Cricket & the bus to Lahore

  LITTLE did Prime Minister Vajpayee realise that when he was trying to create a congenial atmosphere for the Pakistan cricket team to tour India, he was, in fact, making history by opening a window of opportunity for providing a new dimension to the Indo-Pak relationship.

His counterpart in Pakistan was quick to read between the lines. If a miracle can happen, it has happened. For the first time since 1972, when the Simla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan, the latter has realised the wisdom of its contents — all disputes to be settled by bilateral negotiations.

By inviting Mr Vajpayee to Lahore for such negotiations, Mr Nawaz Sharif has given proof of not only his courage but also farsightedness and statesmanship. The former has done well to make use of this golden opportunity, literally not missing the very first bus which is to go to Lahore on its maiden journey.

Needless to say, more than 80 per cent of the people of India and Pakistan have heaved a sigh of relief over this development, and want the two Prime Ministers to hammer out some formula for peace now that both countries are nuclear weapon powers.

Both India and Pakistan have to come to terms with the nuclear realities; no war can be fought and won with nuclear weapons. It is for this reason that India has unilaterally declared a no-first-use policy. As there is no identical response from Pakistan, India shall have to try to convince Islamabad that it cannot afford to resort to a first strike against India, and that it is a myth that Kashmir can become a nuclear flashpoint.

India should also reassure Pakistan that New Delhi does not pose any threat to Islamabad even with its conventional weapons. This has been amply demonstrated by the restraint India has been exercising despite the provocations being provided by the terrorists trained in Pakistan.

Mr Nawaz Sharif is justified in decrying the status-quo between the two countries for more than 50 years. During this period Pakistan has tried every conceivable weapon against India excepting the nuclear ones, and these are futile for winning a war. How much can it afford to spend on nuclear arsenal ? It is high time Pakistan gives up its obsession with Kashmir in the interest of the Pakistani masses. Let it freeze the Kashmir issue for five years and see the results by promoting trade, economic and cultural relations with India. The standing ovation given by the Indian crowd at Chennai to the Pakistan team even when India had lost the match, should be an eyeopener even to the chronic pessimist.

S.P. MALHOTRA
Panchkula

Non-pensionary retirees

The letter written by Mr Gurbachan Singh in The Tribune of January 12, followed by several other letters, regarding the non-pensioner category of retirees brings out perhaps the biggest instance of anomaly. Being small in number, these retired persons are not taken care of at all. They are living a life of misery.

The following comparison will bring out the factual position of these people as of today.

A person who might have retired with a monthly pension of about Rs 700 in 1980-81 would receive a PF amount of about Rs 1 lakh. His monthly pension, through a successive increase would have now reached the level of Rs 5000-6000.

Another person of equivalent rank who too retired at the same time, without pension, received a PF amount of about Rs 2 lakh. He would have invested about half of this amount on housing and other requirements and the rest on some monthly income scheme, which would give him something like Rs 800 to Rs 900 p.m.

Of course, he would be better placed than his pensioner friend if there was no inflation. But this never happens. The inflation index from 100 in 1980-81 has probably crossed the 400 mark.

Assuming that this non-pensionary retiree had no health problems or other emergency, and his investable amount being still available, his monthly income would be only Rs 900 compared to the other’s Rs 6000. If he was unfortunate in having to spend on some emergency requirement, he would be left with no income and living a pauper’s life.

Justice demands that this category of retirees should also be compensated for the effect of inflation like every other retiree.

A suitable formula, as suggested by Mr Gurbachan Singh, may be devised for ameliorating the condition of this poor category.

KIRPAL SINGH
Ludhiana

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A look at Akali history

This refers to the letter of Mr Amarjit Singh Pabla published in The Tribune dated February 5. The letter accused me of underestimating the glorious history of the Shiromani Akali Dal. He questions my observation that it was expediency that gave birth to the Akali Dal.

The learned writer seems to be confused about the history of the Akali Dal. It is a product of the gurdwara reform movement generated by a genuine upsurge among the Sikh masses against various anti-gurmat practices that had crept in the social life of the Sikhs and the mismanagement of gurdwaras by many of the mahants. Some self-centred (manmukh) participants among the Sikhs decided to form a political party for projecting the Sikh interests as perceived by them. It becomes obvious from the fact that for gurdwara reform and agitation the SGPC had already come into being. The first president of the politically motivated Sikhs, who gave themselves the name of the Shiromani Akali Dal in 1920, is hardly remembered and most of the modern-day Akalis do not even know his name.

Any how, till 1925 the Shiromani Akali Dal was one of the participants in the mass upsurge that got generated among the Sikhs. All the glorious achievements mentioned by Mr Pabla relate to the period before 1925. The Sikh mass upsurge subsided after the Gurdwara Act was passed in 1925. The Shiromani Akali Dal took the centre of the stage to lead the Sikhs for their destiny of the Khalsa ascendance. There may be a few bright patches in the record of the Akali Dal over the past 75 years, but due to the lack of guidance from gurbani and the oneupmanship culture that came to prevail in the Akali Dal in my view are responsible more for spreading misery among the Sikhs than happiness.

S.S. DHANOA
Patna

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Unfair to Gandhiji

Mr Sandeep Joshi deserves to be complimented for his telling cartoon “Bansi Lal to fast in Gandhi’s memory” (The Tribune, Jan 29), exposing the stark hypocrisy of the neo-Gandhians.

Candidly speaking, the growing hiatus between word and deed of the so-called Gandhians seems too big to go unnoticed. Although the guys observe the Mahatma’s birth and death anniversaries every year with considerable fanfare, the fact remains that they are moving farther and farther away with each passing day from the virtues the inimitable Mahatma stood for. Otherwise why is this growing cult of violence and intolerance increasingly plaguing the country?

Apparently, the politicians flaunt Gandhism only to achieve their selfish ends. In fact, Gandhism is dead in the land of its birth. Why not give a go-by to the hypocritical antics viz-a-viz the Mahatma? Why not allow him to rest in peace in his heavenly abode?

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)

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Remembering a ruler

I found Mr Harjinder Singh Tangri’s letter titled “Remembering a ruler” (January 29) very meaningful. He did well to acquaint the readers with the noble deeds of a great ruler.

Mr Tangri has referred to the incident of Giani Zail Singh being dragged on the roads after having been tied behind a jeep. It may be interesting to recall here that after becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab, Gianiji visited Faridkot. Maharaja Harinder Singh was also present at the meeting. Gianiji publicly expressed his gratitude to the Maharaja, saying: “I am thankful to the Maharaja for only imprisoning me when in the supreme power he could have had me killed.”

R.R. BHARDWAJ
Ambala City