A big deal of nothing
In India, people are enamoured by two things – movies (be it Bollywood or Kollywood) and cricket (“Priya Varrier moves Supreme Court against police case”, Gulf News, February 20). Both can create the same effect and can throw normal life out of gear. The recent examples were the movie Padmavat and the Priya Varrier wink video. In case of the latter we do agree that it was very attractive and mind boggling but the controversy that erupted from it has proved that we can be easily triggered. The sensitivity of religion can always be grossly abused for ulterior motives. I do agree that there could be some element of justification in the case being filed. The point is that we take such things and make it more than their worth. Any cricketer or actor can cause vibrations and set fire to our emotions. We need to take a step back and stop propagating things in the wrong way. I sincerely appeal to everyone to look at things in the right perspective and give them their due importance. We have so many issues that require our attention and we need unity to fight against them. One is corruption and there are other issues such as language and religious fanaticism. I hope wisdom prevails and our country moves in the right direction.
From Mr Murugesh SS Sivam
Dubai
Hard work pays off
We have the whole world on a regime to achieve their dreams and goals, to work harder and harder every passing day. But some people are born under a lucky star and find stardom overnight. We must all ensure that the coming generation should not have a biased perception of what is written in the stars, and think that it is better than hard work. As a major chunk of users on social media are the young generation, all adults are liable to inculcate the importance of determination. This should be a way of life. New social media channels prove that competition is present, no matter what the hype is today, tomorrow something else becomes popular. So if we really have to find stability along with success, there definitely is no easy option.
From Ms Samah Riyas
Dubai
No money left to save
It has become increasingly difficult to save in the UAE, especially after the implementation of VAT (“10 practical tips to jumpstart your savings”, Gulf News, February 12). It has put more strain on people’s pockets. The cycle is such that most of the earnings are being spent. A majority of people living here, are either hand-to-mouth, surviving on credit cards and loans or borrowed money. Countless people despite having good jobs are no longer able to set aside even a small amount of money due to the rising expenses. The situation is even worse for those supporting a number of dependents with their income. It has become a struggle for people to keep their families and educate their children. Many do not even have Dh500 at their disposal during emergencies. Since I do not have a source of employment, I have to think twice even before going to the hospital in case I fall ill. I can barely buy something for myself these days with my pocket money. I am sure there are many like myself who cannot even think of saving anything due to limited incomes.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
A catastrophe
There are so many stray cats roaming around and I think something needs to be done about this. I am an animal lover but seeing stray cats hiding under cars, sifting through trash and being hit by stones breaks my heart. I wonder why these cats can’t be taken to a foster home and be given the care they need? This will be beneficial for the community and the animals.
From Mr Ruben Smith
Dubai
Is this a way to behave?
A parliament in any country is a sanctified place, where useful laws are enacted after fruitful and serious discussions and deliberations (“Renuka Chowdhury: I am not a schoolgirl and don’t need anyone’s permission to laugh”, Gulf News, February 16). If one does not agree with the views of any member in the house, he or she can express their disagreement in a peaceful way, with the permission of the leader of the house. It is certainly not a place for overacting or loud laughter from any member. Renuka Chowdhury is a distinguished Member of Parliament and such behaviour was disturbing other members, who were silently listening to the speech of nation’s Prime Minister. Her sudden realisation that the Prime Minister’s wit over her disturbing laugh was derogatory, did not go well with the masses and the acronym LLRC (Laugh Like Renuka Chowdhury) went viral. I think members of parties need a short course on the code of conduct they should have in parliament and how not to waste public money over trifle matters and personal egos. Similarly, not allowing the parliament to function, is a costly and negative way of protest, and should be discouraged by one and all.
From Mr Ganesh J. H
UAE
Shooting yourself in the foot
No doubt, after the good performance at the Gujarat Elections, and the subsequent thumping win in two Lak Sabha seats in Rajasthan, the present Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam has given more ammunition to Politician Rahul Gandhi to nail the Narendra Modi Government (“Billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi denies involvement in huge Indian bank fraud-lawyer”, Gulf News, February 21) At the same time, he has coolly forgotten that Congress had its hands in many scams too. Hence his attack on our Prime Minister and on Nirav Modi’s escape can only boomerang. To be frank, no party in our country is above the board. Though there are umpteen number of defamation cases against each other, no case has seen the light. It is the common man who is going to face the after effects of these scams, which go on for decades, all pending their final verdicts in the courts.
From Mr N. Mahadevan
India
Unacceptable behaviour
I think the recent fraud cases that have come to light have disgraced India. No one paid attention to the whistle-blower, who has been talking about the scam since 2011. The joke is on everyone else now. For the common man to get a loan, he has to go through a mountain of paperwork and formalities. With a little bribe, it is appalling how officials and Members of Parliament bend over backwards for the rich. I am so glad this is now out in the open.
From Ms Sheena Sahai Dubai
History over the years
History reveals that man-made errors continue to happen and a simple word like ‘regret’ cannot justify actions that turn to disasters beyond our control (“Looking back at the Iraq war, 15 years on”, Gulf News, February 19). It was because of a leader who believed in democracy but acted like a dictator, without realising its aftermath. Ever since Americans dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War, there has been no end to such calamities. It’s shameful for the world community. Inadvertently, the theory still exists that the poor continue to be exploited by the rich. A traditionally rich country like Iraq has been hit by several conflicts, which have extensively damaged its cultural integrity. While people struggle for return to a routine following the unending civil unrest, the fall in oil price has further restricted their efforts. Their suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder is beyond words and it will take decades or even generations for today’s youth to make their lives better. Dollars cannot cure the suffering of those who are in the early days of their lives.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman
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