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Tobacco menace
'World No Tobacco Day' is observed on May 30 every year. The theme for this year's 'No Tobacco Day' is 'Poisoning our planet'. It pains to note that India ranks second in the number of cigarette smokers worldwide as per the report released by the International Commission to Reignite the Fight Against Smoking in September last year. For long, tobacco has been one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. As for India, there has been a consistent demand from sections of the society for a higher tax burden on tobacco manufacturers, since a lot of revenue is generated from the sale of tobacco products. Increasing excise duty on all tobacco products can be an effective policy measure to address the immediate need of the economy battered by the Coronavirus over the last two years. This will not only help the Central Government to generate more revenue, but at the same time will enable curb tobacco use to a large extent. Reports reveal that tobacco use, which is a slow-moving pandemic itself, claims the lives of 13 lakh Indians every year. Therefore, it is more critical than ever before to keep tobacco products out of the reach of our youth. May be catchy slogans like, "Quitters always win – winners always quit" and "desist from running the white train in your lips" can help in the fight against cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking, no doubt, is a clear social menace, and if the smokers are unconcerned of their own health, let them at least not harm the health of non-smokers. Don't the non-smokers have every right to demand clean air?
Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai 600 091.
Welcome move in defence
A bilateral meeting between our Defense Minister and Israeli Defense Minister in New Delhi is a positive step. There was a need for a thorough discussion that covered a wide range of problems relating to bilateral, regional, and defence industrial cooperation between India and Israel. Discussions on how to improve collaboration in all fields, with an emphasis on future technology R&D and defence co-production, were also desperately needed. The India and Israel Defense Cooperation Vision should ensure that India benefits from advanced military equipment such as arms, armoured vehicles, artillery, missiles, planes, helicopters, and warships, such as the F-16I Sufa, Sa'ar 5 Corvette, Protector Drones, Trover 21 Assault Rifle, Trophy Tank Defense System, and The Iron Dome etc., which Israel possesses as of now so that India can become superior to its neighbours, especially to China.
Vijaykumar HK
Raichur
Good job
The Batadroba incident of May 21 should be an eye-opener for all the indigenous sons and daughters of the soil regarding the very threat of the people of doubtful integrity and nationality towards the existence of the indigenous people. A huge chunk of our own people is pretending or under the impression that there is no threat to their existence from these people. They treat this line as a political slogan, but if they wake up now then it will be good for the entire community or else the writing on the wall is there for everyone to see. The so-called flag-bearers of Assamese identity AASU, AJYCP etc., are maintaining stoic silence over the Batadroba incident. The evergreen AASU leader Samujjal Bhattacharjee, who has knack of hitting the streets with thousand of youth with his trademark slogans, is today a completely a mute spectator in regards to burning of the police station by linguistic and religious minority people in Batadroba. Had this crime been committed by any other 'xyz' community, then Samujjal Bhattacharjee along with his over-aged student leaders would have made us deaf by giving stern warnings to the perpetrators as well as the Government. The role of political parties, primarily Congress, TMC and AJP, is well exposed before the public. I have purposefully excluded the name of AIUDF from the list because this party is born to protect and safeguard the interests of people of East Bengal origin who were bought to our land by people like Syed Sadullah, Abdul Bhashani, Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed, etc.
The Himanta Biswa Sarma Government deserves kudos for handling the May 21 incident with an iron fist. The decision to demolish the illegally-constructed houses of the criminals is welcome move. The Assam Police deserves pat on the back for swift handling of the case.
Julie Bhuyan,
Gaurisagar.
Where is new Punjab?
Due to the extreme selfless hard work and sacrifices made by the then PCC chief, Navjot Singh Sidhu under the guidance of Gandhi-Vadra family, Punjab has become yet another Congress-free State (Congress Mukt Rajya). Naturally, there was loud cheers and jubilation across the State after the installation of the AAP Government under comedian Bhagwant Singh Mann, who in his pre-election speeches promised to bring a new Punjab. The freebies offered by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, mainly the free units of electricity to each household, caused much jubilation among the gullible farmers. But the euphoria did not last long as evidenced by the involvement of a Cabinet minister of the very new Government in corruption charges and sudden upsurge of insurgency which once cost the State dearly. The fire of a rocket launcher no doubt indicates the involvement of the Khalistanis. To prove his popularity among the people, the new CM started withdrawing the security cover of few except his own. The entire Punjab started getting remotely controlled by Kejriwal from Delhi. The recent killing of Sidhu Moosewala, a popular singer of the State, in broad day light by gunmen on the streets has proved that law and order has collapsed. A very sensitive State like Punjab cannot and should not be remotely controlled by Kejriwal whose own house in Delhi is not in order as evidenced by the arrest of one Satyendra Jain, a Cabinet minister by the ED in a money laundering case.
We feel sorry for the electorate of Punjab. The very same AAP is at presently knocking at our door with freebies to hoodwink the gullible Asomiyas.
Dr Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati.