Women no lesser citizens

I was shocked to read a news item published in The Himalayan Times that a father killed a newborn daughter. Shocked because the infant’s sex was what the insane father considered a culprit. In other words, this incident is a reminder that women have long been treated as second class citizens. If not so, why do people crave only for sons? Women play a vital role in the society and that role is never lesser than that of any men. They not only give birth but also shape the future of the newborn by instilling values that sometimes are beyond the ability of men to inculcate. This attribute should instead makes them equal to men, if not greater. But women have been made to face discrimination and hatred from her own kith and kin. To be born a girl is not a fault. It is the father who is responsible for the determination of sex. But Nepalis often blame the women for giving birth to a baby girl. Unless people stop considering women as second-grade citizens, our society will not develop.

Sushma Karmacharya, via e-mail

Repair roads

In Nepal, land transportation is the easiest, and more than that, the most used mode of transport. However, the condition of almost all the highways is pitiful. They are getting worse by the day due to lack of proper maintenance. As a result, the public is facing a lot of problems. We understand that it is not possible to repair roads devastated on a cataclysmic scale overnight. But the authorities need to work well ahead of time, unlike this year, to fend off any problems whatsoever arising from another downpour this year. Thus, the authorities should maintain the highways in a proper condition.

Deepesh, Old Baneshwor

Suggestion

Sher Bahadur Deuba is back at the helm again. Critics, during his earlier tenure labelled him as the “Father of the Pajero Culture.” I hope he rises beyond the petty interests this time and uses his premiership to improve the livelihood of the people. For this, he should be clear on a national political agenda and perform his job seriously. He will also have to restore peace in the country.

Bing Sen Thapa, Mumbai

Wrong view

This is in response to your columnist Rakesh Wadhwa’s write-ups. Nowadays, his columns are starting to get repetitive and redundant. He constantly tries to justify the legalisation of certain activities by arguing that they take place illegally. This argument is lame at best. He uses the example of prohibition in the US in the 1930s to make his point. What he fails to mention is that even today in the US, an 18-year old is considered an adult but you still cannot buy alcohol until you are 21 years old. Isn’t that a form of prohibition in itself? According to his own theory, shouldn’t we be considered a freer society since there is no age restriction for buying alcohol here? However, readers like me would like to read write-ups that contain reflection of the people’s practical lives and impact on economic policies. I wonder, how will the free trade benefit our country? What will 18 million farmers export? The market will be flooded with foreign goods and local farms and factories will have to shut down. And if the import of vehicles were not taxed so heavily, the already crowded streets of Kathmandu would become clogged with vehicles, making commuting a nightmare. It is no secret that a prosperous nation is one that strikes a balance between a competent government and a strong private sector, not just one of the two. Wadhwa has failed to recognise this logic.

Bergendra Dhakal, Kathmandu