Blaming bus diplomacy is wrong

RECENTLY, addressing a press conference at Amritsar, the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, remarked that the bus diplomacy of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, was a “big failure” and only a “publicity stunt”, as he did not secure the release of prisoners of war (POWs), languishing in Pakistani prisons since the 1965 and 1971 wars. He demanded that the bus service between Delhi and Lahore must be stopped (“Bitta’s reward on Laden’s head”, September 23).

Bus diplomacy was a great gesture of goodwill, shown by Mr Vajpayee to strengthen friendly relations with Pakistan despite its belligerent behaviour. It has been looked with favour at the international level. After their Blair House meeting, the US President, Mr Bill Clinton, clearly asked Pakistan Premier, Mr Nawaz Sharif to withdraw troops from Kargil and resume diplomatic talks set in motion by Mr Vajpayee during his historic Delhi-Lahore bus ride. Pakistan is facing the consequences of its betrayal of trust. Its isolation at the international level can be well explained in the verse: Phirtey hain Meer khaar koee poochhta nahin/ Is aashiqee mein izzat-e-saadaat bhee gayee.

If the bus service between Delhi and Lahore is stopped, the innocent people who avail themselves of the same to visit their relatives in India and Pakistan, will be the worst sufferers. Are they responsible for the detention of POWs in Pakistani jails?

After the 1965 and 1971 wars, there were successively Congress governments at the Centre. No honest effort had been made to secure the release of the POWs. Even before releasing about one lakh Pakistani POWs, the then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, did not secure the release of Indian POWs. Was it not the height of callousness and apathy on her part? Parents of some of the POWs might have died waiting for their sons. The mental agony of their wives and children can be better imagined than expressed. Centuries ago, a Greek philosopher had rightly said:

God and soldiers all adore.
In the time of danger and not before.
When the danger is passed and everything righted.
God is forgotten and soldiers slighted.

BHAGWAN SINGH
Qadian

Stretched polling

The unduly long period of electioneering stretching over a month has sent the nation to a picnic to enjoy “jalsas” and corner meetings and of course parties with both wealth and wine.

The entire nation curses the politicians for the dramas but the stage set by Election Commission in the name of security is a big slap in the name of elections. Top politicians and ministers are having a hectic itinerary for more than a month touring in all directions. Such unduly stretched electioneering provides much more time to play dirty politics in the name of democracy.

In the name of reforms the Election Commission has lowered the sanctity of polling. Recurring frequent and over-stretched polling has developed aversion in the public towards the most sacred national duty.

If such a state of affairs continues, the day is not far when in the name of security the elections will take five years and caretaker governments will always govern the nation. The socalled caretakers should wake up and try to construct a stout and healthy nation instead of making it rank first just because of the population.

DR. RAJESH LAKHANPAUL
Mukerian

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Man-made shortage

On one hand the Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters show their helplessness to make up the huge deficiency in their officer cadre whereas on the other they deny admission to fairly large number of deserving and finally selected candidates to training institutions like the National Defence Academy.

Their argument that deserving candidates do not opt for the services seems out of place in the face of hard facts. For example 701 candidates had finally qualified for admission to the 100th course at the National Defence Academy but the intake was restricted to only 323 candidates. In the 101st course the intake was further reduced to 174 candidates against the final selection of 398 candidates, leaving out some 100 better merited candidates.

All this forced the candidates to file writ petitions in various high courts of the country. Leading newspapers, including The Tribune, reported the cases in their specified columns. The Delhi High Court finally granted Rs 10,000 to each petitioner as the cost of case, for which cheques have been despatched by army headquarters.

Most of the petitioners are the wards of defence personnel and are highly motivated to join the services, the fact you cannot deny as they knocked the doors of court in the search of justice. Crores of rupees have been spent on selection of these candidates by way of expenditure on the process involving more than one lakh candidates appearing for written test conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, calling a few thousands for interview, which involves railway fare, 10 to 15 days’ stay at Services Selection Boards with free board and lodging, expenditure on medical examination conducted by military hospitals.

Can the citizens of India know as to who is responsible for this enormous loss to the State Exchequer? Has any enquiry been conducted? There is no dearth of talent, motivation and potential among the youth who are even needy to join the Services but it is lack of will, forecast and planning on the part of the Ministry of Defence and Army Headquarters. Please do not cry hoarse for shortage in officer cadre.

K.S.GREWAL
Patiala