Look beyond freebies

Refer to ‘The freebie race’; the BJP, aiming to regain power in Delhi after nearly three decades, has unveiled a slew of promises that echo the strategy adopted by its main rival, the Aam Aadmi Party. Political parties generally try to woo the poorest sections with money. They sidestep critical issues such as poverty, environmental sustainability, urban planning and public health, which require urgent attention in cities like Delhi. India’s progress hinges on balancing immediate welfare needs with the pursuit of long-term economic and social goals. A government’s role is to ensure equality for all, besides freedom from hunger, disease and poverty, instead of doling out money to beneficiaries.

Advertisement

SS Paul, Nadia (WB)

ECI a mere spectator

Apropos of ‘The freebie race’; the main culprit behind the mad race to offer freebies to voters is the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is a toothless tiger devoid of preventive and punitive powers to stop political parties from making short-term, economically ill-conceived policies to grab votes. The ECI should be vested with powers to delist parties making a mockery of democracy. Freebies announced by national parties has skewed the playing field to the detriment of smaller parties, besides promoting a no-work culture.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

Proactive steps a must

Refer to ‘Dog bite crisis’; the media is doing well to build public opinion and spur various stakeholders, especially the government, to initiate proactive steps to curb the dog bite epidemic. India has acquired the dubious distinction of being a haven for stray dogs. Animal lovers need to clarify whether animal rights take precedence over human rights. Experts believe that mass vaccination and sterilisation of dogs is not feasible in a resource-deficient country like ours. Any method that is adopted has to cover more than 80 per cent of the dog population to be effective.

Vitull K Gupta, Bathinda

Tackle canine menace

Apropos of ‘Dog bite crisis’; stray canine bite cases are rising not only in Punjab but also across the country. Pet dogs, too, don’t lag behind. Schoolchildren and senior citizens are the soft targets. Attacks by dogs disrupt children’s studies, and their parents have to bear hefty medical expenses. However, it is worrisome that neither Central nor state governments are very serious about tackling this problem. Apart from launching awareness campaigns and conducting sterilisation drives, collaboration between the governments and municipal authorities concerned is the need of the hour to curb the menace.

MD Sharma, Shimla

Maha Kumbh phenomenon

The Maha Kumbh figures on the UNESCO list as the largest peaceful religious congregation of pilgrims on earth. It is a festival of positivity and spiritual harmony. From Naga Sadhus to Aghoris and other pilgrims, the Maha Kumbh offers all of them a platform to achieve inner peace and connect with divinity. A dip in Triveni Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati — is considered beneficial for washing away one’s sins. A congregation of 450 million, including Indians and foreigners, in Prayagraj (Allahabad) is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon.

Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur

Few takers for museums

Refer to ‘India’s museums reflect govt apathy to heritage’; for all the pride we take in the glories of the past, our indifference towards their preservation shows us in a poor light. Most of our museums are poorly maintained. Perhaps the general disinterest of the people, who avoid visiting museums, is mainly responsible for the state of affairs. Ironically, a religious symbol or idol found buried somewhere is likely to draw greater attention than a relic of outstanding historical value.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai