Letters to the editor dated July 20, 2021

Apropos ‘SC terms as 'wholly uncalled for' relaxations granted by Kerala government for Bakrid” (July 20), one cannot understand why the Kerala government succumbed to traders’ pressure given that both Kerala and Maharashtra continue to reel under the pandemic’s impact. It should have refused to pay heed to the traders’ request.

One wishes that the Kerala government had taken a cue from the apex court’s recent decision to completely ban the Kanwar Yatra in UP and elsewhere for the similar considerations.

The Kerela government has come under fire for easing the restrictions on the eve of Bakrid despite the spurt in cases. The Supreme Court has rightly pointed out that health of the citizens is paramount and indispensable. The Kerala government ought to come up with rationale and cogent arguments to substantiate its decision.

The Kumb Mela experience and governments’ misplaced priorities must serve as a precedent. It seems that the lesson from the second wave haven’t been learned. Governments rather than frittering away this crucial time should gear up for combating the anticipated third wave.

Noida

With reference to Editorial 'Pegasus erupts' (July 20), telephone tapping was resorted to in the past also. Richard Nixon had to quit due to the ‘Watergate' scandal’ and Ramakrishna Hegde had to resign due to telephone tapping. In the present case, the Central government has denied any involvement. Thanks to technology , snooping can be done by any agency but who would be the ultimate beneficiary of such information is the crux of the issue. Obviously, the information would be of value to the government of the day and if such information is passed on to the government, it should be held accountable. If government has no role, it should initiate action against the agency for trespassing the privacy of individuals.

Nagercoil

Apropos ‘Pegasus erupts’. there is no smoke without fire. Seemingly the snoop gate controversy has unnerved the ruling dispensation albeit it refuted the allegations in Parliament.

The government must investigate the matter swifty. By treating Opposition as a case of ‘cry wolf’ or citing foreign conspiracy for any wrongdoings is the government’s time and tested line of defence.

Noida

An addendum to the profile sketch of chairman of the Kitex group, Sabu M Jacob (’Sabu Jacob: A change weaver’, July 19) seems appropriate. The Kerala-based Kitex Garments has now decided to invest in Telangana, backtracking from its earlier plans to invest in Kerala. Perhaps Jacob was miffed at the raids in the company on the complaints about dumping dangerous pollutants in the River Kadambrayar, of flouting the minimum wage requirement, poor living conditions of migrant labourers and the sufferings of female workers during the pandemic.

Anna Kitex Group has been a success story in Kerala. It was in 1968 that (deceased) MC Jacob founded it with just eight employees. Over the next five decades, it gained a strong foothold in the fields of kitchenware, garment manufacturing, spices and food products, roofing sheets and herbal products. In 1992, Boby Jacob, Sabu Jacob and Somy Varghese promoted the Kitex Garments as a part of the group.

In 2013, Sabu Jacob founded a non-profit charitable organisation called Twenty-20, purportedly to discharge the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility. The outfit became the political arm of the company eventually. It achieved some success in the local body elections. However, the sound drubbing it got in the recent Assembly election – it came third in the constituencies where it contested — extinguished the bigger political ambitions of its founder. It is possible that the defeat had acted as the catalyst for the decision to move out.

Kozhikode