Cricket may lose its charm soon
Sir, Cricket in the olden days used to be pure entertainment. Matches were held once in a while and genuine enthusiasts eagerly looked forward to tests and three day state level matches. But the coming of one day cricket in colourful clothes and instant replays on television have robbed the real essence of the gentleman’s game. Astronomical fees, professionalism and endorsements have made players strive for individual glory and not for the team.
Now the latest version has arrived with twenty-20 matches and all added trappings of noise and cheer leaders. The new game looks very much a glorified, sophisticated bang bang version of galli cricket. Electronic gadgets and aids like replays, Hawke eyes and third umpires have eliminated much of the charm of the game. Farewell to the once glorious game called cricket !
K Venkataraman
Mumbai
Positive step
Sir, The Karnataka Government’s proposal to ban cell-phones in schools across the State is a positive step worthy of emulation. Concerns that microwaves from cellphones can induce memory loss, sleep disturbances, headaches, rise of blood pressure and a distinct speeding up of the brain’s response time have been documented.
People using mobile phones for more than four years and longer than 30 minutes a day are at risk of developing hearing loss – a recent study from the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh has proved. Hence the move is important.
Dr S Raja
Bangalore
Obsolete mindset
Sir, The news item, Left parties see UPA-BJP nexus (DH, Sep 12) is bemusing. What if they agree either covertly or overtly to iron out their differences on issue of national import? Opposing for the sake of opposition when the nation is destined to derive benefit out of the 123 agreement and throwing a spanner into the works is to say the least a myopic approach.
H P Murali
Bangalore
Lawless Bihar
Sir, The social situation in Bihar is going out of control. People are taking law into their own hands. After the recent incident of a chain snacther being brutally assaulted, there is one more issue now, wherein three youths, who were suspected of stealing, being beaten mercilessly by the public, and their eyes goughed out.
What are the government and the police doing at that time? Stern action should be taken against people who indulge in such inhuman acts.
Suthan K P
Bangalore
Insensitive leaders
Sir, The height of callousness was displayed when the UPA minister Shankar Singh Vaghela joked about farmers’ suicide and the Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh joined him. It goes to show the Congress culture and mindset. The slogan of aam admi is only a tactic to garner votes.
It will be appropriate for the Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apologise for this insensitivity displayed by two of her party leaders.
Hilda Raja
Chennai
Unfortunate ruling
Sir, This refers to the Allahabad HC ruling that the Bhagavad Gita should be made the national dharma shastra. (DH, Sept 12). It is unfortunate that the court has overlooked the stark reality that not only is India a secular state, but the Indian society also is “pluralist, not homogenous even within the framework of the Hindu fold to accept any single scripture as holy. If that were possible, it would have been decided at least 2000 years ago.
K GOPALAN
Bangalore
Inheritors
Sir, This is regarding the HC Judge’s observation that Bhagavad Gita should be made the dharma-shastra of our country. As predictable the reaction has been to elevate the other scriptures to the level of Gita so that the remark does not hurt the minorities. The Muslims and Christians of this country share the same culture as the Hindus and they are as rightful inheritors of Gita as the Hindus.
Radha Vijaykumar
Bangalore
