Editor, `
Election-results for Jharkhand-assembly which were on expected lines, should be an eye-opener for BJP where it could not even become the single largest party despite having maximum vote-percentage. Unfortunately an alliance of parties earlier involved in scams and scandals is going to be in power in the state because of the shortcomings of the outgoing BJP in the state.
BJP lost mainly due to its internal squabbling with its own members having left the party and its former allies who contested elections separately harming themselves too. State units of BJP should be made powerful rather than the central leadership imposing candidates from the top. Even votes gained by BJP are mainly because of lack of alternatives before the voters. BJP must not forget that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) despite the Modi-wave created history by winning 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 elections to Delhi assembly because voters visualised a real political alternative in AAP.
BJP is also losing ground because of central government not taking effective and practical steps to tackle the economic crisis which is causing hardships to of all classes of people. A total overhaul of the economy is necessary by one-time massive reform in GST-structure and restoring activities in wholesale and retail trade which contributes the largest share of 28-percent to the economy. It can be done by merging slabs of 3, 5, 12 and 18 percent slab to one single 10-percent slab abolishing Input-Tax-Credit (ITC) from manufacturing and service sectors. Wholesale and retail trade can be encouraged by imposing strict restrictions on on-line trade, and central government bearing transaction-charges on purchases made through credit-cards by asking banks issuing credit-cards to reduce it to just half-percent by abolishing incentives on purchases made through credit-cards.
Yours etc.,
Madhu Agrawal,
(Guinness Record Holder for letters in newspapers)
Delhi -6
Law-makers should pay for arrogance
Editor,
This refers to the undignified behaviour exhibited by Lok Sabha member Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and causing trouble for fellow-passengers by causing delay of Delhi-Bhopal Spicejet SG 2498 flight by 45 minutes on December 21, 2019. The law-maker did not want to adhere to usual safety-norms where wheel-bound passengers could not be seated in emergency-rows of flights which included first row with more leg-space. Bold and courageous fellow-passengers deserve all compliments for shaming the law-maker who even boasted that she was entitled for first-class travel in flights forgetting that such princely and undesired facility was at public-cost. This incident is reminiscent of a similar episode in Pakistan when fellow-passengers shamed their law-makers including Ramesh Vankwani for trying to misuse their status as Parliamentarians in domestic flights.
The Lok Sabha Speaker should publicly show censure such undesirable behaviour exhibited by the likes of Pragya Thakur, and give a token punishment of not allowing air-travel at public cost for her for some period. Parliamentarians should be allowed travel at public cost only in economy class of flights. Those desiring first-class air-travel, can do so at their own cost without even partial re-imbursement equivalent to economy-class air-travel. Even right to travel in front rows of airliners should not be there for those travelling at public-cost. Union Civil Aviation Ministry should allow new aircrafts for domestic flights only with single economy class like exists in Indigo planes.
Yours etc.,
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
Guinness Record Holder & RTI Consultant)
Delhi -6
RSS’s vicious agenda
Editor,
It is a matter of serious concern that there are efforts going on to give the demonstrations against CAA and NRC a bad name. Abhishek Sarkar, a member of RSS student arm ABVP and locally known as a BJP worker and five others had allegedly been seen changing their clothes near railway tracks at Radhamadhabtala village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal and putting on lungis and skull caps. They were then seen throwing stones at a passing train engine on Wednesday when local people caught them and handed them over to the police. This showcases the dangerous design to add communal colour and violent viciousness to the protests and foment riots.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata