Indian space odyssey
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made all Indians proud by becoming only the second Indian astronaut to be launched into space and the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (634th person to be aboard the ISS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 18-minute conversation with Indian astronaut Shukla not only emphasised Earth’s unity from space and its alignment with India’s values, but also quoted Shukla saying, “We see sunrise and sunset 16 times a day from orbit… Our nation is moving forward at a very great pace…” He added, “India looks grand and bigger from space than it does on the map.” The Shubhanshu-Modi talk is reminiscent of the then PM Indira Gandhi’s conversation with Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma in 1984, when she spoke live with the astronaut. She asked what the Earth looked like from above. Rakesh told Gandhi that India looks “Sare Jahan Se Achcha” from space. What a thoughtful reply—I still remember that. And that is precisely what Shubhanshu expressed, but using different words: “But from space, India appears truly grand—majestic in scale and spirit.” Interestingly, Rakesh Sharma was sent to space at no cost to India, but the Modi government bought a seat in Axiom-4 for Rs 548 crore, or $64 million, for a 24-day stay.
Bidyut K Chatterjee, Faridabad
Start more trains
to Valankanni
The Velankanni feast will be celebrated from August 29 to September 8, and there is a demand for trains during the season. At present, there is only one train from Vasco to Velankanni —No. 17315—which operates on Mondays, just once a week. It reaches its destination the next day after almost 27 hours of travel and departs from Velankanni on Tuesday back to Goa. Many Goans travel to the holy Church of Our Lady of Good Health in Tamil Nadu during the feast. Hence, the South Western Railway should introduce more trains to make it easier for devotees to reach the holy place and receive blessings. The present once-a-week train will not suffice to meet the rising demand. Railway authorities should make arrangements after placing a request and proposal to the Hubli division, which is the headquarters of South Western Railways. The introduction of additional trains will help ensure a safe and comfortable journey to Velankanni for the people of Goa. Now that advance booking is available only 60 days before the journey date, the same should be promoted widely to facilitate early reservations and reduce last-minute rush at booking counters. Railway authorities should take a timely decision and inform the public so that devotees can plan their holy visit in advance.
Raju Ramamurthy, Vasco
Attempt to muzzle press
The Press Club of India (PCI), in association with 21 press bodies and over 1,000 journalists and photojournalists from across the country, has raised concerns about some provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, after concluding that they infringe upon journalists’ fundamental right to work. The PCI, along with other press bodies and journalists, has submitted a joint memorandum to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, urging him to keep the professional work of journalists across print, online, and electronic media outside the scope of the DPDP Act. The concerns expressed in the memorandum were compiled by the PCI after consulting legal luminaries and data experts. It was found that the Act contravenes journalists’ fundamental rights granted by Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. This is yet another regressive step by the Modi government to muzzle press freedom and should be fought tooth and nail by the press and civil society.
Rekha Sarin Trehan, Benaulim
Weaponising past to hide present
Democracy isn’t saved by remembering history alone; it’s saved by speaking truth to power today. While PM Narendra Modi urges citizens to recall and publicise the dark days of the Emergency, it is equally important to question the selective remembrance of history. The Emergency, no doubt, was a grave mistake, but using it repeatedly for political mileage decades later, especially to target the opposition, reflects a lack of focus on present-day issues. True democracy demands we confront all injustices, past and present, not just cherry-pick moments to attack political opponents. Let’s not turn the horrors of the past into tools of present-day propaganda. If the youth must learn from history, they must also be taught to question the current erosion of institutions, suppression of voices, and concentrated power, regardless of which party is in power.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
