Rising prices
Some people think that the government’s petrol hike can be justified, they are the village idiots. The aam aadmi has already been overburdened -they have a tough time making ends meet, especially with the price rise of all commodities due to due to inflation. The Government has already announced austerity measures for its ministers, one of which is foreign travel but this is not enough and cannot be considered a sacrifice. Why is the aam aadmi always made the punching bag? The Government is not willing to subsidize petrol to the aam aadmi, but has no qualms about subsidizing every aspect of MPs and MLAs expenditure - be it travel, food, etc. If tough time calls for tough measures, why start with the aam aadmi, why not start with our elected representatives? Why can’t our representatives set an example and do away with so many of the perks that they enjoy? If they have to experience what the aam aadmi is going through, they cannot do so by behaving like royalty .A time will come when our leaders will advise us “if you can’t eat bread eat cake.” But what followed that statement is history and we do not want history to repeat itself!
DC Dias, Taleigao
Petrol on fire
The unprecedented hike ever on petrol of Rs 7.50 per litre in one go is both shocking and unwise. It means that the cost will vary from Rs 77 to Rs 81 in various parts of the country. The actual cost of petrol is about Rs 36. Today, the cost of barrel is about 90 dollars from from Rs 110 and yet it was Rs. 58, when it was 108 dollars. The economic logic is not palatable to the general public, who will have to bear the brunt on cascading effect of price rise. Is it connected with the balancing of Government subsidies and specially the food subsidy? Ordinary people are not buying high sounding platitudes of fiscal deficit, euro zone, trade deficit and falling rupee. It is also a signal to the states to reduce prices. Manohar Parrikar in Goa has been bestowed with a political halo, for reducing the prices by Rs 11 per litre. The same logic will be used to raise the prices of Kerosene, LPG and diesel. Petrol is not the only commodity and vegetables have risen by 33%, milk by 15 % and these affect everyone. The Government is not managing the revenue collections and ensuring that the subsidies go to the targeted population.
Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim
Petrol bomb
This refers to the news report ‘UPA Flings Petro Bomb’ (Herald, May 24, 2012). The UPA, (under the leadership of Dr.Manmohan Singh and Mrs. .Sonia Gandhi), should resign immediately in view of this ‘bomb’ ‘flung’ at the common man. Paving the way for fresh elections in the country.. By raising petrol prices every now and then within three years of its rule, the UPA has proved that it is not in a position to rule the country to the satisfaction of the electorate. The frequent foreign trips made by the President, Prime Minister and Speaker should be stopped immediately and crores of rupees drained for their foreign trips should be used to compensate the loss of petroleum companies due to fall of the rupee. The allies of UPA, should come out on the streets in support of the roll back on petrol prices or they should resign immediately The true colours of Mamata Banerjee will be exposed if she does withdraw her support to the UPA, if the Prime Minister does not roll back the petro bomb of Rs.7.54 per litre.
Marcos Alemao, via email
Revamp party
The present Party in Opposition has in past switched loyalty en masse overnight to gain political advantage. It is not surprising that its candidate withdrew from fray gracefully rather than suffering a humiliating defeat. There are several instances where many candidates have used it as platform to enjoy power while those ditched were taken back and given plum portfolios. The party has once again followed its tradition, given the recent happenings, and exposed its internal bickering. The entire team of Office bearers in charge of this State as well as the Leader of Opposition have failed miserably and are unfit to discharge their responsibilities. The High Command should revamp it totally giving rest to those old politicians and infuse new and fresh talent into the party, who can take up challenge of giving strong opposition, failing which its existence in this State will be wiped off in near future.
Tulsidas Malkarnekar, Margao
Safeguarding Goa
The tragic incident in Quepem wherein a four-year old girl at was raped and then murdered allegedly by a native from Bihar, who worked as a mason, only goes to show how unsafe children are in the state of Goa. The crime graph in the State has gone up after direct train services from states like Bihar to Goa brought in labourers into the State. We have a system in place wherein landlords and owners of houses have to give the names and other details to the police of the tenants to whom their premises have been rented out. People are also required to give to the police details of the housemaids they have employed. But there seems to be no check on the migrant labourers who enter the State in droves. Some of them probably have a criminal background and carry on with their nefarious activities in Goa. It is necessary for the contractors and builders to submit to the police, the names of the labourers employed by them along with the other details so that the police are able to keep a track of suspicious migrant labourers. Those labourers who have been arrested for petty crimes should be sent back to their native state.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco