M A I L B A G

Only selfless leaders can save India

Mr H.K. Dua, in his front-page editorial, “Freedom for whom?” (Aug 15), has presented a true picture of India on the 60th Independence Day. No doubt, the country has progressed a lot economically, but it has regressed in many other fields. A large section of the population is still living below the poverty line. The fruits of economic progress have not reached them.

Corruption has spread its tentacles from top to bottom. Nobody wants to eradicate it. Unemployment is increasing. Though education and public health are two major responsibilities of the government, it has done little to inspire public confidence in the system.

Most politicians, devoid of any value system, are just time severs and opportunists. They often take measures aimed at appeasing one section or the other. People are divided on the basis of caste, religion, etc. One can only hope that some day some selfless people will come to the fore and save the country.

TIRATH RAM SHARMA, Pathankot

II

Mr Dua has candidly drawn a scathing conclusion on the present political scenario: “The independence and democracy are meant for whom, the elector or the elected? However, his portraying gloom, despair and despondency is misplaced.

What India lacked after Nehru and, to some extent, Indira Gandhi, was a statesman suffused with wisdom, courage and purpose at the Centre. The present-day politics is at its lowest ebb because of regional politics, each beating its own trumpet and undermining the Centre’s authority. The coalition experiment has led to perennial political corruption. For all the ills confronting the country today, no one is more responsible than the elector. Why don’t we elect able and honest politicians?

B.M. SINGH, Amritsar

III

It is the politicians rather than citizens who enjoy the fruits of Independence, democracy and freedom. Most politicians use “freedom” to satisfy their personal  and material  pursuits by totally neglecting the people’s concerns and aspirations. Every party forgets is election promises soon after elections. The result: Even after 59 years of independence, poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy are yet to be tackled.

Terrorism is a major problem these days. To sustain democracy and our hard won freedom, we have to change our mindset and see whether our representatives are performing their democratic duties properly or not.

NIKHIL BHARDWAJ, Shahkot (Jalandhar)

IV

The private sector has made amazing progress in information technology, communications and so on. What has the public sector achieved?

Infrastructural growth should form an essential part of our long-term planning. It is only because of political and bureaucratic apathy that we are lagging behind in crucial sectors like energy, drinking water, health, roads and rural development.

There is rampant corruption at every level and due to the politician-official-mafia nexus, aam admi is denied of basic civic facilities. The class divide has widened. Clearly, India is suffering only because of the self-serving attitude of the powers that be.

Col J.P. SINGH (retd), Kasauli

A window on reality Recently I witnessed an accident at midnight on the road behind my room window. When three policemen arrived, I heaved a sigh of relief until to my disbelief I saw them beating one of the drivers and smashing his face with their shoes, all for a broken headlight? I realised later that night that it was not the horror of the violence that was keeping me awake but the realisation of the gap between my career as a college student and the reality that left me spellbound. Within 20 minutes, my Utopian dream for India was destroyed. Suddenly, my idolisation of Bertrand Russell, Ayn Rand and Nehru seemed insignificant. This letter is intended as a reminder to the youth at the beginning of a new academic year, to aim at utilising their education for personal as well as national evolution. “Aur bhi ghum hain zamane main mohobbat ke siva/Rahatein aur bhi hain vasl ki rahat ke siva.” (Faiz) SAMIYA SINGH, Chandigarh