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MyVoice: Views of our readers 20th July 2025

MyVoice: Views of our readers 20th July 2025

Hans India5 days ago
Stray dogs also need shelters
Itis apt that a petitioner has urged the Supreme Court for earmarking designated spaces to feed stray dogs while the apex court sought to know why he cannot feed them at home. Within the ambit of the petitioner, it is understandable that he has compassion for the uncared and starving stray dogs, and he may feed them on his own but to provide shelter to countless stray dogs is literally impossible for any individual. It is to be noted that many volunteers and compassionate people do feed them regularly or on special occasions.
If our governments at the State or Centre make a provision for establishing shelters for dogs that are not owned like in some foreign countries, these people will be able to feed them. Even otherwise, the government should make safe designated places for stray dogs and kitten in shelter homes and vaccinate them, treat the unwell besides providing food and keep them open so that people can bring food on occasions. It can allow people to come forward and adopt pups by duly following statutory norms. Meanwhile it is absurd and inhuman if the strays are culled for whatever reason.
Dr T Ramadas,Visakhapatnam
Play boosts physical and mental health
Theadage 'All work and no play make Jack a dull boy' holds eternal significance. Play or playing is one of the simple, yet rewarding activities, one can indulge in. It picks curiosity and allows you to explore the world in an engaging way.
Besides being fun, play opens a sense of enjoyment that is essential for development and overall well-being. Play can also build problem-solving skills to help navigate the challenges we face in life. It is time to unleash your inner child, spark your creativity, and learn why play is an important part of living a happy life. Play is not just for kids but a biological need in our DNA that develops the brain. We become smarter, stronger, and happier each time we play.
Play boosts imagination, reduces stress, improves skills, bolsters teamwork and self-esteem, and hone several other skills.
The National Play Day was created on July 19 in 2024, while the International Play Day is observed every June 11 to encourage everyone to unleash their inner child, spark creativity, and learn why play is an important part of living a happy life. This day is intended to spread happiness. Whether you are a child or adult, playing is enjoyable and relaxing.
Dr Burra Madhusudhan Reddy,Karimnagar.
Schools getting bomb threats: More to it than meets the eye
Thecountry's three most happening cities are being mindlessly targeted by anti-India forces, each of which has a specific identity. The timing of hoax bomb calls or emails obviously indicates a sinister design to disturb the nation, especially when Assembly elections are round the corner in some States. More so when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started an election campaign in one of the poll-bound States on Friday. While bomb detection and disposal squads found nothing incriminating at any of the hundreds of targeted educational institutions, both public and private, it is pertinent to note that the entire exercise was aimed at creating panic among school managements, students, parents and the administration concerned. That is a scare, which might pose more 'trouble' than a real bomb threat. Though advanced technology, particularly AI, was used, the investigators suspect the use of offshore platforms for the purpose of sending the hoax bomb threats. The tone and tenor of the message indicate that it is the handiwork of Jehadi groups, targeting the 'non-believers'. This is where the international community should come in and evolve a certain 'discipline' to regulate the usage of AI, which has already threatened to cause catastrophic damage all over the world. The very fact that the platforms used to send the threats could not be traced is an indication that more sinister activities are in the pipeline.
Govardhana Myneedu,Vijayawada
Inhuman to blame dead pilots for the AI171 crash
Thishas reference to the delay in investigation and blaming the pilots of the ill-fated Dreamliner aircraft even after their death. It is quite sad that after the release of preliminary report into the AI171 crash at Ahmedabad, the topic has shifted to the cockpit fuel switches.
The fact is that experienced and well trained pilots become a source of perfect judgemental knowledge.
They use mandatory procedures to prevent errors, including pre-flight, in-flight and post flight procedures. Wasting time about fuel switches and keeping people in a state of confusion with its findings is no good. I sincerely hope that the aviation authorities will invite seasoned pilots from across airlines and try to understand from them about the procedures they follow while flying. Rather than blaming pilots, who have also perished in the crash, the investigators must zero in on the actual cause that led to the accident and put things in the right perspective. The authorities should understand the mental agony of the distraught kin of the 260 crash victims and ensure that they don't rub further salt by floating some bizarre theories.
G Murali Mohan Rao
Secunderabad-11
Tesla's Indian foray also brings along challenges
TodayIndia, the most populated country, is the biggest market in the world. According to a report, the increase in the number of rich people in India may be a matter of pride from the viewpoint of marketism but the reality is that half of the country's population is still dependent on the government! Indeed, Elon Musk is the world's richest man and the products of his branded companies are sold across international markets. Musk wanted to launch the electric car from the stables of Tesla in the Indian market for a long time but due to the high tariff rules and the high prices of his car, his idea was getting postponed. However, Musk's participation in the second term of US President Donald Trump and relaxation of rules by the Indian government, Musk's dream of selling the much-awaited Tesla cars in India has come true.
