Off the record: Of legacy and breaking rules

Fight for names and legacy

Jaganmohan Reddy government’s plan of re-carving the districts went down badly in several parts of the state, evident by the protests there. While people are demanding that their locations be made the headquarters or kept closer to the nearest cities-towns, objections are being raised to the names given to some of the new districts too. For example, Tirupati and adjoining areas are notified as Sri Balaji district, a name for Lord Venkateshwara popular only in north India. Tirupati locals are asking the new district name to be changed to Tirupati, a place everyone instantly connects with. Though the YSRCP scored a political point naming the Vijayawada area after rival TDP founder, former chief minister NT Rama Rao, people are pointing out the oddity of leaving NTR’s birthplace Nimmakuru in adjacent Machilipatnam. While YSRCP leaders claim that they honoured NTR’s legacy which the previous Chandrababu Naidu government failed to, TDP reacted by questioning why then the state-run food kiosks Anna (NTR) canteens were shut down by Jagan.

Prasad Nichenametla,
Hyderabad

When CM breaks Covid-19 rules

Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma unfurled the national flag on this year’s Republic Day, five days after he announced on Twitter that he tested Covid-19 positive. Sangma had to hoist the tricolour as Governor Satya Pal Malik was also in home isolation due to Covid-19. This led both Opposition Congress and Sangma’s ally BJP to allege that the CM flouted the Covid-19 norms by attending a public function barely five days after testing Covid-19 positive. “If the CM flout the norms, can he ask the common people to follow the SoP for Covid-19?” BJP MLA, AL Hek asked.

Sangma, when asked by reporters, however, did not have a clear response and said being a CM he has to perform a lot of responsibilities and he was doing so by following the Covid-19 norms.

Sumir Karmakar, Guwahati

Video on Nirbhaya Squad
goes viral

Coinciding with the Republic Day festivities, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil launched the Nirbhaya Squad, and now a video on the squad has gone viral on social media platforms. With a voiceover by superstar Amitabh Bachchan, the 2.08-minute video shows different women facing harassment by men at various public places and on the streets in Mumbai. The video titled “Laangh Ke Ab Tu Laxman Rekha, Ban Nidar, Ban Nirbhaya! Fearless women – a trademark of Mumbai!” - has been directed by ace director Rohit Shetty, who has made several police-based films. Several Bollywood celebrities have appreciated the video. The government has also activated Nirbhaya hotline number 103.

Mrityunjay Bose, Mumbai

Matter between men and God

Over the past few months, there have been several incidents, where thieves have stolen money and valuables from masjids in Kashmir. The thieves take away the money boxes where worshippers donate funds and in some cases UPS batteries. God helps people in many ways, but here, people seem to be taking what they want from God. They break into masjids with the intention of stealing money. Asking them to stop because it’s a sacred place is too much. Because for them, this matter is between them and the Almighty God.

Zulfikar Majid, Srinagar