Punish guilty
This is with reference to the news report ‘CM says Gautam Khattar to be arrested in next two days’ (NT April 22). While Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured the arrest of Khattar, who recently made a controversial statement on St Francis Xavier, within two days, the role of the organisers of the event and the failure of the invited MLAs to intervene and stop the derogatory remarks should also be probed. While freedom of speech is permitted, no one is allowed to hurt the religious sentiments of any religious community. There can be no exception to the law. If the Goa government fails to act, then the good name and secular credentials earned for conducting the 2024 exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier in a peaceful manner will be tarnished.
A F Nazareth, Alto Porvorim
Well-managed gathering
The Shirgao Lairai zatra stands as a powerful symbol of faith, but managing such a massive gathering demands a huge responsibility. This year, the administration demonstrated a commendable shift towards disciplined and safety-oriented planning. From conducting extensive mock drills to deploying over 1,400 officials round the clock, the government ensured strict vigil and preparedness at every level. These drills, involving police, fire and health departments, were crucial in testing real-time emergency response and avoiding mishaps similar to the ones that occurred in the past. The establishment of a centralised control room, coupled with CCTV camera surveillance, has further strengthened monitoring and enabled swift action in any emerging situation. However, safety is a shared responsibility. Devotion must go hand in hand with discipline. It is essential that every devotee follows the instructions laid down by officials and participates in the sacred rituals peacefully, without creating any scene. This year’s systematic approach set a strong example. Other temple managements across Goa should voluntarily adopt similar structured safety measures. Overall, this proactive effort deserves appreciation.
Vaman S Sankhalker, Harvalem
Women’s reservation
The BJP says women’s reservation should be implemented, but only along with delimitation. The Opposition, led by Congress, says women’s reservation should be implemented immediately, but is not agreeing to an increase in the current number of Lok Sabha seats. The Opposition is definitely on a moral high point here. Increasing the current strength to around 850 seats, as has been proposed, will be catastrophic for the country. It would hand even greater political power to the 5-6 northern states that already enjoy overwhelming political numbers. A 50% increase for Uttar Pradesh, for instance, could take its tally from 80 to 120 Lok Sabha seats, while Goa may move from two to just around three. Agreeing to this is political hara-kiri for Goa and other smaller states. So what exactly is the Goa BJP Mahila Morcha protesting against? And for whose benefit? For Goa, this is a lose-lose situation. Has the BJP Mahila Morcha even been told how this numbers game works? Or are Goa’s BJP women karyakartas being pushed to protest for an agenda that could weaken Goa’s voice in the Parliament? The Opposition is completely right here. Why should women’s reservation be held hostage to delimitation? When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took credit for this bill in 2023, why is its implementation now being stalled by linking it to a contentious exercise that could alter the country’s political balance? This looks less like a commitment to women’s empowerment and more like a calculated agenda. Sadly, the Goa BJP Mahila Morcha seems to be marching for it without even realising what is at stake.
Sandeep Heble, Panaji
Good move
From 2027 onwards, all phones sold in the European Union (EU) will mandatorily have a battery that can be replaced by the user. This is being done because usually people change the phone once the battery starts draining quickly after a certain amount of use. Replacement batteries are not as efficient or even genuine as the factory-fitted ones. This move is to check the creation of e-waste, as old phones usually end up either being recycled or dumped in a landfill. Additionally, the EU has mandated that every new phone launched should have spares available for a period of seven years from the date of commercial retail and the spares should be made available to anyone who requests them thus putting an end to the monopoly of company-owned repair shops that charge exorbitant amounts. This is a good move and India should follow suit.
Misha, Varca
