Whispers Forum

It is not uncommon to see that the orders of the Information Commission - both State and Centre - are not implemented. The appellant is left to run from pillar to post to get the order implemented. The CIC or SIC seem to care very little and their approach leaves much to be desired. Most have the retired bureaucrats at the helm of the affairs and hence, their approach is understandable. The Information Commission hardly imposes a penalty even when they categorically mention in their order that the PIO had not provided information timely. The Information Commission must be made independent if the RTI Act has to survive and flourish.
Bhoomi Hatyar

Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' can give better results for Congress and other opposition parties. Rahul raises issues of public interest and speaks very vocally. He speaks very clearly on corruption and is the only opposition leader to do so. However, the electoral success of Bharat Nyay Yatra will depend on the issues raised during it. This yatra will end before the Lok Sabha elections and Rahul will get enough time for campaigning. But the electoral benefit of this yatra will depend on how clearly the issues are raised.
Pawan Kumar

Is this a diplomatic victory for India, one wonders? Thousands of Indian tourists have reportedly called off their holiday trips to the Republic of Maldives amid uproar over derogatory references made by their three ministers against India and our Prime Minister. This is unacceptable. The lesson for Maldives is well deserved as 70 % of its economy is based on tourism sector, a major part of contribution by Indian tourists. The new Maldivian President, who nurses hostility against India, obviously at China's behest, would be well advised to cut short his visit to China , take damage control measures and save his country from economic collapse. It owes millions of US dollars of debt by India. The Maldives owes an unconditional apology to Indian people who have always stood by them in times of crises like the military coup, drinking water shortage, covid etc. Heavy investments have been made by India on creating infrastructures for tapping its tourism potential. Against this background, instead of feeling obliged, the Maldives' misbehaviour with India, is baffling. Ungrateful and unappreciative. Let us stop Indian tourists from visiting that country.It would be a blessing in disguise for us. Let us promote domestic tourism by developing Lakshadweep as a tourist destination. Another important point. The strategic location of the Maldives, cannot be ignored. India must guard against China's "string of pearls" policy by developing good relations with immediate neighbours like Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Their growing proximity to China is a matter of grave concern.
A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

What Prime Minister Modi thinks and plans today becomes public later after the project is drawn up. Was Modi holidaying in Lakshadweep or musing, assessing and planning something for Bharat as big as QUAD? From Ayodhya to Lakshadweep the project encompasses something bigger than has been thought over in the last 76 years: Bharat as the tourist destination for domestic as well as international tourists in search of spirituality and holidaying in a single trip. The variety of food, shopping experience and beautiful natural scenarios, it offers more than one can demand in a single trip. They will only demand European services, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ensure they are delivered at a still better quality in comparison at much lower costs. Double benefit? Who would not like to avail of it?
M L Gupta

There is going to be a discussion on seat sharing between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party shortly. It is noteworthy that talks are to be held between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party mainly on seat sharing in Delhi and Punjab. Whereas some political analysts believe that apart from these two states, a package can be discussed by including some other states including Gujarat and Haryana. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that he does not know whether there will be a chance to vote after 2024 or not. It remains to be seen if seat sharing will make any progress or not as seat sharing agreement is not easy.
Arjun Kumar

Tensions have emerged within I.N.D.I.A. Alliance as Congress and Trinamool clash over Lok Sabha Seat Sharing in West Bengal. Alliance faces internal strife as its prominent allies, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, engage in a heated dispute over the allocation of seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. The dispute over seat sharing has intensified, with reports suggesting that the TMC is inclined to offer only two seats. This proposition is unacceptable to the Congress Bengal unit. If Alliance partners spar like this over seat sharing the coalition is doomed and nothing will come out of this lengthy exercise.
Ritika Kumari

Many people have expressed their opinion about some part of a couplet or the other in the Ramcharitmanas, an epic, by Goswami Tulsidas. Regrettably none of the people is an authority on the epic or Hindi Literature or even The Shri Ramcharitmanas. There is no need for anybody to rise in defence of the couplet/epic or the poet because one can say nothing more than what the poet himself has written, which I quote hereunder: “Bahuri vandi khal satbhaye, je binu kaaj dhahineyu banye Par hit haani labh jin kere, ujre harash vishad baserein Sam prakas tam pakh duhu naam bhed vidhi keen Sasi sosak posak samujhi jag jas apjas deen Khal parihaas hoi hit mora… Samujhi bibidh bidhi binati mori, kou naa kathaa suni dehai khori Aitehu par je karihanhi asankaa,mohi te adhik te jad mati ranka” There are 33 couplet wherein the epic poet has prayed to the khal or evil minds. The word ‘khal’ may be noted; it is neither caste nor varna indicator, but ‘class’ only. While praying to the Gods and Goddesses (positive energy in the cosmos), the poet has also prayed to the khal (manifestation of evil or negative energy). It is a long prayer to the evil, running through 33 couplets, before starting the epic itself!
M L Gupta