Letters to the EDITOR: Tradition/Cruelty

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Tradition/cruelty

So once again, Gauhati High Court has to impose a ban on Buffalo and Bulbuli fights, which were usually held during Magh Bihu in some parts of Assam as an age-old tradition. This year, due to reasons known to authority, the ban was lifted, citing our age-old tradition. In fact, in the meantime, many of our age-old traditions have been abolished by our society as a mark of reform. It is observed that bullfighting sometimes causes grievous injuries to the bulls, leading to the death of the bulls. In ancient Rome, the GLADIATORS used to fight in arenas as a tradition, causing even death to the participants, which was later abolished.

No sport is a sport if it causes fatalities to the participants as a tradition, as happened in Rome when all the roads led to Rome. Cruelty to innocent animals as a mark of tradition is a crime. I hail the decision of the Guwahati High Court.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

The deadly explosion

In the firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh's Harda, an explosion a few days' ago (Feb. 6) killed 11 people and injured 200, as per the last report that came in. The preliminary report has informed us that more explosives were stocked in the factory than the quantity permitted in the license. It is only held that excess stock might have escalated the scale of casualties and injuries, but the main reasons for the explosion have to be ascertained.

Reports of fire accidents at firecracker factories frequently pour in from the states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, etc., which account for a large-scale production of firecrackers. The respective state administrations should have created a fire safety system at these factories in time to avoid fire accidents in which poor manual labourers, being the sole bread earners, lose their lives. So, it is incumbent upon the respective state authorities to immediately take urgent steps to prevent the recurrence of such fatal incidents, e.g., to introduce perfect fire safety norms at the factories and strictly enforce them; to close down all illegal factories; and to conduct periodical inspections by the officials to monitor compliance by the factory owners to forestall such mishaps.

Pannalal Dey,

Guwahati.

Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Singh

Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh is an honour to India's 90 crore farmers. Singh, who was posthumously conferred with India's highest civilian award on February 9, championed for farmers' causes. Singh, a scholar of economics, played an important role in rural electrification and the creation of institutions such as NABARD. In view of his contribution to the farmers, the government should also fulfil the demand of farmers who have been holding protests for two months.

Tauqueer Rahmani,

Guwahati

Reality of Valentine’s Day

After all, what we celebrate as 'Valentine's Day', does it have anything to do with our culture? There is a need to consider the past history of celebrating such days objectively. Since Western people are more self-centred and selfish, they have to prove their love for themselves. On the contrary, Indian culture has true teachings of sacrifice, generosity, and love, and their love for each other is expressed through their actions without saying anything. If we make our culture behave in accordance with not just one day but many births and deaths, then we can move ahead from birth and death. Although it is impossible to repay the debt of the parents who bind the entire family together, it is possible to express gratitude towards them by one day in the year.

Mohd. Ashraf Siddiqui

Paltan Bazar, Guwahati

World Radio Day

Radio is a powerful tool that can spread information, create awareness, impart education, entertain the masses, and save lives. Low cost, remotely reached, easy accessibility, and appealing to all, irrespective of their education and literacy, are the positives of the "small box," apart from giving voice to the voiceless. Disaster management personnel always look to the radio to dissipate news and curb rumour mongering. The fact that only the voice is audible makes watching radio riveting because the sound does not come from the physical personality of the speaker or singer.

Inclusive impact theory and bridging humanity have been radio's trump cards. The first World Radio Day was held on February 13, 2012. The UN Radio was set up on February 13, 1946—hence the date. UNESCO has addressed gender inequality and its unidimensional portrayal on the radio. That as many as five hundred recordings took place, with a record number of nations being part of World Radio Day in 2017, that had the theme "Radio is you," rekindled a fresh spark in the medium. The hardest thing to do on radio is be oneself, and radio has never let itself be bulldozed by "big brother" television. Lakhs of loyal listeners have ensured the attractive medium stays forever.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)

Report card ready

The report card is ready, and there are more positive points than negative ones in the last decade of illustrious governance. As both Houses of Parliament have been adjourned sine die one last time before the general elections, it is time to reflect on the government's achievements, challenges, and legacy of the past five years. This period has been marked by significant policy reforms, legislative milestones, and moments of both triumph and controversy. The concluding session of Parliament holds special significance as it serves as a crucial juncture for the government to showcase its accomplishments and for the opposition to hold the former accountable for its actions. Over the past five years, the government has introduced a plethora of reforms across sectors, ranging from the economy and governance to social welfare and national security. Initiatives such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), and ambitious welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have left a deep impact on the nation's socio-economic milieu. The report card speaks volumes. Mulayam Singh Yadav once conceded, "Hats off Modi” for a memorable decade of service to the nation and the tireless efforts to bring about changes in an outmoded governance system for over 60 years.

C.K. Subramaniam

(cksumpire@gmail.com)