Readers’ comments: ‘The AAP can still be revived’

AAP’s hard times

The real villain is the media, which is dancing to the BJP’s tunes (“AAP spokesperson Ashutosh writes: Has the party played its innings too fast and too soon?”). It’s not that the AAP doesn’t have its weaknesses, but the powerful regime at Centre has used all its might to crush the movement. I, a retired government servant and a firm supporter of AAP or any movement that fights criminal and corrupt politicians, believe that the current cunning political monster will have to be fought with shrewdness. In a chess-game, even a lowly pawn can checkmate a king. But, it has to wait to catch them off-guard.

The MCD election results should not be taken as defeat. The party should now reinvigorate volunteers. The AAP also needs to improve its media team. Paid TV channels will have to be countered somehow, some journalists and memebers of the intelligentsia will have to be befriended.Thirdly, important leaders and supporters like Kumar Vishwas and Vishal Dadlani who have wide appeal should not be distanced at any cost. I hope the AAP bounces back soon. – DR Dharma

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The AAP experienced its worst defeat in the MCD election. The foul-mouthed Kejriwal will now disappear from political scene. He had the audacity to contest against Modi, like a rat taking on an elephant. Punjab, ,Goa and now Delhi have taught him a lesson. He is a traitor who used Anna Hazare for his selfish goal. He wanted to become prime minister at the earliest. In this process, he became the laughing stock of the country. – Chandrasekar Kalyanam

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The AAP antagonised its own basic agenda of good governance by spreading too fast and too soon. It almost abandoned Delhi, which offered it a golden chance to prove its capabilities. Arvind Kejriwal is egocentric. – MM Singh

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The AAP can be revived still. It is clear that Delhiites were thoroughly disappointed with the party and Arvind Kejriwal. When Kejriwal moved away from Anna Hazare to form a political party, which he promised will be the answer to all the political evils prevailing in the country, people wanted to give him a chance. But soon enough, the AAP starting acting like any other political party,

In addition, it made enemies out of many of the rich and powerful, who were scared that the new experiment will shake the decades-old practices they were accustomed to . Had Kerjriwal been careful enough, he could have maintained the momentum and won the hearts of millions who were fed up of the dirty old political system.

But this is not the end of the AAP or the idea of a corruption-free polity. Such a party can still revive itself if it sticks to the principles of freedom, integrity and universality. The country needs an opposition party that will stand for the idea of India: a multi cultural and multi religious entity commanding the world’s respect for its culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Military and economic power has only secondary importance in such a scenario. – Ravindranathan PV

Identity project

Sure, we have a number of groups who would prefer citizens to be identified only by their ration cards (ask Lalu Yadav and Mamata Banerjee) (“Making Aadhaar mandatory is assault on individuals’ autonomy over their bodies, petitioners tell SC”). But it’s high time the country moved on. The advantages of Aadhar are, inclusion, less corruption and it weill also assist criminal investigation – each is a necessity. – Sujit S Kumar

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Verification worries

This analysis is mostly hypothetical (“Explainer: Aadhaar is vulnerable to identity theft because of its design and the way it is used”). We don’t bother when our Facebook information is stolen. On the internet, any misuse leaves an indelible footprint. Besides, one can lock UIDAI’s data access and release selectively. If you’re so apprehensive, demand and urge the UIDAI to set up a two-step verification for Aadhaar. – TV Raao

Parched state

There is another little-known aspect of the Tamil Nadu drought (“This map shows just how alarming Tamil Nadu’s water crisis is”). Ground water is being depleted at an alarming rate in the state. Borewells have been sunk to a depth of 400 feet or more in many areas of the delta. They are also fitted with submersible motors for agricultural purposes. Drinking water is becoming scarce due to this, but no one can raise their voice against this indiscriminate exploitation. – Ramanan

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There has no comment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue. He has ignored Tamil Nadu in many instances. I hope god gives Tamil Nadu the the strength to withstand the crisis and rise again even though the government doesn’t doesn’t support us. – Mohan

