Editor,
The Centre’s “know-your-customer” for ration cards campaign deals a severe blow to poor and vulnerable people. The process to verify 810 million ration cards forces every member of a poor family to appear in person for authentication. Food rights activists complained that it resulted in the marginalised sections, including migrant workers, the elderly, and those with disabilities being left out of the eKYC.
The time frame for verification needs to be at least a year-long. It should also be door-to-door for those with disabilities. Haste can cause more deaths like that of the 11-year-old girl, Santoshi Kumari who starved to death because her parents failed to link their ration cards with their Adhaar cards for which they were denied ration. Instead of rushing into “know-your-customer” for ration cards, the government should instead start “know-your-citizen” or census surveys.
Economists have pointed out that more than 100 million deserving Indians would not get the benefit of the 5-year extension of free ration because of the government’s failure to conduct the long-due population census.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
The true essence of religion
Editor,
Patricia Mukhim’s write-up ‘Religion: Cause of division and discord in society” (ST Aug 9, 2024) makes one revisit the real meaning and true essence of religion. We are defined by the faith we follow either from birth or even out of a conscious choice we make to attach ourselves to a particular religious belief. I believe that no religion teaches wrongdoings and practices, for the word of God leads us to His door. Instead, religion should be a means to allow humankind to lead a good, correct and pious life. The words good and correct are subjective. What is good and correct for one may not necessarily be good and correct for the other. However, believing that religion means being in close proximity with God, one understands that religion will not preach animosity and enmity, jealousy and pride, violence and bloodshed. All is goodness in the ways of God. We are all equal. There is no distinction, no division, no discrimination in the eyes of God.
If religion means being in touch with the Creator then the teachings of God must be followed in all earnestness. Right now looking at the way the world is in, we need to ask ourselves if we are God fearing people? At the rate at which there is so much hatred being spread around and claims made that one faith is superior to the rest, the very purpose of us humans being blessed with a mind to choose between what is right and what is wrong is defeated.
There is so much intolerance in the world today that we no longer see the face of God in our fellow beings nor do we fear God. The world is in chaos with people trying to outdo one another in a way that we no longer fear to hurt, kill and murder.
Going to any religious place of worship to pay homage to the Creator while failing to adhere to the teachings of God is nothing but hypocrisy. If it is not so then why have human values deteriorated beyond recognition? All does not seem well with the world yet one is hopeful that one day we will recognise the true value of religion wrapped in humanity.
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Stop spreading falsehoods
Editor,
Through this letter, I would like to refer to an article by Albert Thyrniang titled, ‘A distasteful parody but what about other insults?’ (ST August 8, 2024). There is a specific paragraph in that article that is very damaging. This is with regards to the female boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu Ting whom the author claimed are biological men. This is outright false and abhorrent. I do not know on what basis the author claimed that they are male when he himself said that they ‘allegedly have XY chromosomes.’ The false allegation that these female boxers possess XY chromosomes dates back to 2023 when they were disqualified by the Russian-led IBA on grounds that they failed ‘unspecified’ tests. Till date there is no evidence that Imane Khalif has an XY chromosome or elevated levels of testosterone. However, the damage was already done when individuals with huge following on social media began spreading falsehoods, and the masses picked up on these lies without checking the facts. The biggest culprit here has to be Imane Khelif’s opponent Angela Carrini who posted a photo on her social media showing herself as a dainty woman squaring up against a beast, supposedly Khelif. Carrini however apologized later but the damage was irreversible.
There is no denying that Khelif is an actual woman and her own boxing records can testify to that. She suffered nine losses in her career to other women. There are pictures of her childhood that show she is clearly a female. It is also insane to suggest that Khelif is a trans-woman when she comes from a country which is more transphobic than the people spreading these false allegations. This controversy has shown us how much false information can spread and the mental health damage it can cause to the victims. I hope that we can spend some time googling facts before spreading misinformation.
Yours etc.,
Heirtami Paswet,
Via email