Letters to the EDITOR: Hub of Terrorism

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Hub of terrorism

During our student days, we learnt that there was a nation named Persia in the Middle East. The Parsis were the original inhabitants and were ruled by the Shah of Iran. The nation was very rich in oil and gas and was very close to western powers, the USA in particular. The Parsis were very enterprising people, and our late great Ratan Tata is a glaring example. But in due course of time, the Parsis were gradually outnumbered in their own soil, just like our Kashmiri Pandits, and Persia became to be known as Iran. Emperor Shah was overthrown by one Ayatollah Khomeini, a radical Islamist. Since then, Iran has become a theocratic Islamic state. The amount of foreign exchange they get from exporting oil was mainly used for funding terrorist outfits, namely Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, etc., who started terrorizing the globe instead of using the same for the welfare of the people. Iran became the epicentre of global Islamic terrorism.

Let us hope and pray that India too does not become another Iran.

Joel Goyari,

Tangla.

SC on admission of

disabled in MBBS course

The SC held that the mere existence of a benchmark disability is not a reason to bar a person from pursuing medical education unless there is a report by the disability assessment board that the candidate is incapacitated from studying the MBBS course. The Supreme Court appreciated the efforts of the disabled persons, and the judgement also referred to some 'illustrious sons and daughters of India' who have braved adversities and made great achievements overcoming disabilities. Bharatanatyam dancer Sudha Chandran; Arunima Singh, who climbed Mount Everest; prominent sports personality Boniface Prabhu; and Dr. Satendra Singh, the founder of 'Infinite Ability,' were mentioned as some of the shining examples of illustrious individuals from India.

The negative opinion of the disability assessment board is not final and can be reviewed by the judicial bodies, and in this regard, a few days ago the Supreme Court, using the power under Article 142, declared successful a visually challenged person who passed the test for IAS in 2011. In another decision, the Gauhati High Court ruled that the father of a disabled child can be transferred so as to enable him to stay with the child, as it is the legal right of a disabled child.

A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and KV Viswanathan pronounced the judgement in a petition filed by a candidate with 40-45% speech and language disability seeking MBBS admission. On September 18, the Court passed an order allowing the candidate MBBS admission after a medical board constituted by the Court opined that he could pursue medical education. Today, the bench delivered the detailed judgement, giving reasons for its order.

The petitioner challenged the Graduate Medical Education Regulation, 1997, which barred persons with equal to or more than 40% disability from MBBS courses. The judgement held that "merely because the quantification of disability for speech and language is 40 percent or above, a candidate does not forfeit his right to stake a claim for admission." The judgement held that such an interpretation would render the Graduate Medical Education Regulation 'overbroad' for treating unequals equally.

The Court held that the regulation, at first glance, may appear to be non-discriminatory as it was uniformly barring all persons with 40% or more disability. However, a court of law has to probe whether, beneath the veneer of equality, there is any breach of Article 14. The Court expressed the hope that in the revised regulations and guidelines that the National Medical Commission will issue, an "inclusive attitude" will be taken towards persons with disabilities from all categories, based on the concept of "reasonable accommodation" recognized under the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.  The Court directed that the candidate be admitted to the seat, which was earlier directed to be kept vacant.

Yash Pal Ralhan

(ralhan.yashpal@gmail.com   

Priyanka’s

electoral debut

Priyanka Gandhi always desired to strengthen the party at the grassroots level without basking in the limelight. In the past, she could have picked any seat of her liking to storm into electoral politics. But that she chose to stay away from contesting elections says a lot about her personality as much as about the shrewdness of her mother, Sonia Gandhi, who is adept at playing the waiting game. Successive electoral reverses for the party propelled Sonia Gandhi to be on the back foot with regard to Priyanka. It would have been baptism by fire for Priyanka at a time when the popularity of Narendra Modi was at its peak. Rahul Gandhi's distinct disconnect with the masses didn't help Congress' cause either. But now, after the general election results, despite the Haryana assembly poll shocker, Congress is in a position where it can play the 'Priyanka card' to its advantage.

Priyanka, with a striking resemblance to her grandmother Indira Gandhi, is more natural and spontaneous than Rahul Gandhi, qualities that can hold her in good stead as a leader. Therefore, despite its denial, the Congress is gradually building the momentum in favour of Priyanka Gandhi with 2029 in mind. However, whether she will play a supporting role to Rahul Gandhi or is ready to go the whole hog is a point of interest. Having played a major role in re-building the party in different states, she may be the "go-to" person for the Congress sooner than later. For that, after winning Wayanad, Priyanka needs to display the seriousness of purpose so critical for a politician to metamorphose into a leader.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)

Rising prices of tomatoes, onions

I am deeply concerned about the soaring prices of tomatoes and onions in the country, which have risen to over Rs. 100 per kilo, surpassing the price of petrol.  Tomatoes are an important dietary source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is linked to several health benefits, such as reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Moreover, they are rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. On the other hand, the steep price rise of onions is bringing tears to our eyes and making us cry bitterly. Potatoes, tomatoes, and onions are vital ingredients in Indian cooking, and any significant price increase in these items can disrupt the monthly budget of households.

Onions are needed by us daily not only for cooking but also for making salads, poha, bhajiyas, and egg burji. It is also needed for garnishing raita. This inflation has made the life of the common man very difficult. The worst hit are the fixed income groups like the salaried people, the labour class, and the pensioners. For them, even the commodities of basic necessities like rice, wheat, sugar, pulses, and vegetables are getting out of reach. Every increase in price disturbs their budget. The government must control inflation and must do something to bring down the price of tomatoes, onions, and other household ingredients to provide relief to the common man.

Jubel D'Cruz,

(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)