End of the road for stunt drivers
Dear Sir,
It has come as a great relief that the Ministry of Interior has finally decided to crack down on stunt driving on Qatar’s roads (Gulf Times, August 6). I have often witnessed such practices while driving late in the night when roads are practically empty. Racing is popular with some four-wheel drivers. I have a feeling that these drivers have some sort of group and they fix the time and date for such racing but one can’t be sure about it. Some motor-cycle riders are also known to indulge in such practices.
Even if the roads don’t have much traffic at that time, it is still a dangerous thing to do and such reckless practices can cause gruesome crashes.
One is happy to notice that the ministry has now decided to seize the vehicles used by stunt drivers and impose fines.
Youths indulging in it obviously do so without the knowledge of their parents. It is good to know that some parents had already visited the Traffic Department, requesting that the vehicles used by their sons for stunt displays on roads be seized.
MKN, (Full name and e-mail address supplied)
The politics of disruption
Dear Sir,
I believe it’s about time India asks itself if it wants erudite politicians or just clueless simpletons to fill the seats of its parliament. Entrusting responsibility to those who don’t know what propriety means is a huge blunder.
For the past few days, the opposition and some members of the ruling benches have been disrupting key sessions of parliament, resorting to cheap stunts. This is what one would expect in an Indian soap opera – not from the nerve centre of Indian polity and administration.
Sloganeering and unremitting interruptions during other parliamentarian’s speeches have been the highlights of the first two days of the monsoon session. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had personally appealed for the revival of smooth and orderly discussions, a concept that most MPs don’t seem to comprehend.
The nation is already hurt that its parliament has been admitting politicians with known criminal records.
In the absence of decorum, no parliament can function properly. The exceedingly divided Indian parliament’s prime discussion for the past few days has not been on the country’s crippled economic growth but rather on its position on the recent border incidents with Pakistan.
It is imperative for the benefit of the nation that the MPs realise - and realise fast - that the true spirit of democracy is captured by sparkling logical debate and orderly consensus, not by flinging footwear, cornering the speaker of the house and chanting slogans.
Aditya Karkera, [email protected]
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