Pushing greener transportation
It’s really encouraging that the Dubai authorities have taken initiative for electric car charging stations (‘Electric car charging stations will cut fuel costs, emissions’, Gulf News, February 26). Electric cars are extremely eco-friendly. They do not emit toxic gasses or smoke and it runs on clean energy, which reduces our carbon footprint. The Dubai authorities have been aiming for a clean environment and healthy living for the people who reside here. Moreover, promoting electric cars will curb noise pollution. It’s cost effective and can tap solar energy at these charging stations. We should salute the Dubai authorities for transforming Dubai into a sustainable smart city and for making our environment clean and usable for future generations. Other countries should also follow this to make our Earth safe.
From Mr Eappen Elias
Dubai
A tough match
In the Cricket World Cup match featuring the UAE versus Ireland, the UAE really gave a tough go to Ireland (‘Hard work earns a paid holiday’, Gulf News, February 26). The bowlers did a very good job. Anything can happen in cricket! The UAE had a 90 per cent chance of winning that match, but the last minute match was changed. It was a good performance and the players are very good.
From Mr Riswan Azeez
Ajman
Website comment
Passion for the game
I’m really proud of the way the UAE performed. I was amazed to hear how the team works and plays at the same time. Now that’s pure passion!
From Mr M. A.
Dubai
Full name withheld on request
Great performance
This was amazing to watch and I really never expected such a good performance! If more focus had been given to the game, they will surely have an even better result. Keep up the good work.
From Mr Najeeb
Dubai
Website comment
Love for cricket
Well done, UAE players! They played the game for the love of the game and they didn’t look to gain any benefits, like money. They were all playing amazingly and they certainly caught the audience’s attention. I look forward to seeing them do even better in the future.
From Ms Mariam Mudeer
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Insulting and careless
The Gulf News editorial on why the Indian Premier keeping the RSS at Bay was a bold and straight forward opinion (‘Indian Premier must keep the notorious RSS at bay’, Gulf News, February 26). But, the bitter truth is that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are like father and son. The son will not criticise or point out the wrong doings of his father. On the contrary, the father figure should guide the son to lead the nation in a developmental and secular manner. Unfortunately, that is not happening in India.
Nevertheless, the recent remark by Bhagwat on Mother Teresa is an insult to the Nobel laureate who died 18 years ago. It is an absurd, unfortunate and obnoxious remark about Mother Teresa. The remarks are strongly objectionable. She has been unnecessarily dragged into controversy. She was like an ambassador of humanity and she acted as a saviour to the poor.
While it is an undeniable fact that some Christian charity missions are converting people, Bhagwat’s general accusation on Mother Teresa’s conversion is in no way acceptable. His way of generalising his point of view either depicts his lack of knowledge about Mother Terasa and her services or it is a deliberate attempt to target someone.
Indians should move forward by strengthening its secularity. Harping on only Hindu agendas will not help in a multi-religious democratic country like India. Rather it will mar the harmonious and peaceful atmosphere. Hinduism should be glorified by admiring other religious practices and accepting their faith and services. Now is the time for the right wing extremists to understand this simple logic and stop throwing vitriolic remarks. Otherwise, Hinduism will diminish, as well as the reputation of Hindus all over the world.
From Mr S. Jayakumar
Abu Dhabi
Satisfied with the budget
The Gulf News story about India’s rail budget in Mumbai was an interesting read (‘India’s railway budget: Mumbai remains ignored’, Gulf News, February 27). Even though there is no improvement overall, this budget assures passenger safety and no additional fares for passengers. It is welcoming. Introducing Wi-Fi and other facilities for the physically challenged and women’s compartment safety are a few highlights of this budget. I hope they will keep up the promises for better travel and safety.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Keep them in jail
After the three Americans were arrested for trying to join Daesh, I think we need to let such people stay safe behind bars (‘Three New Yorkers arrested for trying to join Daesh’, Gulf News, February 26). They are brainwashed in such a manner that it will be hard for them to live like a good human being. Also, investigations must be conducted and the root cause must be exposed, demolished and cleaned permanently.
