Remembering “India’s pride” at Election Time
Prime Minister Narendra Modi penned a letter to tennis star Sania Mirza after her retirement, calling her “India’s pride”. But, the question is where was PM Modi when some of his BJP colleagues targeted her for marrying Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. We have not forgotten that in 2014, then-BJP MLA K Laxman attacked the Telangana government for making “Pakistan’s daughter-in-law” brand ambassador of the state. Instead of sacking Laxman from any party position, he was given a big boost to his political career. He was appointed party president in Telangana, then made national president of the OBC Morcha, then nominated to the Rajya Sabha, and further inducted in the BJP Parliamentary Board.
Similarly, T. Raja Singh, another BJP MLA, demanded Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to sack “Pakistani bahu” as Telangana’s brand ambassador after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019. A year later, he demanded an inquiry into Mirza’s role in the killing of a cow in a reserved forest. The BJP maintained silence all these times.
As time for Assembly elections in different States, and more so for the general elections next year is coming nigh, such attempts are being made to reap the electoral dividends. But they forget that Muslims know perfectly well that Ms. Mirza is not a representative of the community.
- Farooq
Hyderabad, Telangana
Shutting Madrasas in Assam?
During his recent visit to Karnataka,Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Sarma said that he intended to
shut all the Muslim religious schools in his state, as they werenot needed in “New India”. He further said that what Assam needed is schools, colleges and universities to produce doctors, engineers and other professionals to serve the state and the country and not madrasas. It is very sad to state how he divides the people of the country for his political purposes.
Ministers take oath as per the Constitution of India and pledge to uphold thesovereignty and integrity of India and to do right to all sections of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law. But in practise they leave no stone unturned to serve their agenda of hate and bigotry. It is really sad.
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed
Noorullah pet, Ambur (T.N.)
Renamingis a Frivolous Exercise
TheRashtrapatiBhavan’sfamousMughal Garden has beenrenamedAmritUdyan,butremembernewnamedoesnotalterthearchitectureofbuilding, nordoesitaltertheculturalethos.The kindofobsession which the BJP-led NDA Government is playinghasto end.Our countryover aperiodofseveralcenturieshas observedandassimilatedculturalinfluencesandadmiredarchitecturaldesignsfromseveralquarters.Letsanityprevailover obnoxiousandobscurantistperceptionsaboutculturalpride.
NazeerAhemedKazi
Vijaypur, (Karnataka)
Hindenburg Fallout?
A report on March 19 said that Adani Group has suspended work on a `34,900 crore petrochemical project at Mundra in Gujarat as it focuses on resources to consolidate operations and address investor concerns.The report reportedly follows a damning report by a US-based short seller.
The group’s flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) had in 2021 incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Mundra Petrochem Ltd for setting up a greenfield coal-to-PVC plant at Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) land in Kutch district of Gujarat. But it seems to be the fallout of Hindenburg research revelations.
Tauqueer Alam
Kolkata