderstood to mean 'oppose'.

Checks-n-balances are for progress, as the BJP too will be better served just as the entire nation, in having a national party work in opposition, lifting India past seven dreadful decades of decadence if not downright decline. But the Congress in its current cadre is but a detriment, specifically because of that family. The CWC has to await the trio to step aside, to let the party be guided by selfless servants not related to them in any way, form or name.

M R Jayanthi, Coimbatore

II

All G-23 members critical of Gandhis leadership are demanding that only change at the helm could be able to reshape and rejuvenate the party after the grand old party is reduced to a fringe player.

Further, as one swallow does not make a summer and the path ahead is not a bed of roses, the party facing a stiff challenge needs to abandon the "cocktail approach " by strengthening its support base in various States instead of depending on allies and outfits with a new leadership comprising youth and experience.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Pakistan reaction out of proportion

After the accidental launch of a supersonic missile that landed in Pakistan accidentally, India clarified that it was a case of technical malfunction, and a court of enquiry would look into these aspects. Pakistan sought a joint probe, termed it a 'profound level of incompetence' and asked whether the missile was indeed handled by the armed forces or some rouge elements etc.

The prospect of rogue elements usurping missiles and rockets is more applicable to Pakistan, where there have been umpteen Islamist jihadi elements operating in the country, and the world worries about its nuclear arsenal falling into those hands.

K V Raghuram, Wayanad

EPF rate slash very irrational

It is a shocking decision by the Union Labour and Employment Minister to reduce the interest rate on EPF savings to 8.1 % amidst continuing Covid crisis in the country for over 2 years. The minister's reason that SBI's 10-year deposit interest rate fetches only 5.4% and hence advocating reduction in EPF interest rates supporting the reduction only aims at hitting the senior citizens and retirees interest incomes at their fag-end of lives.

The EPF contributions made by the retirees or senior citizens cannot be compared to the time deposits that are being invested by the regular income earners especially. Fluctuations in the EPF interest rates for retirees or senior citizens should be absorbed by the government itself as a welfare measure to retirees without hitting the EPF subscribers below the belt.

Katuru Durga Prasad Rao, Hyderabad

Rlys passes over AP for projects

The Ministry of Railways totally neglected the railway projects in AP. The allocation of funds for doubling between Tirupati-Katpadi is very minimal. It seems it may take another four to five years to complete this project. No new trains were introduced in this route.. There is a long pending proposal of a new daily express train between Chennai-Chittoor to cater to the needs of businessmen and local people.

A few trains destinated at Tirupati should be extended up to Chittoor to increase the connectivity as the city is developing in all aspects. And the problem of shortage of platforms is prevailing at Tirupati.. The Rameswaram-bound express train is needed to halt at Chittoor station. Shuttle services should be introduced between Nellore-Chittoor, Kanchipuram-Tirupati-Tiruvannamalai and Gudur Jn-Katpadi Jn.

P S Sachidananda Murthy, Tiruchanur

AAP a big threat to Cong, BJP

The victory of AAP appears set to emerge as the third pole in the country's politics. The AAP tsunami washed away many political bigwigs like Channi Singh, Siddu, Prakash Singh Badal, Amarender Singh etc.

Riding on the anger against the traditional parties, the AAP swept the Punjab polls registering the biggest victory in the State. AAP opponents tried to polarise the polls, by alleging Kejriwal's link with Khalistan and radical elements, but the people of Punjab didn't believe the opposition and gave clear mandate to Kejriwal. Now the emergence of AAP is a big threat to Congress and BJP. Kejriwal has become the hope of poor people.

Zeeshaan, Kazipet.