letters
INBOXED
MUSCAT Ramachandran Nair : The alarming infant mortality rate is an indication that UP needs a far more mature healthcare system with professionals who are capable of managing critical situations . The system needs to be further filtered into rural areas where people are unaware of basic health precautions . Some of India ’ s western and northeastern states are badly off due to the absence proper educational and healthcare practices . It would be good if they could initiate joint missions with the help of other states that are doing better in health indicators .
Just Arriving
GOA M . N . Bhartiya : This is about Outlook Editor Ruben Banerjee ’ s immensely enjoyable , even if painfully relatable , Travail Diary ( July 2 ). A victim of similarly harrowing congestion woes , his experience of driving 240 kms from Delhi to Rishikesh during the peak summer season has not surprised me . Unfortunately , highway logic has come to demand that during the tourist season , busy people in need for some peace and quiet should not visit places like Rishikesh , which is on India ’ s frenetic religious map . If they do , they should be prepared to face the music of endless honking and traffic pile ups . The use of the term ‘ atithi devo bhava ’ in tourist literature is just a business cliché . North Indian hill stations are at their best when visited during the off-season .
SOCCER GALI A Calcuttan alley
Enduring Kickabouts
PALAKKAD C . V . Venugopalan : Outlook ’ s World Cup special issue ( Let ’ s Football , June 25 ) was interesting , especially the article charting the Indian football fan ( Gali Gali Football Shootball ). But the ongoing World Cup has brought out the one reality : “ Kicking a ball around is an instinctive urge of all humans .” India perhaps is not in this grid , because it has surrendered its soul to cricket . Kerala is an exception . During World Cups , the state goes into a frenzy . Vehicles and houses are painted in colours of their favourite teams , usually Brazil and Argentina . But then , adverse reactions from fans can be extreme . For example , Dinu Alex , an Argentinian fan , committed suicide , dejected after his team ’ s defeat against Croatia .
What Services ?
CHENNAI L . Samraj : Since its introduction , a large number of common people have been suffering from GST ( GST Or GSN ’ T , July 2 ). Recently , a woman who took a gold loan told me that on redeeming her jewels she wasn ’ t only paying interest for the loan , but also the GST on the interest amount . Not only that , the late fee for the delayed payment of premium also attracts GST . Can the government not exempt all interest collection from GST ?
ON E-MAIL Sumeet Mishra : Unfortunately , there was no discussion on how GST impacted government revenues in your GST package . GST was brought in to bring more people in the tax net , so that the Centre could garner more revenues at a moderate rate . This crucial point was just not covered .
War is Peace ON E-MAIL J . S . Acharya : This refers to your story on the fall of the Jammu and Kashmir government ( Abandoned in Lotus Time , July 2 ). I am sure it was with an eye on the 2019 general elections and its core constituency of voters in the rest of the country that the BJP decided to walk out of its ruling coalition with the PDP . The BJP probably outdid its ally by pulling out on its own terms — the PDP was perhaps planning to not go along with the BJP in the 2019 polls , possibly also because of the Kathua rape and murder case . The saffron party ’ s decision to take the initiative in parting ways might be politically smart , but it could also turn the simmering ‘ Delhi-Kashmir divide ’ into a direct Kashmir versus Delhi conflict . Perhaps , that was the intention .
HYDERABAD K . R . Srinivasan : After the ceasefire experiment ended in a failure , the BJP took a bold step to end the untenable alliance with the PDP after a rollercoaster ride for three years . There is no doubt the PDP paid a heavy price for overlooking the BJP in the decision-making process , and for being a thorn in its side on many crucial issues such as uniform civil code , tackling stone-pelters and withdrawal of cases against them , going soft on Hurriyat and the Rohingya refugees . The BJP also acc used CM Mehbooba Mufti of not doing enough to curb terrorism , violence and radicalisation , leading to deterioration of the security situation . The murders of the politically moderate senior journalist Shujaat Bhukari and an arm yman became the last straw in the unholy alliance . The BJP gave up power in the national interest . Better late than never , the rocky relationship coming to an end earlier than expected comes as a great relief to many of us . The Centre must give a free hard to the security forces to go all out to liquidate the terrorists so that the security situation imp roves , bringing peace to the Valley .
Sacred Worry
BANGALORE Minati Pradhan : This refers to your story on the missing key to the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri ( Lay of the Lost , June 25 ). You brought up an important issue that was brushed under the carpet for a long time . It is obvious there is no transparency in the temple management on the size of the wealth in the Ratna Bhandar . The tussle between the government and the Daitapati Niyog for authority and control of the hidden wealth is not likely to end soon . Appointment of a highlevel committee to inspect , document and maintain the wealth with complete transparency will ease the minds of millions of Jagannath devotees .
6 OUTLOOK 16 July 2018