Unsafe roads
Road safety campaigns conducted in a ritualistic mode neither improve the driving habits of motorists nor prick the society’s collective conscience. The body count of accident victims — 1,51,113 for the year 2019 — is a mere statistical fact that has caused few ripples in the media, whether traditional or social (Editorial, “Slow on safety”, February 18). While we talk about the three Es of road safety — engineering, education, and enforcement — are there any missing links in our narratives? Are our driving habits egregiously bad? ‘From each according to his whim and to each according to his luck’ seems to be the key operating manual for Indian motorists that reveals a shocking insensitivity to the limbs and lives of those who share the roads with them. We, as a society, need to own up the unspoken tragedy of avoidable road accident fatalities and translate it into a habit of disciplined driving with the grim realisation that any one of us could join the list of the nameless victims.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
Workplace equality
The judgment of the Delhi High Court in the M.J. Akbar-Priya Ramani case would make women aware that they need not suffer in silence when it comes to sexual harassment at the workplace (Page 1, February 18). However, as long as films and serials portray women as silent sufferers when it comes to the atrocities perpetrated on them in a patriarchal society like ours, it will be very difficult to put an end to gender-based violence.
P.K. Varadarajan,
Chennai
The judgment will encourage more and more women to come forward and speak up no matter how influential and powerful the perpetrator is. The court ruling is sure to result in better working conditions for women at the workplace.
Raushan K. Arjun,
Patna, Bihar
Ms. Ramani’s triumph seems like a massive step forward for women, but we take two steps back when we hear about the mysterious deaths of two minor Dalit girls in Uttar Pradesh.
Sarah Rebello,
Bengaluru
Fuel dearer again
In the past, whenever fuel prices were hiked, albeit even by a small amount, there used to be a hue and cry. What has happened now? The protest of the Opposition which is now in disarray, is too feeble and lacks conviction. The impact of rising fuel prices has a cascading effect on other commodities and is borne by the common man, the ultimate loser. One only hopes that people voice their concern in unison regardless of their political beliefs.
Shabir Ahmed,
Chennai
