Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Modi’s fascist policies
Can India today be justified as a secular country? No. The policies and actions of the government are a violation of basic human rights where minorities are being isolated, vilified, suppressed and pushed into the corner. Ironically¡ the policies being pursued by the BJP lead to fascism.
Human rights organisations have fumed against Modi’s discriminatory and fascist policies but euphoria for Hindu Rashtra has deafened all sane voices. India today is not as per the ideas of its forefathers, Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru & Maulana Abul Kalam Azad ‘s message of “equality of status” regardless of religion, seems to be lost in rant by Hindutva devotees.
The India of today has yet to realise that RSS ideology, actively pursued by the BJP government, has been more divisive for India than creating unity and cohesion amongst its multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society. The question asked by Arundhati Roy requires an answer from the Indians; “Does a country fall into fascism the way a person falls in love? Or, more accurately, in hate?”
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Road hypnosis
Road hypnosis is a physical condition that most drivers are unaware of. It starts 2.5 hours after getting on the road. The eyes of the hypnosis driver is open, but the brain does not record and analyze what the eye sees. Road hypnosis is number one cause of rear-end crashes to parked vehicle or truck in front of you.
The driver with road hypnosis remembers nothing of the last 15 minutes until the moment of collision. He cannot analyze at what speed he is going, or the speed of the car in front of him; usually collision is above 140 km. In order to protect yourself from road hypnosis, it is necessary to stop, take a walk, drink tea or coffee every 2.5 hours.
It is important to note and remember certain places and vehicles while driving. If you don’t remember anything from the last 15 minutes, it means you are driving yourself and the passengers to death. road hypnosis happens more often at night and if the passengers are also sleeping, the situation is very severe. The driver should stop, rest, walk 5-6 minutes every 2.5 hours and keep his mind open. Accident is inevitable if the eyes are open but the mind is closed. Be Safe and Drive Safe.
NAYYAR UDDIN AHMED
Lahore
Menace of beggary
Through the columns of your esteemed paper. I want to invite the attention of the concerned authorities to the problem of beggary in our town. Recently, the number of beggars in our town has increased manifold. They pursue like a shadow. Even hale and hearty people have taken to the e begging. The beggars gather at places frequented by the people. The bus stands, market places, railway stations and mosques are their favourite hunts. It is impossible to move about these places peacefully. If you show generosity and open your purse, you are surrounded by a host of beggars.
Some child lifters, in the guise of beggars, are on the lookout for abducting children. Two or three cases of this kind have occurred recently, and the culprits have been caught red handed. The female beggars enter the houses quickly without calling out for alms at the door. If they are not noticed by the inmates, they lay their hands on whatever find. They act as an informant to the burglars who break into houses at night. A prompt action on the part of the government is required to check this social evil.
SIDRA TUL MUNTAHA
Karachi
Relief for victims
As Pakistan has witnessed unprecedented rainfall this monsoon which has culminated in the death of hundred of lives and devastation of lakhs of houses. At that critical juncture, plebs are being embroiled in the skyrocketing inflation by the rulers of the country. Prices of daily commodities like wheat, rice and sugar have mounted at unprecedented level. Along with that, the price of medicines has no exception at all. It has been extremely hard for the lower class of the society to purchase one-time foodstuff and paracetamol tablet to satiate their empty bellies and to maintain a good health.
Despite such horrendous circumstances, Pakistani leaders are immersed in power politics. They are busy in securing and preserving their gloves and fishes. They don’t show any respect to the suffering of destitute. Pauper sector of this country is surrounded with unfathomable diseases. Health of many flood-stricken masses is at constant deterioration. Illness of flood victims is on the rise. Reportedly, women are more vulnerable to such scathing cataclysm. So they must not be excluded and neglected by the concerned authorities once relief camps are surfaced and started.
So it is the need of the hour to look after the unsheltered and misery-stricken flood victims of the country. The Pakistani rulers must show some sense of responsibility towards humanity. The incumbent government along with the provincial governments should immediately initiate relief camps to smoothen and ease the agonies and acute problems of ample of women in particular and plebs in general.
The government should start to establish free of cost medical camps in the flood affected areas to curtail the chances of further health deterioration of the flood victims. It shouldn’t neglect to provide sanitary napkins and other hygiene products for women to ensure their safety as well.
NASRULLAH KHADIM
Kandhkot, Sindh
