Many words of Sharad Pawar
By publishing idiotic comments made by Sharad Pawar you too have downgraded your standard (Balakot airstrikes took place in Kashmir, not Pakistan, claims Sharad Pawar). In my view, such comments which put India as a whole in bad light should be avoided even if they are made for petty political gain. Pawar has once again proved that to gain political mileage, he could make any comment. Even if the strike was in Kashmir and not in Pakistan, at least for national interest we should stand by nation and not counter the government. – Somil Saxena
***
Shameful that Pawar’s heart is still bleeding for Pakistan. He wants to please Indian Muslims and thus, is dangerously provoking Hindus and Muslims to fight each other and divide the country. – Ashok Gulati
***
Sharad Pawar is a former defence minister. Thus information inputs given by him are reliable and not politically motivated. It is high time that the Nationalist Congress Party file a criminal suit against the Narendra Modi government and expose it. Else it will be assumed that Pawar’s comments are motivated. – Brijesh Barthwal
***
A senior Indian politician who is a former defence minister claims that Balakot is in Kashmir. I am of the opinion that during Sharad Pawar’s ministership he exercised power up to Balakot and beyond. Later governments have kept people blind and given up land to Pakistan. It is honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s duty to claim back the territory and clear Pakistan’s occupation of Indian territory. – Harikishor Reddy
***
Do not take Sharad Pawar seriously. He has lost his credibility. – Dhananjay R Pataskar
***
Sharad Pawar was an agriculture minister in the central government. Why did he never give benefits to farmers recommended by the Swaminathan committee? Man and Khandala tehsil in Maharashtra’s Satara district are a stone’s throw distance from his Baramati. What has done for those two drought-prone tehsils? Why hasn’t he built any facility for pilgrims on their way to Pandharpur? – Rajesh Bhagwat
Crimes against children
I have been following the media reportage of crimes against children in India for almost two decades now (India is witnessing a new pattern of communal politics over dead children. Could anything be worse?). While there is far greater awareness of child sexual abuse in the country now, the shameful prevalence of paedophilia in India still does not get the attention any developed nation provides its children. I note with increasing exasperation the continuing poor handling of crimes against children in the Indian media, especially of sexual crimes.
An eight-year-old “girl” being sexually assaulted and sadistically murdered does not convey the same gravity as using the word “child”. A 14-year-old is a child. Words such as “teens” and “minors” are understatements. The vernacular press goes so far as to provide detailed, identifiable information about the victims’ identity.
I request Scroll to liberally use the words “child” and “paedophile” to portray the sadism of sexual crimes against children. Forceful language is needed to convey the depravity of the crime.
As a doctor and a father to a young child, I feel the responsibility of ensuring the safety and health of children and their protection from omnipresent sexual predators assumes a far greater urgency than similar crimes against adults. – Pradeep Deb
***
My opinion is that some incidents are to create fear in a particular community or are related to frustrated unemployed youths. Kathua case is an example of creating fear. Unless employment opportunities are available, the empty mind will become the demon’s mind.
I stayed in an East African country for almost over 25 years and saw incidents of murder, robbery, rape and other crimes increase with an increase in unemployment every year. In such countries to come out of the house after sunset is a big risk. I pray and wish that does not happen in our country. Especially as our prime minister is targeting that the country becomes World Guru by 2024. – Narendra Agarwal
***
I do not agree with the writer. Like most so-called secularists, she finds protests by Hindutva minds communal. She must understand that people have their biases in favour of their own communities. So it is perfectly okay if these organisations make noise over an atrocity on a Hindu where the accused is a non-Hindu.
Such stands by these organisations are not limited to crimes against children. They raise their voice against any crime when the victim is from the Hindu community and the accused is a non-Hindu. These organisations, whether one agrees or not, are supposedly there to protect interests of their own community. If you keep this fact in mind then there is hardly any reason to complain against their protests.
She seems to be “impressed” by the cry for harsh punishments by Muslims in some cases where the accused are Muslim. This is not true at all. See what has happened or is even now happening in Muslim-majority states particularly Jammu and Kashmir. Is there any Muslim organisation that has spoken against Kashmiri Muslims? Perhaps none. Not even the so-called secular journalists have spoken for the victims in the real sense. – Arihant Jain
Price of a vote
Perhaps you were not born 30 years back (What’s the price of a vote in India? A new report comes up with a startling number). Then when I chastised my domestic help for taking money for votes she chastised me back saying, “They are getting votes, power and also money. Why not pay a small amount to me when I am poor?”
I agree all parties including BJP must have paid money for votes. But nothing new in India. You presume that this is happening only now. – R Venkat
Polluted Mt Everest
Thanks to the journalist who gave us valuable information regarding garbage on Mount Everest and thanks to the Nepal government who took necessary steps for cleanliness (Mount Everest: Four bodies, 11,000 kg of garbage found in cleanliness drive). Unfortunately, we human beings are dirtier than pigs, as we don’t even think about cleanliness. There is no such place on this planet where humans haven’t left their waste: space, oceans, any land, now even mountains like Mt Everest. I promise that I will try my best to keep our planet clean and spread information to keep our planet clean. Also, I appeal that all the governments of different countries take necessary steps before it becomes too late. – Rupesh Giri
A dog’s world
It is not only an interesting but also a moving tale for each one of us who would want that dogs are treated better (Film about Kolkata’s stray dog feeders proves that love has no limits). Many people often thrash us by saying we overstep. In particular, most people resent us and consider us mad.
Reading about this movie and the movie maker: words fail me, to tell you how much I appreciate your work. Please continue doing whatever you can to contribute towards voiceless. It takes a lot of gumption and faith to complete a movie in five years which one knows will have very few takers.
You amongst a few others restored my faith in humanity. I wonder how other people react to this film, people who consider dogs a nuisance. More power to you. Tonight I sleep easy. – Batool Muzafar
***
A touching and sincere effort to bring out the life of homeless Indies! I feel a part of the movie. Each scene mirrors what we go through while feeding our street friends. Thank you so much for the effort and sincerity in making this beautiful movie. We animal feeders and caretakers from Lucknow applaud your efforts and thank you on behalf of our four-legged friends! – Swati Kumar
***
Thank you so much, Scroll, for highlighting this issue (With 400 dogs and cats abandoned at new airport site, animal rescuers struggle to cope). Please continue giving updates so that these animals get help. – Shernaz Italia
