Editor,
It’s the fourth day after the “biggest tax reform since 1947” was rolled out. Taxes are obviously important and the concept of GST in the country seems to be a positive move. However, in a country like India where many goods are subsidized by the government and remain untaxed, it’s unfortunate or rather quite interesting to note that sanitary napkins are not included in that list.
80% women can’t even afford proper menstrual hygiene , and now we have 12 % GST on sanitary napkins as if women can choose to do without them! The least that the government should do to those who are badly off , is try and introduce schemes where sanitary napkins are given out at subsidised rates.
For all those who are confused, for women menstruation is not a choice And healthcare isn’t a luxury! It’s a necessity where unnecessary taxes should not be imposed.
Yours etc.,
Manisha M Pala.
Shillong – 21.
Women equal to men!
Editor,
Women all over the world have established that they are not lesser humans. They deserve equality with men in every walk of life. Today, what our college going daughters and working women wear are indeed in tune with their changing roles. A girl goes to a college/ working place by braving crowded buses/ trains or driving all by herself. So, she needs to get her hair cut short and to wear what a boy wears – T – shirt/ trousers etc., to get her going without any difficulty. Garments need not be gender-specific. And we must accept such unisex dresses. What we really need to protest with one voice is against projecting women as commodities in movies and advertisements. Women are not meant to be confined to a feudal home. They are not meant to be sold in a capitalist market either.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Kudos to DTO staff !
Editor,
I went to the District Transport Office (DTO) Shillong, today to renew my driving licence which was to be expire in a few days. With the perception that all government offices adopt a lethargic approach, I was prepared for a long haul, but I was completely taken aback by the attitude and work culture of the employees there. They were friendly and prompt in service. I was through with my entire process of renewal within 45 minutes.
I applaud this work culture and hats off to all of the employees of DTO. Keep it up and continue to do good!
Yours etc.,
Yogesh Agarwal,
Via email
Life over death!
Editor,
An ethical fundamental principle states that life is precious. I agree with Barnes Mawrie’s article ‘My bleeding India’ (ST July 3, 2017) where he states that nowhere on earth are animals preferred over humans. India is a democracy where people have the power to elect their leaders. It is shocking to watch television news and read of many innocent people being killed just because they are considered, ‘beef eaters.’ This is unacceptable in a country where the preamble of the Constitution itself declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular democratic republic. Since the BJP came to power in 2014, till date there is general unrest and a climate of turmoil in the country on account of the beef issue. No doubt the BJP government has done a lot to develop India but unless there is social peace all the achievements of the NDA Government will go in vain.
The saying goes ‘violence breeds violence.’ So far I have seen only violence and most of the crimes are related to the beef issue even though BJP has invaded the media with its achievements in demonetization and GST as Mawrie had stated in his article. The rights of the minority to live freely in our mother land, India is taken away by the majority. The minority live in fear and are insecure in their own beloved motherland. The BJP-led NDA Government’s decision to make Ram Nath Kovind from the Dalit community as their presidential candidate looks like a cover up for all the crimes against minorities. Remember evil cannot produce good. The act of killing a person in the name of a cow as happened in the train in Haryana recently is totally wrong and condemnable. Who is more precious? A human being or a cow? By saying this I do not mean to insult the sentiments of the Hindus who consider the cow a sacred animal. However, to harm or kill people for the sake of a cow is universally wrong, because religion is meant for good and not to create violence or disharmony. The universal principle is, ‘Do good; shun evil.’ We are no different from terrorists if we continue to kill people.
Why should a vast democratic country like India, a secular country, a country with the beauty of unity in diversity impose a beef ban on all the people for the sake of the majority? Of what use of the Ministry of Minority Affairs if all of us follow what the majority does? I thought this ministry is created to protect the rights of minorities and it exists because there are minorities in this country. Therefore, let us respect human beings first, irrespective of who they are. It is also very unfortunate that most of the incidents connected with beef ban happened only in the BJP ruled states (Junaid’s case in Haryana and Asgal Ali in Jharkhand). As a common man I would advice our central government to consider this matter with the seriousness it deserves if we want India to be great. No country will progress if there are internal social problems. The father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi has taught us the path of ‘Non Violence’. Hence, let us respect one another irrespective of the religion we belong to because we are all Indians.
Yours etc.,
Aiborlang Nongsiej
Mawkyrwat