Tame the virus
The government of India and all state governments are doing everything from their end to control the pandemic. The sooner this menace called Covid-19 ends, the better. I am hopeful that India and all other nations of the world will emerge successful in the mission (‘Virus and worries’, April 5).
The world is heading to an economic crisis and there will be many short-term impacts. But, our government has to make sure that there are no long-term impacts.
I feel if the authorities in India act in the manner that they are doing now, for some more weeks, the pandemic can be controlled in a month’s time. Even if the lockdown is lifted on April 14, districts, cities and towns that are severally affected should be sealed.
Nandagopal G.,
On email.
It is a harsh reality that Covid-19 has spread its tentacles across almost all countries in the world. We have been witnessing pandemics at different points of time at different parts of the world. But it is an undisputed fact that none of them have been all pervasive, contagious and destructive as Covid-19.
At this juncture, I remember the wise words of former US president Thomas Jefferson. He said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” This is more relevant in today’s times. Citizens worldwide need to sink their differences and rise to the occasion to fight and eradicate this menace.
B. Suresh Kumar,
On email.
News magazines like THE WEEK are doing a great job in distinguishing facts from fiction, and providing us with an in-depth and nuanced coverage of the ongoing pandemic. Today, a minuscule virus has achieved what nobody ever imagined. This virus does not respect boundaries. It does not differentiate between the privileged and the marginalised, old and the young. It has made the entire humanity, including developed counties like the US, the UK, Italy and Spain, fall to their knees, despite advanced medical prowess and technological know-how.
Vijay Singh Adhikari,
On email.
A quiet gesture
I agree with Anuja Chauhan that the real test of patriotism, during the crisis, is to give all your domestic help paid leave for a month (‘Schizo-nation’, April 5). However, this act should be done without having the feeling that we are doing a big favour for such people. It should be more in the form of a quiet gesture, something in complete consonance with our tiny role in the big scheme of things that nature plans.
Gurjas Chahal,
On email.
Hope for the best
Let me thank THE WEEK for highlighting an important but neglected dimension of our time—India’s nose-diving economy. The ideas expressed by Arvind Panagariya may appear lopsided, but they do offer ways to bring back the economy to its original shape (‘India can be a $7 trillion economy by 2030’, April 5).
Iqbal Singh,
On email.
Panagariya’s view of moving half of the agriculture workers to industrial and services sectors does not seem workable. Ours is a predominantly agriculture-based nation and weakening it would be disastrous. We have to look at improving the system by having a mechanism of price guarantee, state purchase and distribution, which itself can generate a lot of employment. Instead of moving agricultural workers into the industrial sector, we should consider agriculture as an industry and allow formation of companies with small and medium farmers as stakeholders.
K. AravindaUpadhyaya,
On email.
Difficult times
It was good to see Omar Abdullah being released from detention. But the reaction from him has been largely meek (‘Triple strike’, April 5). I suppose Omar is aware that there is nothing much he or any of the other Kashmiri leaders can do now, considering the kind of power the BJP wields in the country. It was a calculated move from the Centre to release Omar during the countrywide lockdown, when there are restrictions in place.
Also, I feel the Apni Party is a creation of the BJP. It is well known that the BJP needs the support of such parties to survive outside Jammu.
Anosh Ahmed,
On email.
No ulterior motive
Shaheen Bagh is largely the creation of some vested groups, who work against the interests of the country. Some innocent people got trapped in it. Why are we giving these protestors so much importance in the first place. What makes them so unique from other protestors in every nook and cranny of the country? (‘Eternal flame’, April 5).
On the day of the Janata Curfew, when the entire country stayed indoors, what was the need for the people of Shaheen Bagh to stay outside? Their safety should have come first. We have every right to protest against any bill passed by the Union government in Parliament, but it should not be with any ulterior motive. For so many days they took to the streets, blocking roads and what not!
After the lockdown ends, the government should give a platform to the protestors of Shaheen Bagh, and hear them out and try to address their concerns. But they cannot hold the city to ransom.
Gaurav Trivedi,
On email.
Error
Satyajit Ray’s date of birth was wrongly mentioned in ‘Ray, undimmed’ (April 5) as May 2, 1971. He was born on May 2, 1921. We regret the error.
Editor