Of course, there is no dearth of people who love foreign cars in the Indian market, though the predominant section is the middle class. Tesla cars are equipped with the latest technology, but the Indian government will not allow Tesla to use all its features on Indian roads because the traffic rules here are not as strong as in foreign countries. Tata, and Mahindra's Indian cars and some foreign makes are also equipped with latest facilities and are present in the Indian market for a long time at half the price, while Tesla's lowest priced car is Rs 60 lakh.
I feel that if Musk wants to become an automobile king, then keeping the middle Indian market in mind, he should contemplate launching a normal Indian budget car like Nano. Undoubtedly, the arrival of Tesla cars will bolster the Indian market and the government revenue. With Tesla coming to India, other domestic and foreign car manufacturing companies will provide better facilities to maintain their hold on their customers!
Arvind Rawal,Jhabua (MP)
Hindi is a unifier, not a national threat
Thewrite-up by K Krishna Sagar Rao was candid after the language war in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala reignited an unwanted but a predictable and politically motivated debate even after the Centre made it clear that learning Hindi is only an optional subject. When NEP itself supports the three-language formula that is aimed at empowering students with national and global communication tools, one fails to understand the uncalled-for resistance from certain political parties. Ironically, in Mumbai, the powerful promoter of Hindi not just in India but globally through Bollywood, the breakaway Shiv Sena and MNS are creating havoc by beating the aam aadmi for speaking Hindi. This goes to reveal linguistic jingoism that hurts the state's long-term interests. Apparently, opposing Hindi on flimsy political grounds undermines national integration. Political parties must understand that as Hindi is a widely understood medium, it can unite and never be a threat. It is high time; the political class keeps politics out of the language space because Hindi is practical and only a means of connection that illuminates the cultural lamp that unites us as a nation.
K R Srinivasan,Secunderabad-3
Shameless war over language
Thethrashing of non-Marathi-speaking people in Mumbai by Raj Thackeray's goons in some areas of Mumbai a fewweeks back is a matter of serious concern and a shame to the country's image and the state. Hindi is the official language of India, spoken by nearly 90 per cent of the people. Even those working for a living in other states are also being forced to speak the language of the state, despite Hindi being widely spoken and understood by most of the people. This divisive politics is ruining the lives of poor migrants, who are trying to make an honest living in a city far away from their home. For Raj Thackeray's goons, it does not matter if fathers no longer educate their children or send money for the medical care of the old. If we are to go by Thackeray's argument that non-Marathi people are redundant in Maharashtra, perhaps the party should begin from the top. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) should first banish non-Marathi-speaking film stars, sportspersons, politicians, and entrepreneurs, who live in Mumbai and boost the state's economy. However, the party is unlikely to do this since political leaders stand to gain from the rich and famous. If the non-Marathi entrepreneurs are driven out of Mumbai, some other city will replace it as the financial capital of India. Thackeray should remember that Mumbai did not automatically become the proverbial city of dreams -- it became so because of the contribution of those who migrated to the city. Earlier too, Bihari workers were beaten up in Mumbai by MNS goons, forcing them to leave their place of work. Is this the India of our dreams? These political parties are upending the integrity and the democratic character of the country. How would the Marathi-speaking people feel if they were meted out the same treatment while earning a living in some other state? The wrongdoers must be prosecuted so that no one dares to indulge in such anti-national activities again.
Jubel D'Cruz,Mumbai
Centre should shun its
divisive language push
Thisrefers to the article, 'Hindi & politics of regionalism (July 18). The Union government's attempts to impose Hindi as the national language is visible and understood by one and all. It is also a fact that it is one of the ideological goals of the RSS to bring Sanskrit as the administrative language and till such a time Hindi should take the place of national official language as recommended by its founders. The way the union Home minister humiliated those speaking English and the way the Tamil Nadu government is deprived of its due funds for not accepting the tri-language policy further confirms the game plan. But it should be understood that nothing is lost by not learning Hindi, but much is gained by learning English as seen in the youth taking up jobs in many countries with their ability to communicate in English, while youngsters, who only know their mother tongue are rushing to southern states and ending as migrant labourers. By not knowing the southern languages they are neither deprived of their jobs nor do they find it difficult to manage their living down South. Therefore, the Union government should give up its coercive efforts over states to accept its language policy, which, in all certainty, will end up with Hindi being taught as the third language. The general apprehension of the local tongue getting extinct with the entry of Hindi also has relevance. If Sanskrit should be accepted for its ancient roots, then the argument on why not Tamil be treated as the official language as it is more ancient and spoken by crores in many parts of the world? Hindi is just 200 years old, while Tamil has been flourishing for thousands of years. Promoting a language is welcome but imposing directly or indirectly is divisive, which needs to be discouraged.
