M A I L B A G

Focus must be on good governance

Elections to the Punjab Assembly will be held on February 13. These elections are a golden opportunity to the people of the state to elect educated, honest and hard working candidates.

We should encourage more and more people of high integrity and character to enter the sacred portals of our legislatures so that they will carry out their duties with diligence and alacrity.

Elections are also an opportunity to the people to reject dishonest and corrupt candidates and leaders. We should also shun those with criminal antecedents. We should only vote for selfless and patriotic candidates irrespective of the political party they belong to.

We should not vote for those leaders who want to perpetuate their family rule. The voters should not accept money, wine or transport from the candidates. They should not expect any undue favour from the candidates to cast their vote.

On their part, the candidates too should take a pledge before the people that they will remain honest to the core and strive for the all round development of the people and the state. On the whole, the focus should be on good governance.

GOVIND RAI, Head Master (retd), Mansa

II

The ensuing Assembly elections in Punjab will provide an opportunity to the Punjabis to elect good representatives. Fortunately, this time elections are being contested on the issue of development unlike previous elections where corruption or religious issues were the main feature of the campaign. This is indeed a good sign for state politics.

It is time to elect only competent and honest candidates who can work sincerely for the well being of the state. The voters should identify those leaders who make false promises which cannot be fulfilled and are even not feasible. To sustain the present growth rate, one should caste his vote with utmost care and caution.

A wrong decision on account of allurement will derail the economy and development process. The voters have seen the performance of both major political parties during their respective tenures. So let us go in for the best, after drawing a comparison of both the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal governments in terms of civic amenities, basic infrastructure and, above all, clean administration.

Thankfully, the voters have now become mature enough and they will not allow the corrupt, unworthy and selfish politicians to gain power in the state.

RAJESH SHARMA, Jalandhar Cantonment

III

In the past four decades, I have been exercising my franchise in every election without fail. This is our sacred democratic duty and we must vote. However, I am sorry to say that the election scenario remains the same and there is no change in the elections earlier and the one we are going to have on February 13.

My only appeal to all the voters is: please don’t align yourself with any wrong candidate, whichever political party he may belong to. Let us vote for the best candidates who will do good for the state and its people.

I.P. SETHI, Jalandhar

IV

The other day I was shocked to note in the press that some advocates raised slogans against the BJP candidate in the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-election Navjot Singh Sidhu when he entered the Bar Room of Advocates in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, for a cup of tea.

The Bar Room is the gateway to the temple of justice. Its doors are always open for all people, rich or poor, saint or sinner, acquitted or convicted. When a litigant enters the Bar Room, no one has the right to shunt him out. Clearly, though one party always loses in the litigation, it does not mean that the loser is wrong and the winner is right.

The advocates argue the side of their clients irrespective of the correctness of the cause. A successful lawyer is one who gets relief in false causes. The only way to enhance the prestige of the Bar is for the advocates to behave in a responsible and dignified manner.

G.S. GREWAL, Senior Advocate, Chandigarh

Airport without a name The news-item, “Golden Temple model installed at airport” (Jan 24) mentions the Amritsar airport as Amritsar International Airport and Rajasansi International Airport. The airport has no official name. It is also referred to as Guru Ravi Das International Airport. I wonder why the government has failed to give it a proper name. Apparently, it doesn’t want to pick any of the present names in circulation. I offer two new names for consideration. Since the airport played a key role in the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, it should be named as “Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Airport”. Manekshaw has a vital link with Amritsar since he was born there. Secondly, on the pattern of Mohammed Iqbal International Airport at Lahore, Amritsar airport should be designated as Bhai Vir Singh International Airport to perpetuate the memory of Punjab’s great poet. K.J.S. AHLUWALIA, Amritsar