Embrace Swadeshi
Our politicians must switch to swadeshi clothes, footwear, wristwatches, leather bags, and sunglasses. They must travel in cars ‘Made in India’. They must shun foreign holidays in favour of holidays in India (there are beautiful places to holiday in India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari). They must abjure foreign electronics and luxury goods. They must patronise Indian eateries, showrooms, and boutiques. They must consume Indian cheese and soft drinks. Foreign medical treatment is no longer needed, as we have world-class facilities in India. Also, their children must be enrolled in Indian schools and colleges only. After three months of compliance by politicians, the public may be asked to emulate them.
Robert Castellino, Calangute
Maintaining decorum
Not only did Union Home Minister Amit Shah take on Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi for the remarks by a Congress worker allegedly hurling “abuses” at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother during the INDIA bloc’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ at Darbhanga, but he also demanded Rahul’s apology, because he said the insult was not just to PM Modi but to every mother in India. If so, then what is it to be called when PM Modi referred to the currently very lovable Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife as a ‘50-crore-rupee girlfriend’? Though immediately after the said incident, local Youth Congress leader Mohd. Naushad apologised, saying, “A minor did it, and his mic was immediately snatched, and he was also slapped by elders for speaking such derogatory words against the PM of the whole country. I sincerely apologise for this.” But Shah’s anger did not stop there; he said Gandhi had taken his “politics of hatred to the lowest level.” Even the past BJP president and former Vice President of the country, Venkaiah Naidu, once said that leaders of different political parties are not enemies but are only competitors.
Bidyut K Chatterjee, Faridabad
Tread cautiously with China
The Congress’s critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with China raises important questions about India›s foreign policy direction. While dialogue and diplomacy are vital, one cannot overlook China’s ongoing territorial aggression and economic dominance. The government’s focus on reconciliation risks undermining India’s sovereignty and empowering China›s geopolitical ambitions. The silence on critical issues like the Yarlung Tsangpo project and the unchecked Chinese imports is alarming. A robust strategy, prioritising national interests, must replace the current appeasement approach to secure India’s future.
Dr Vijaykumar H K, Raichur
Environmental concerns
A second fishmeal plant is reportedly proposed in Cuncolim. This has raised alarm bells among the people already battling pollution caused by a lone fishmeal plant at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. Fishmeal plants pose several risks to people living nearby, primarily through air pollution from smoke and gases, causing respiratory issues like asthma and allergies — especially affecting children and those with chronic conditions. In severe cases, people living near fishmeal plants have reported burning in their mouths and oesophagus. Untreated waste from fishmeal factories is often dumped into rivers and lakes, contaminating drinking water sources and water bodies with toxic metals. Fishmeal production can contribute to unsustainable fishing practices and threaten the marine ecosystem.
There are also risks from water contamination due to toxic industrial waste and effluents that enter drinking water sources. Contact with contaminated water and air pollution can cause gastric problems. Additionally, occupational hazards exist for workers and the public within the plant, including risks from spoilt fish. People have also been complaining of foul odour emanating from vehicles transporting fish from jetties to the fishmeal plant.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
On spiritual power
The concept of spirituality is not written by any one person, as it is a subject of the study of the soul and the divine and a way of life. It is said that modern ideas of spirituality developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, which shows the influence of Western mystical traditions and Asian religions. Spirituality is a vast subject, and many saints, philosophers, and social reformers have written on it, such as Saint Dnyaneshwar, who wrote ‘Dnyaneshwari’, which is one of the spiritual texts. What is spirituality? Philosophers may have many answers, but, in simple terms, the word ‘spirituality’ is formed from ‘adhi’ (body) and ‘atman’ (soul). There can be many answers to the question of who wrote spiritual writings, because spirituality is not a subject written by any one person, but people of many ideologies have written on it. One who uplifts and develops society should be considered the true spiritual guru. Bhimrao Ambedkar emerged from the spiritual thought of Lord Buddha and served the country immeasurably.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora-Nagoa