A G Rajmohan,Anantapur-515004
Hindi as the bone of contention
Apropos'Hindi and politics of regionalism', either by accident or design, the writer conveniently forgets the attempt by the Hindi heartland to project itself as the keeper of Indian nationalism and culture. Not just language, there are other areas in which they believe their numbers make them the true representatives of Indian cultural heritage. While it may be true that other parties are raising the language issue for their own political gains, all parties, including the BJP, raise issues which they think will fetch them votes. Speaking Hindi in Kerala may not make the speaker a lesser person, but speaking one of the southern languages in the Hindi heartland gets a notorious label or the other. And the less said about the acceptability of the people of Northeastern states to those in the Hindi heartland the better!
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai
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Air India crash victims' families given wrong bodies: How could this have happened?
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It's a double trauma for the families who lost their loved ones in the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. Over a month after the tragedy, it has been discovered that two families in Britain have been handed over the wrong remains. Their lawyer has described it as 'appalling' and called for a serious probe. But how could such a mistake occur? read more On June 12, Air India flight AI 171 took off from Ahmedabad for its journey to UK's Gatwick when just 32 seconds after take-off, the plane crashed, killing 260 people and becoming one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent history. Now, over a month after the tragedy, a new pain has hit some of the families of the victims after it was discovered that the remains of their loved ones were wrongly identified before repatriation to Britain, according to a lawyer representing them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The news of error comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to London where he is expected to meet with his British counterpart Keir Starmer and sign the crucial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) deal. Did India bungle up in sending remains to Britain? A Daily Mail report has revealed that two families of the Air India crash victims in the UK received the wrong bodies. The report states that relatives of one victim had to abandon funeral plans after being informed that the coffin contain the remains of any unknown passenger rather than their family member. In the other case, the 'commingled' remnants of more than one person killed in the crash were mistakenly placed in the same casket. James Healy-Pratt, the lawyer of the families in Britain, was quoted as telling the New York Times, 'This has added an indescribable psychological distress to families who are already going through the trauma of losing a loved one,' he said. 'It's appalling that the families have to go through this,' he said. 'You lose a loved one on the 12th of June, and within a matter of weeks you virtually lost them again.' He added that the family who received the 'commingled' remains were able to have them separated and hold a funeral service. However, the other family is 'in limbo', the lawyer was quoted as telling Daily Mail, adding, 'Family X have no-one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. And if isn't their relative, the question is, who is it in that coffin? Presumably it's another passenger and their relatives have been given the wrong remains.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A security personnel and volunteers at the site after an Air India plane crashed moments after taking off from the airport, in Ahmedabad. File image/PTI While Family X's identity hasn't been revealed, those who received the 'commingled' remains were Miten Patel, who lost his mother and father — Ashok and Shobhana Patel. The couple from Kent were on the Gatwick-bound plane when it crashed. Speaking on the mix-up, he Miten told BBC that it was 'obviously very upsetting'. 'People were tired and there was a lot of pressure. But there has to be a level of responsibility that you're sending the right bodies to the UK.' The blunder was realised after a coroner in London, Dr Fiona Wilcox, sought to verify the identities of the remains repatriated to Britain by matching their DNA with samples provided by the families. She has, however, declined to comment on the issue. What do families of other victims have to say? While only two instances of incorrect remains have been discovered so far, it has led to concern for the victims of the families, some now even doubting if they had bid adieu to the right person. 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Govt's affidavit to SC comes in way of road planned through Sariska
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Govt's affidavit to SC comes in way of road planned through Sariska

Jaipur: Forest department's plan to construct a black-topped road up to Pandupol temple in Sariska Tiger Reserve has encountered a legal roadblock due to a prior commitment made before the Supreme Court. The route to Pandupol passes through the reserve's core zone, a crucial habitat for tigers and other wildlife, while also serving as a significant pilgrimage corridor, with lakhs of devotees visiting the ancient Hanuman temple every year. To assess feasibility of constructing a paved road in this ecologically sensitive stretch, the Sariska administration sought legal opinion from the additional advocate general (AAG). In response, the AAG categorically stated that the state govt cannot proceed with the plan, having already filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court pledging that no such construction would take place. Any deviation from this assurance, the AAG said, would first require approval from the apex court. An official familiar with the matter said, "The road improvement was initially part of a broader plan to introduce electric bus services within the reserve. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo To support this initiative, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recommended strengthening the route from Sadar Gate and Tehla Gate to the Pandupol temple, while explicitly advising against black-topping. Based on these recommendations, the Sariska administration received a sanction of Rs 7.4 crore to construct high-quality gravel roads along the Sadar–Pandupol and Tehla–Kalighati corridors. " Given the legal constraints, the use of alternative, eco-friendly technologies was advised. "In the absence of Supreme Court approval, constructing a tarred road would directly violate the govt's own sworn affidavit. Instead, it was recommended that techniques such as stabilised soil, gravel surfacing, interlocking paver blocks, or murram be used. These methods are not only environmentally sustainable but have also been effectively implemented in other tiger reserves like Bandhavgarh, Corbett, Kanha, and Kaziranga," the official added. He further noted that if these alternative techniques later prove inadequate in terms of safety, traffic flow, or long-term durability, the state govt still has the option to file a fresh application before the Supreme Court. "However, the govt will need to convincingly demonstrate that constructing a black-topped road is essential to both ecological balance and public interest," he said.

