People are talking about —

— the media reports that kite-flying is still taking place despite the ban imposed by the government and how this shows that the public is reluctant to give up a cultural practice that has been a part of their lives for generations. People say instead of banning such annual cultural activities, the government should allocate special open place for the public to fly kites, while making councillors of the area responsible for seeing that no dangerous string is used.

— the news that Argentine park is to be used to extend the range of a government hospital and the fact that the public is agitated by the fact. While it’s on record that a part of the park was ‘gifted’ to the hospital by an ambassador of Argentina, the whole area was not, as it is a symbol of the good relations between the two countries and a green haven for the people of the area who live in the congested, concrete buildings of the area.

— the political imbroglio taking place in the country these days and how it is creating confusion among the masses about what democracy is and whether it is being practiced as it should be. People say there are so many accusations and counter accusation being hurled by every political entity worth his or her name, that it’s hard to separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’ as the saying goes, so voters are going to have to depend on their saner judgment when the times comes to cast their ballot.

— the social media phenomenon that has overtaken the traditional means of communication or expressing an opinion, so much so that even the government has begun to use it to achieve its objective. People say that while it may also be a dangerous platform when it is misused and cause users to abuse its power, it can be helpful in certain cases so hopefully the government’s efforts to catch criminal elements will be one of them.

— the awakening of the media and how cases of child abuse are being reported more frequently, spurring action by the government and public service organisation to do more to curtail the menace and punish culprits accused of this heinous crime. People say it took one little girl horrific death to stir the conscience of all those who should have been active in the first place and made the public aware of the possibility of such crimes being committed.

— the landmark decision to sack a judge accused of graft when he had acknowledged the fact that he had acquitted the accused in a high profile case after accepting a bribe. People say if similar action is taken by all institutions when there is proof of corruption by those who are entrusted with the public’s well being, then there is hope that the country will soon be free of this menace.

— the banning of certain events because they supposedly have a religious connotation or background and how in this day and age they are more of a cultural event than their origin. The world is now more or less a global village and people travelling or migrating from one country to another do bring their cultural traditions with them, which, along with the media blitz, have made certain celebrations global in nature because they spread harmony and understanding between communities.

— I.H.