Letters to the editor dated August 13, 2020

By picking Kamala Harris as his running mate, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has created history and effectively checkmated the polarising campaign of President Donald Trump.

Biden has now sent a clear and an unequivocal message that his commitment towards “Unifying American people” is not an empty rhetoric. As a tenacious prosecutor and bold senator, Kamala Harris could reinforce Biden’s appeal with Black women, and women who are eager to see themselves reflected in the country’s leadership.

Sholavandan, TN

This refers to ‘Securing India’s ageing population’ (August 13). In India, since the social commitments of the people are high — such as education of children, conducting their marriage, etc — most of them have little savings at the time of retirement. The government must consider providing cash support to underprivileged seniors till their death. An official body must be set up to monitor the life of seniors beyond a certain age.

Coimbatore

Media reports are agog with the violence in Bengaluru on Tuesday night, when a 2,000 strong mob went on the rampage, destroying public property, besides torching the house of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, whose nephew allegedly uploaded an Facebook post derogatory of Islam.

While the offensive social media post is condemnable, there is no justification for the violence that followed it. Contrast this with what happened recently in Tamil Nadu, when a group calling itself ‘Karuppar Kootam’, posted a derogatory YouTube video about the devotional song ‘Kanda Sashti Kavacham’, chanted by Tamil Hindus. Following the hue and cry raised by the latter, the Tamil Nadu cyber crime branch arrested some members of the group and took down the offensive videos from the channel.

If people were to take the law into their own hands every time their religious feelings are supposedly hurt, no government can maintain law and order.

Chennai

Apropos ‘More than just a vaccine, it is about vaccination’ (August 13), universal access to the Covid vaccine must be granted to all, irrespective of their economic status. Priority must, however, be given to senior citizens and pregnant women who would face difficulties in coming to vaccination camps. Home-vaccination would help in such cases. For proper administration of the vaccine, the government must prepare a distribution plan in advance.

New Delhi

An expert group on Covid-19 vaccine administration has advised against States procuring the vaccine. The directive has reportedly come in response to some States showing keen interest in getting the vaccine from Russia. The procurement has to be done centrally.

The Centre would do well to procure the vaccines and allocate them to the States in proportion to their needs. One State not showing keen interest in procuring and others procuring beyond their need cannot mitigate the pandemic problem.

In the case of lockdowns too, a uniform policy should have been adopted for all States to follow. If every State had followed the same policy with regard to the lockdown, the detection of cases and deaths in all the States in terms of percentage would have been more or less the same.

Hassan, Karnataka

This is with reference to ‘What China’s digital currency means for the world’ (August 13). The Chinese government is eyeing control of the digital financial world through a digital renminbi.

It also appears that the Chinese government wants to dominate all spheres of life — economy, trade, technology, et al . India’s policy-makers should take note of this and see to it that Chinese hegemony is prevented.

Kozhikode, Kerala

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

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