NEET UG 2025 MBBS admissions: MCC issues new guidelines for PwBD candidates, check official notice here
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NEET UG 2025 MBBS admissions: MCC issues new guidelines for PwBD candidates, check official notice here

MCC issues guidelines for NEET UG MBBS admissions under PwBD quota. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has issued new rules for NEET UG 2025 candidates applying under the PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) category. As per the latest notice, all PwBD candidates must get a fresh disability certificate from one of the 16 MCC-approved centres to be eligible for MBBS admission under the reserved quota. This change follows a Supreme Court order and new guidelines from the National Medical Commission (NMC) to ensure fair and accurate assessment of disabilities. Candidates must also carry a valid UDID card and other documents when visiting the disability centres. These new rules aim to make the admission process clearer and more inclusive for students with disabilities. What's new in the MCC NEET 2025 guidelines? The MCC's latest instructions follow the Supreme Court's directive in Om Rathod vs Union of India . In compliance, the NMC has updated its disability evaluation framework, replacing older criteria with a function-based approach rooted in the 2016 disability rights law and a March 2024 notification by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Candidates can read the official notification released by MCC here . Who is eligible for PwBD quota? To be considered under the PwBD quota, candidates must: Qualify in NEET UG 2025 Hold a valid UDID card (Yellow or above) issued by DEPwD Submit a self-certified affidavit tailored to their disability type (Appendix A to F) Undergo medical assessment at one of 16 designated MCC disability centres Only those certified by these centres will be allowed to opt for PwBD quota seats in the All India Quota (AIQ) during counselling. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Documents required PwBD candidates must carry the following while visiting a disability certification centre: NEET UG 2025 result UDID card (Yellow category or higher; excludes visual disability) Self-certification form (Appendix A) Affidavit matching the disability category (Appendix B to F) These will be assessed by a medical board that evaluates the candidate's functional abilities, such as communication, hand function, or ability to walk, depending on the disability type. Assessment: Function over percentage The new model focuses on functional competence rather than just disability percentage. Specific forms are used to evaluate hearing, locomotor (upper and lower limbs), mental health, visual impairment, and other conditions. Candidates must demonstrate abilities like writing, independent mobility, or understanding medical terminology, as relevant. Visual and 'other' disabilities Candidates with visual disabilities must bring their own low vision aids (LVAs) for hands-on evaluation. Those with conditions like Thalassemia, Hemophilia, Autism, or Mental Illness must file the general self-certification (Appendix A) along with affidavits specific to their diagnosis. Validity and state quota The issued disability certificate is valid only for the 2025–26 academic session. For State Quota seats (85%), candidates can obtain certificates from State Disability Boards, but the assessment must follow the same NMC guidelines. Where to get certified? Some key centres include: Safdarjung Hospital (Delhi) IPGMER (Kolkata) Grant Medical College (Mumbai) AIIMS Nagpur Lady Hardinge Medical College (Delhi) AIISH Mysuru (for hearing and speech disabilities) ( See full list in MCC Annexure-1 ) Final takeaway Only those PwBD candidates who obtain a fresh MCC-recognized disability certificate will be allowed to apply under the AIQ PwBD quota for NEET UG 2025. MCC has also indicated plans to expand the number of disability assessment centres soon. This new process ensures fairness, legal compliance, and a more practical assessment of whether a student can pursue medicine successfully. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!

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