Tough task
It is hard to believe that Mehul Choksi, sensing arrest, could flee like that, from Antigua and Barbuda to Dominica. With this, efforts taken to deport Choksi have run into legal complications (‘The great Caribbean chase’, June 20). It also highlights the faults in the proceedings initiated by our agencies.
The Choksi’s play seems to be to get the support of the opposition in Dominica and delay his deportation.
B. Gurumurthy,
On email.
Our agencies have been mostly successful in getting fugitives deported, and I find no reason why Choksi cannot be brought back to India. But, having said that, we should never send sleuths to a country without being sure of whether the convict can be brought home. Coming back empty-handed is embarrassing. It is very clear that certain powerful elements in the Caribbean are leaking information and helping Choksi.
The CBI and the ED should go all out to bring Choksi back to India.
Anjana Gopalakrishnan,
On email.
Don’t forget children
The special report, ‘Forgotten Children’ (June 20) was an eye-opener.
Of course, we need a Central Vista, but how is that going to accommodate sad and abandoned children? I have been flabbergasted when people use the word ‘development’ to describe projects aimed at exploring outer space or Mars. All this when people around them are famished and are struggling to survive.
When children are forgotten, the future of a nation stands forlorn.
Jithesh K.,
On email.
The exhaustive article on the pathetic plight of children who lost parents to Covid-19 moved me to tears.
It is a Herculean task for the government alone to take care of these children. I feel some NGOs and organisations with the best corporate social responsibility reputation can voluntarily take care of them.
As the saying goes, to serve God is to serve others.
G.V.N. Murthy,
On email.
It is not going to be a child’s play for the government to implement the order of the Supreme Court and help children orphaned by Covid-19.
First, no child should be left behind, especially the girl child. Second, no child should be forced to discontinue studies due to lack of money, care and because of stress. In other words, there should be no dropouts. Third, the government will have to create job opportunities for these children in future. While in school and college, they will need money not only for books and computers, but also for nutrition and sports.
Sunil Chopra,
On email.
Worthless leaders
The credibility of the BJP in Kerala is at an all-time low (‘Lotus and looters’, June 20). The hawala scandal is a huge embarrassment for the BJP. It is time the national leadership took stern action against leaders involved in such scams.
There is a lack of commitment among a section of BJP leaders in the state, and it is palpable.
In fact, many BJP workers in Kerala—who have been at the receiving end of the atrocities committed against them by CPI(M) workers—are now silently praising Congress leader K. Sudhakaran for taking on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other senior CPI(M) leaders.
Raghavan Nair,
On email.
Let’s follow China
Yes, local social media players are changing the rules in market dominated by global tech giants, and I am sure they will become even more popular in the days to come (‘Swadeshi social’, June 20). Local social media will never create a fuss and will do their job silently, unlike Facebook and Twitter. They will also comply with the rules.
In China, almost every other social media platform is owned and run by the Chinese. By creating their own networks, the Chinese have restricted global giants from entering their market. I guess we should follow the Chinese. Let us shun Facebook and WhatsApp, and use Koo and other local apps.
Saurav Trivedi,
On email.
Ayurveda helps
We cannot afford to ignore traditional systems like ayurveda and yoga (‘Interview with Baba Ramdev’, June 13). Holistic medicine aims to restore health by understanding the hidden causes of diseases. It strives to attack the root cause, by strengthening body tissues, and balancing bodily doshas.
Ashok Sharma,
Patna, Bihar.
Brave Anu Aggarwal
It was a divine transformation for Anu Aggarwal, whose acting career was nipped in the bud after a near fatal car accident on October 2, 1999 (‘Drive to live’, June 6).
Aggarwal bounced back from near death because of her undaunted spirit and unflinching willpower. With 29 broken bones and after 29 days in a coma, she came back. Lesser mortals would not have risen like a phoenix.
The same willpower, guts and courage was exhibited by Amitabh Bachchan, when he was grievously injured on the sets of Coolie some 40 years ago.
Amar L. Naik,
On email.