Arrest of comedy-queen Bharti Singh: Letter To The Editor

Arrest of comedy-queen Bharti Singh

It refers to the arrest of comedy-queen Bharti Singh and her husband by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug case. It is surprising that Bharti Singh did not remove drugs from her office and home despite the fact that everyone in film and TV industry from Bollywood was under secret watch of the NCB for their being using drugs. With highly publicized arrest of Bharti Singh, everyone in TV industry (also film industry) consuming or handling drugs will definitely remove drugs and other related evidence from their places. However, our highly efficient investigating agencies including NCB known for their professional skills will expose other known celebrities even after possible removal of evidences for being involved in drugs.

It is indeed shame that the Bollywood God highly admired by commoners did not utter a single word on such drug nuisance in Bollywood. It is even more regrettable that the lady from the first family of Bollywood was provocatively vocal in Rajya Sabha against allegedly insulting Bollywood film industry rather than showing solidarity in investigation of mysterious and controversial deaths of Sushant Singh Rajput and Disha Salian. First family of Bollywood also avoided commenting on illegal and unjustified harassment for their film colleague Kangana Ranaut by agencies of Maharashtra government including Bombay Municipal Corporation. Investigation is thus also necessary if underworld, political rulers or some other influential ones are patronizing Bollywood for their own interests which prevents first-family of Bollywood for its standing for right cause.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Delhi

Lacking civic senses

Generally, we Indians are considered as people lacking basic civic senses. We have always considered our public properties as nobody's property as we hardly think for once before littering them. Recently, police arrested five artists who without the consent of the authorities concerned painted the newly furnished walls near Khanapara. A few journalists were overboard with the paintings and tried to project those artists as heroes. Those artists painted the walls with the pictures of so-called living revolutionist Akhil Gogoi. This is utter nonsense as public properties are not the properties of any government which those painters thought. The entire expenses of the construction and beautification of the city which is going on is borne by the public money not by any MLAs or Ministers. This unauthorized exercise of painting or writing anything without the consent of the authorized body should be dealt with firm hand otherwise it will open the floodgates. Who knows tomorrow some others might come up with counter paintings or it might even encourage anti-national brigade to litter the walls with anti-India slogans or messages. Lastly before parting, regarding Akhil Gogoi, less said the better.

Lanu Dutta Chowdhury

Guwahati

RBI's recommendation to convert large NBFCs into banks

Recommendations by a committee of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for conversion of large Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) into banks is a practical one, and should be accepted by the Central government. Presently NBFCs are mainly funded by public sector banks. Converting large ones into banks will make them take deposits from public thus avoiding dependence on public sector banks for being financed for their loan business. However, necessary regulations should be made by RBI on such newly created (and also existing ones) private banks to check them meet the fate like those of PMC Bank, Luxmi Vilas Bank and YES Bank making it compulsory for all accounts and deposits of Central and State governments together with those of their undertakings only in public sector banks.

At the same time since NBFCs also perform banking business in giving loans, interest received by NBFCs on Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs) should be exempted from the provision of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS). Presently loan takers have to first pay full interest portion in EMIs, then pay TDS and afterwards claiming TDS from NBFCs with most of loan takers not claiming back TDS from NBFCs due to the cumbersome procedure resulting in left back TDS as extra income of NBFCs.

Madhu Agrawal

Delhi

COVID-19 pandemic gripping Assam

Although the rate of COVID-19 infection has decreased in the country, it has not decreased in Assam and Delhi. The third phase of COVID-19 started in Delhi. According to reliable sources, Delhi, the capital of India, has become one of the centres of transmission of COVID-19. The Kejriwal government has by no means been successful in controlling COVID-19. COVID-19 panic is on the rise again in Assam like in Delhi.

A total of 242 people have been identified as infected with COVID-19 in the State on the eve of Diwali. With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Assam has crossed 2 lakh 10 thousand. Testing continues as before, 24,637 samples were tested the day after Diwali. Of these, 242 have been identified as infected. Two people have died due to the virus after Diwali. The death toll in Assam has risen to 966 since March. A significant number of COVID-19 infected patients have returned home after recovering. The State currently has 3,329 patients infected with COVID-19.

Through this column, I urge the people of Assam to beware of COVID-19, as much as possible, to follow the COVID-19 protocols, otherwise Assam will be e in a terrible situation like Delhi, rest assured.

Heramba Nath

Kamrup