The right to eat and live

The right to eat and live

Uttar Pradesh (UP), India, has closed down slaughter houses, which is affecting the buffalo meat industry (“Lions bear the brunt of slaughterhouse crackdown”, Gulf News, April 2). Reports say that 219kg meat is required daily at Lucknow Zoo. Now, this slaughter ban has affected not only carnivorous animals at Lucknow Zoo but also around 30 carnivorous animals at Kanpur Zoo.

The ban not only affects the meat industry in India but meat exports, as well. I hope political parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), spares these poor animals from a shortage of regular food. Since these animals remain in captivity for the pleasure and personal gain of human beings, it is our moral responsibility to make sure they are properly fed, according to their requirements. Political decisions are often made to please a certain group of people and to win their votes, but lions, tigers and all animals in zoos have no voting rights. They were never considered in the decision of a slaughter ban. Therefore, when laws are passed and enacted, all living things should be taken into consideration, including the welfare of living animals, either in captivity or in the wilderness.

From Mr Eappen Elias

Dubai

Don’t fall for scams

I was pleased to see that Sharjah Police has shared a number of tips on how people could protect themselves from hackers (“Police offer tips to identify hackers”, Gulf News, April 3). Although I have not fallen for any scams, I have friends who were almost convinced to part with their money, by scamsters. When I would ask them how they could be gullible enough to fall for such nonsense, they would say it is not because of what the scamster said, but how he/she said it. Many of these people have elaborate social media profiles, so you feel as if you are dealing with someone professional. The best way to find out if a person’s account is real or fake, is to Google it and check if other people have reported it, as Sharjah Police has suggested.

From Ms Sobia Nazeer

Sharjah

Duped

It’s too soon to say whether Google and Facebook’s attempts to clamp down on fake news will have a significant impact. But fabricated stories posing as serious journalism are not likely to go away, as they have become a means for some writers to make money and potentially influence public opinion. Although fake news has been around as long as humankind, it gained increased influence with the printed word and an explosion of influence more recently, thanks to the internet and social media platforms. Some sources specialise in fake news that appears just authentic and credible enough to dupe some readers, who then spread the information through their social media pages. This vicious circle is unlikely to be interrupted to any extent in the foreseeable future, so people should remain sceptical about what they read until they can confirm it through other reliable sources.

From Ms Megna Rajagopal

Dubai

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Nothing strange about it

What’s weird in one country is normal in another culture (“10 weird foods with absurd ingredients from across the globe”, Gulf News, April 3).

From Mr Chris Reid

UAE

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American dream?

After so much vitriol and racism against immigrants, who have contributed to making the US a great country, I am sure many would rather prefer to stay and invest in their home countries, if they were given the choice (“Can you pass the US citizenship test? Try it out”, Gulf News, April 3).

From Mr Sheraz Khan

UAE

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In the service of the people

We must salute the people whose brilliant ideas went into planning this project and launching it for the betterment of India, especially for Kashmiri people (“Narendra Modi inaugurates India’s longest tunnel”, Gulf News, April 3).

From Mr C. N. Girijavallabhan

UAE

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A divided nation

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has assumed power in the centre, social life in India is turning out to be turbulent, especially on university campuses. Teachers and students safeguard themselves so firmly against political ideologies, that the system gets upset. Letting off-shoot organisations of the BJP run amok inside campuses, leaves the police force inert and amplifies the crisis boundlessly. To make matters worse, the Indian government plays the game of blind man’s bluff in daylight.

The younger generation is responsive and realises the value of liberty and eloquence. Suppressive tactics turn out to boomerang against the thrower. The call to ‘keep mum’, which we first saw during the emergency period in the 1970s, is being mutely echoed wherever there is an awakening among true patriots, who ardently adhere to the constitution of India; Rohith Vemula and Najeeb Ahmad were just two of the victims.

The people in power will be admired by the masses when they start working for the common folk. We are well aware that many government officials play this cruel game just for the riches and pleasure of their compatriots and progeny. But the real wealth lies in having a nation of people who are living in peace and security.

From Mr Rafeeq Rahim

Umm Al Quwain

Off to an amazing start

Congratulations to Roger Federer for defeating his long-standing rival, Rafael Nadal, and winning the Miami Open (“Time to rest before Federer’s dream continues”, Gulf News, April 3). I hope he continues his outstanding performance throughout this year. It has been another remarkable tournament for him, especially after his six-month hiatus from a knee injury. He was almost knocked out of this tournament by Tomas Berdych and Nick Kyrgios, both in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. His victories are just multiplying, with his 18th Grand Slam title win at the Australian Open. He has been on a roll and, who knows, with his fit form, he could win another Grand Slam or two this year. We wish him the best.

From Mr N. Mahadevan

Chennai, India

Squaring off

Kudos to Roger Federer. He won the quarter final against Berdych at the Miami Open – it was a close game, where he rose from the brink of defeat. He also beat the furious Nick Kyrgios in the semi-finals before going on to beat Nadal in the finals. It has been a remarkable comeback for Federer. On the cusp of the Miami finals, I wondered whether he would get his revenge against Nadal, or if Rafa would topple Federer to win the title.

From Mr N. V. Krishnan

Pune, India

A big blow

The untimely knee injury of Yuki Bhambri, who is arguably the backbone of India’s tennis team, has not only shattered the dreams of tennis fans, but also of his new coach, Mahesh Bhupathi. Everyone thought he would be on a winning streak. Anyway, who knows, like in the case of cricketer Virat Kohli during the Dharamsala Test, it might prove to be a blessing in disguise. Meanwhile, Leander Paes’ victory at the Leon Challenger tournament in Mexico also augurs well. Let us hope that, like Kuldeep Yadav, he would bring laurels to team India and his coach.

From Mr N. Viswanathan

Coimbatore, India

Making Earth better

I think humans should value the existence of forests, planting trees, teaching children humanity, creating national heritage and living in harmony with Nature. We do not own this Earth that provides pure air, water and Nature. We need centres that promote environmental awareness, which would help us appreciate this planet.

From Mr Abraham Shenoy

UAE

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