Reach out to Goans in Gulf
As tensions escalate across parts of West Asia, anxiety is mounting among families of Indian expatriates. Retaliatory missile launches and the temporary suspension of international flights by countries affected in the conflict, have created deep anxiety among lakhs of workers employed there. In this context, Goa’s CM Pramod Sawant must step forward and formally press the Centre to ensure the safety and evacuation of Goans from war-inflicted zones. Goa, though small in size, has a significant overseas workforce. Many Goans are employed in hospitality, healthcare, shipping and construction sectors across West Asian nations. Their remittances support families back home and contribute quietly but steadily to the state’s economy. In times of instability, these workers face not only physical danger but also uncertainty about wages, shelter and documentation. It may be recalled in 1990, following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the Indian government undertook an operation to bring tens of thousands of citizens back home. As fresh crises unfold in different parts of the world, this historic precedent stands as both reassurance and reminder. When required, India has shown it can rise above adversity and bring its people home — no matter how distant the battlefield.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
India’s vulnerabilities
India’s economic growth and energy security are now exposed to the volatility brought about by the Middle East conflict. By slashing imports of discounted Russian oil, courtesy Trump’s arm-twisting and enhancing purchase of extortionately priced Middle Eastern and US crude, India has made itself acutely vulnerable to rising oil prices and to disruptions of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly half of India’s oil and two thirds of its LNG imports pass through this crucial waterway. The vulnerability is even more acute for cooking gas (LPG) as 85 per cent of India’s LPG is sourced from the Gulf. Unlike crude, India maintains no strategic reserves of LPG, meaning any disruption in supplies would have a catastrophic effect on households and jack up inflation to stratospheric levels. With only optics, theatrics and forced hugs instead of a coherent foreign policy/astute diplomacy India is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
On Holi celebration
The noble and divine festival of colours is presently ‘celebrated’ in the most objectionable fashion possible in some states. Thanks to certain philistines and vested interests, Holi is increasingly getting branded as the day in which ‘licence’ is issued to molest the womenfolk. In this sorry perspective, it is natural that women will get subjected to sexual advances in the name of ‘celebrating’ Holi with them. Again the young boys and girls, who try to attain ‘modernity’ by engaging in public display of affection, discard all sense of decency and civility during Holi and visually pollute the environment. And there exists a brute section of revellers whose enjoyment in Holi depends upon the nuisance they can create in public. Thus they unhesitatingly sprinkle rubbish, paint or deadly colours on the pedestrians or commuters in trains. Practically Holi has become synonymous with drinking and indecency of all hues. It is high time the authorities concerned awarded exemplary punishment to the philistine lot and urgently reinstate the noble festival to its former purity and glory.
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata
Distorted portrayal
The Supreme Court’s decision to impose ban on a social science textbook for Class VIII published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has sparked off a debate about whether there should be restrictions on disseminating information to children via textbooks. The controversy is over a chapter titled ‘The Role of Judiciary in Our Society’, which  speaks about corruption at various levels of judiciary. Some may argue that there is no need to hide truth and fact from children while some others have the opinion that corruption is all pervasive and children must know corruption in other areas as well. True, corruption is entrenched at every level of society. Then, why is the information about corruption confined to judiciary alone? Are legislature and executive free of corruption? Instead of imparting such a distorted portrayal, the textbook committee should have included a realistic and balanced content.
Venu GS, Kollam
Fighting colorectal cancer
As March is the colorectal cancer awareness month, I would like to highlight that the incidence of colon (large bowel) and rectal cancer is increasing worldwide including India. Complex genetic and dietary factors contribute to colorectal cancer including fat-rich diet and food low on fibres. Abdominal pain and change in bowel habits like constipation, and bleeding from the rectum, should compel the affected to see a doctor. Colonoscopy is the gold standard investigation with or without biopsy. Screening and early investigations of colorectal cancer is quite crucial to detect them early.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