From Ms Maria Kutty
Dubai
Website comment
Fresh change in leadership
All the recent elections in India have proved that Rahul Gandhi is not very promising in his leadership of the Congress party (‘Rahul Gandhi could be elevated later this year’, Gulf News, February 26). The constant defeats in the state elections and the failure to address the issues of the public have given the party a negative impression altogether.
The reality is that the Congress party has gained an unethical reputation before the public due to the attitude of its leaders at the helm. Its focus was only to improve the party image, but not the concerns of ordinary people who form the majority of the population.
Why is it that only a Gandhi family member leads the Congress party? The party certainly needs an overhaul throughout its various domains and those who are being inducted must prove that they are working for the people and the country. Its decisions on critical issues have not been well received.
Leaders being aggressive and their links with corrupt groups and tycoons have been continuously tampering with the value of the party and its way forward to make an influential role among people who have been traditionally associated with the Congress for decades.
Ever since the party lost their majority in the general elections, nothing has been done seriously to rework its strategy to regain the lost confidence of the people. The process of leadership changes must start from there.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman
India’s visa upon arrival
India enabling visas upon arrival has been creating confusion among Emiratis as well other foreigners in the UAE who are planning to go for a visit to India. This is due to reporting from Gulf News as a leading newspaper in the UAE, when people search online for tourism in India, they are often directed to the Gulf News page. From my personal experience, I have been hearing cases of people who went on a tour to India, got stuck at the airport there and had to wait for their departure back to the UAE, as Indian airports will not allow people to stay for days until they can get an online arrival visa approval. Even if they apply with some help from other sources outside. This is not a visa upon arrival, this is an online-applied arrival visa.
From Mr Ansaf K. V.
UAE
Death Sentence
Recently, a worker was sentenced to death by the Abu Dhabi Court for raping a seven-year-old girl (‘Janitor sentenced to death for rape’, Gulf News, February 26). The maximum punishment for raping minors is the death penalty in the UAE. It is a very laudable verdict and right justice announced by the honourable court. There is no denying that such punishment will surely set a precedent for criminals. Let us hope that an offender would think a hundred times over before committing such an evil act in future. Crimes take place everywhere and every country is engaged to combat the crimes. The only difference is that only some tackle the crimes rigorously. In some countries, crimes such as rape, murder, drug trafficking and armed robberies are punishable by death and as a result, the crime rate is relatively low in that country as compared to the crime rate in the other countries.
From Mr Mumtaz Hussain
Dubai
Take care of everyone
What’s in India’s new national budget for 2015 for the common man (‘India unveils 2015 national budget’, Gulf News, March 1)? This budget is corporate centric and for the affluent class. The common man will now have to dish out extras to have a meal, laundry, internet, public transport, petrol and housing. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government made sweeping promises during the pre-election time. Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, assured the nation that the BJP would bring back black money in 100 days if they were elected. It’s been more than270 days and where is the nation’s money?
Now the BJP plans to enact a new law on money laundering. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pre-budget statement of the government’s only religion is India First contradicts his inability to counter communal intolerance time and again throughout the past four months. Christians and Muslims are living in fear in the post-BJP victory. Instead, Modi should silence those who advocate hate openly on a daily basis – the people who are orchestrating forced conversions and resorting to destruction of places of worship. If minorities are not assured protection by the ruling government, how will they work for the progress of the nation? Are these the good days ahead as promised by the BJP?
From Mr M. Rodrigues
Dubai
Website comment
Safer here
In response to M. Rodrigues, I think he needs to get his facts correct instead of barbing on our country. There were large-scale Christian conversions prevalent in India. Ignoring the fact that Congress only survived on minorities and that its policies were minority populist is bias. There is no such fear among minorities. I believe that minorities are far safer and secure than countries surrounding India.
From Mr Jagadish
Dubai
Website comment
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