Don’t miss out
I don’t blame the writer (‘And this is why I don’t want to visit India,’ Gulf News, January 30). I am an Indian and after this incident I never want to visit Delhi. I know that the Indian authorities have not acted promptly over a very severe incident, which is shameful. I also feel embarrassed that the public overlooked the raped victim and her friend as they lay bleeding on the road. I fail to understand the mindset of such people, but at the same time, a huge portion of the country got together to protest and seek justice, fast track courts are now functional and I hope that laws will change soon too. If because of a few incidents, people decide not to visit India altogether, then they are really missing out on something. You will never get to see such a vast variety of culture and geography in any other country. From the high ranges of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, the desert towards the west in Rajasthan, the tea gardens of the east in Darjeeling, to the lagoons and back waters in Kerala - India is beautiful. You will miss out on all these beautiful places and the different traditions and cultures in each one of them. Eventually, it will be your loss.
From Ms Avani Soni
Dubai
Don’t generalise
The rape incident in Delhi is indeed shocking and outright deplorable. But is it right to form an opinion on a country of 1.2 billion people based on five inhumane criminals? The whole country got together, raised its voice against this incident and has demanded justice. Horrific incidents like these unfortunately do happen in various forms in various places in the world. It is our duty as responsible and sensitive human beings to protest for justice and protection in the future. But when such a comment comes out, it perhaps sends out a wrong message to many people who are unaware of India and its rich culture.
From A Reader
Kolkata, India
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One statement
The most disappointing factor in India is when you approach the police and even if someone’s life is at stake, the official says to you: “this is not my jurisdiction” (‘Delhi gang-rape, a month later: ‘Nothing has changed’,’ Gulf News, January 30). I think thousands of lives have been lost in India because of this one statement. Justice should have been done when the victim had a chance to survive. This is shameful.
From Ms Lorraine Partridge
Dubai
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Hopeless
Nothing will change in India because of dirty politics and corruption. If the country’s authorities were concerned about the welfare of their people they would have taken swift action against the criminals in the rape case. In spite of several eye witness accounts and proof, there is much confusion and delay. No lawyer should fight this case on behalf of the criminals. I am sure this case will go on for another five years.
From Mr Fia
Dubai
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Dubai is safe
Without any doubt, Dubai is the safest place, especially for women. The authorities must be appreciated. Unfortunately this issue seems to be India’s biggest problem.
From Mr R. Jose
Dubai
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Disheartened
I feel sorry for the families facing this horrifying situation. These horrors will remain until the people and Indian authorities are hungry for money and corrupt acts. There seems to be no respect for human life. India will remain a developing nation even after hundreds of years. There are thousands of laws but there are also thousands of loopholes through which the criminals can escape or minimise their terms. All we can do is pray that we or our families don’t become victims of such cases.
From Mr Ajay M. Nair
Sharjah
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Horrifying
No matter what happens, women are not safe in India unless one crucial step is taken. The least they could have done was immediately punish the rapist and the policemen who delayed the process. They would have won public support. These rapists should be punished irrespective of their age. People are finding ways to prolong this case for years and years. In such a case, the victim would never find justice.
From Ms Roshni
Dubai
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Healthy food is costly
I think the facts in this report should serve as a wake-up call for everyone living in the UAE (‘No magic in diet pills,’ Gulf News, January 31). But one of the reasons for the high obesity rate is that healthy diets and gym memberships are too expensive for the average person living in the UAE. When you go to the food court, most of the options are fast-food. Then you have no option but eat it.
From Ms Natalie
Dubai
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Handset troubles
I am also a BlackBerry user (‘BlackBerry aims to lure lost customers,’ Gulf News, January 30). I bought the Bold and a year later it started giving me problems. Whenever I receive emails with attachments and needed to access Microsoft Excel or Word, the handset switched off and indicated ‘Handheld drained’. I had to remove the battery and restart my phone each time this happened. Secondly, the keypad has also been giving me trouble. If I press an alphabet once, on the screen it is repeated five or six times. It is ridiculous. Also, no new BlackBerry model has been launched for almost two years. I soon have to switch to either iPhone or Samsung.
From Mr Syed
Dubai
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Disappointed
I used to be a BlackBerry user and I agree that it has one of the best services. However, I did have problems with the phone’s keyboard and battery life. I tried to fix these problems by going to their service centre, but the problems kept returning over and over again. After trying a couple of times and experimenting at different repair centres, I finally decided to switch to another popular brand of smart phone. At every visit, I met many people who had the same problem with their phone. In my opinion, BlackBerry must improve the quality of their handsets. Even though I am not a BlackBerry user anymore, if they introduced better handsets, I would definitely get back to it.
From Mr Anil Acheruvalloor Kollakadavu
Dubai
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Underground parking
There is a desperate need for underground parking in some areas of the city. I live in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, an area that is rapidly developing as people are slowly moving in from other emirates. The traffic in the area has almost doubled in recent years, but now the residents have nowhere to park their vehicles. I request the authorities to look into this situation.
From MS Purvi Doshi
Abu Dhabi
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