India: Actor turned politician Khushbu Sundar joins BJP
This letter refers to south Indian actor Khushbu Sundar joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on October 12, that too after reasoning that Narendra Modi is taking India forward in the right direction and that there is no allegation of corruption in BJP (“Who is Khushbu Sundar? Why did the former Bollywood actor-turned-politician leave Congress for BJP?”, Gulf News, October 13). Of course, in Indian politics such hopping and jumping, from one political party to another is not a new phenomenon. Every party has such disgruntled members, who jump for greener pastures. Hence Sundar joining BJP is nothing but an opportunistic to prove the adage go with the wind. Anyway, we are glad that finally, she has realized that BJP is corruption-free and is doing better things than the Congress Party, which ruled for more than five decades. Her statement should be an eye-opener for one and all. We sincerely hope that she, along with the new leaders in Tamil Nadu, would be able to bring in some succour to the voters in Tamil Nadu in the next year Assembly Elections.
From Mr N Viswanathan
Tamil Nadu, India
COVID-19: E-learning affecting children’s emotions
We all have been taught to be kind, considerate, and not hurt others. Now with this ongoing pandemic, everyone is online, we all have to be more careful while interacting with others online, where microphones can be muted, and cameras can be turned off during a video call. For example, a school teacher conducting an online class may not be able to understand the emotions of all the students. Even the best designed online courses in reading or math may not be as enriching as they should be if teachers aren’t able to get a sense of how students are coping emotionally. Distance learning can be more challenging if a child’s family is experiencing hardships. Experts say putting a child’s emotions first may be crucial. In a normal scenario, the teacher can make out what a student is going through and can console him or her promptly, but this is not possible online. The point is, it becomes even more important today that we all choose our words carefully and be more kind, compassionate, and considerate while interacting online.
From Ms Priya Ram
Bur Dubai
