The irony behind new criminal laws! CALICUT KRISHNAN RAMANI CHENNAI
The erstwhile BJP government passed three critical Bills unilaterally and without any debate in the Parliament to bring in new criminal laws to replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act. Now they are bent on putting them into operation which is vehemently opposed by the opposition parties and, rightly too. We learn that about 46 % of our MPs have criminal backgrounds and cases are pending against them and a few of them are even facing murder charges. What is shocking is that these people who have such criminal backgrounds are our law makers and they have passed the bills to replace the earlier timetested laws, as they wanted more stringent punishment to be awarded to those who indulge in criminal acts! What an irony!!
- Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
A dangerous cocktail
This refers to the news "Ram, Krishna in syllabus soon: CM" (June 22). As things stand, we are living in highly polarised times. The recent LS election with its highly provocative election speeches has frayed our social fabric. And at this juncture, comes our CM's statement that he intends to include Ram and Krishna at the school as well as higher education level. He has chosen two religious figures who are revered as gods by the adherents of a particular faith. This is not to imply that the lives and ideals set by them (Lord Rama and Krishna) are not inspiring enough to be taught to students. In fact, Krishna's discourse in the Gita has universal appeal and commands respect from one and all, irrespective of religious affiliation. The life of Lord Rama too, with its message of duty and sacrifice, is no less inspiring. However, since schools in India have a heterogeneous composition of students, the inclusion of Lord Rama and Krishna is bound to rub other communities the wrong way. It would have been music to our ears had the CM said that biographies of great scientists, mathematicians, philosophers, computer scientists, astronauts, sportspersons, businessmen/women from India and the world over would henceforth be included in school and college syllabi. Besides being educational and motivational, it would have steered clear of controversy. Even Gandhiji was of the view that religious education must be the sole concern of religious associations. The admixture of religion with education can prove to be a dangerous cocktail. Is the CM listening?