Under threat

The CAG, planners, neutral thinkers and liberals should calculate the money spent on deploying central forces in Naxal areas (“Why Bastar’s roads have become deathtraps for the security forces”). Then, think of how the life of Adivasis would have changed had this money been given to them. Adivasis could have undertaken development projects on their own, depending on their needs – it would be like a government grant. This would definitely reduce the blood shed too. Given the corruption in the country, there must be some leakage of funds happening in maintaining the forces. What’s the need to have such a big force to deprive the Adivasis of the lands they have been living in for centuries? The rulers of the state want to give these lands for a penny to the crony capitalists in the name of development.Why? What kind of development the rulers have in their minds? Development of their own selves at the expense of the poor and the rest of the country? Citizens of this country need to wake up and think of where this country is going. – Onkar Singh

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We always have apologists for any violence, however gruesome, as well as civil rights activists to defend such atrocities. They want to make Chhattisgarh another Kashmir. No heed shall be paid to such elements. – Madhu

Poisoned rivers

The article on cancer cases in Bihar because of its water sheds light on the plight of cancer patients and government neglect (“Cancer has exploded in Bihar as lakhs of people drink water poisoned with arsenic”). Great work by M Rajshekhar.

I request Scroll.in team to also cover the rising incidence of cancer in rural areas across the Hindon river bed.

I think they are on the rise because of the heavy metal contamination of ground water. This contamination has most probably been caused by the release of unprocessed​ industry discharge from western Uttar Pradesh directly into the Hindon river. Saharanpur, Shamli and Bhagpat are among the affected districts. – Abhimanyu

Coming soon

Despite Arnab Goswami’s defence of his channel’s supporters, it cannot be denied that there is a definite bias towards the ruling party (“‘Proud of all my partners’: Arnab Goswami when asked about BJP influence in new venture”). This does not signal a independent and honest channel. His channel will join others that are already controlled or favourable to the present establishment. – SN Iyer

Heritage lost

Thank you for the superb article by Mustansir Dalvi on the Hall of Nations (“The demolished Hall of Nations was a terrific example of a young country’s Make in India spirit”). I visited the complex in 1982, and was very impressed. Alas, it is all too often that we appreciate a site when it is no more. To my mind, discarding heritage, no matter what its age (as all heritage should be considered for its merits, not necessarily its age) leads to an inevitable soullessness, which reflects in all aspects of life. – Brian Paul Bach

Weighing in

The media is out to get maximum mileage and same goes for the doctors in this case (“What the spat over ‘the world’s heaviest woman’ says about doctors, journalists and the PR machinery”). I think the patient and the family knows this. I’m sure they will not have the necessary finances for the adventure and knew that this was the only way that she could be treated. There is no doubt that medically we are second to none.

Somewhere I think the sister has felt neglected and become a loose cannon. – Dr Gautama Ramakanthan

Blood loss

In this piece, Rajat Agarwal of Sankalp India Foundation explains just about 1% loss of donated blood (“Why some stored blood is always discarded and why that should not deter blood donors”). However, Agarwal cannot justify the high 10% incidence of loss of donated blood in the country. He also doesn’t explain why the incidence is particularly high in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, where medical facilities are relatively good. It would be better to encourage donors to donate blood through reputed blood banks like Red Cross and even then, only for immediate transmission. This will avoid the loss of blood or blood components as a result of poor methods and equipment for collection, separation, storage, transport and transfusion of blood. This will also significantly reduce the scam-ridden process of collecting and distributing donated blood. – Chandra Shekhar AK

Losing faith

This is an eye-opener for everyone who reposes their faith in investigation agencies and the government without checking the authenticity of the probe (“Why blame judiciary for granting Pragya Thakur bail when investigative agencies show no spine?”). What can we trust nowadays? Oh, what will happen to my India, my country, my soul, my land, my love? Not just our bodies but our minds are also being hijacked. – Danish Iqbal

Women in science

I loved the article and I’m so proud of each one of the scientists (“Meet the women scientists who make India’s chillies hotter, flowers cheaper and mangoes last longer”). I thank the writer for thinking of and writing such a beautiful article. – Nita Khandekar