M A I L B A G

A helping hand to Lucknow University VC

HK Dua’s front-page editorial, “Carry on Professor: The nation will be with you”, Jan 1) rightly extends a helping hand to Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Dr R. P. Singh in his crusade against the rot in the system. The university is a temple of learning and its precincts should not be misused by political parties for narrow partisan ends. Politicians and political parties should keep away from the university. The calm, quiet and congenial atmosphere in the campus for academic and research work should not be disturbed by anyone.

Sadly, some former students and musclemen masquerading as students are roaming around the campus of Lucknow University to foul the environment of teaching and learning. The instant crisis in the university has been caused by the VC’s decision to enforce the guidelines for students’ union elections proposed by the Lyngdoh Committee appointed by the Supreme Court. Large-scale violence has been created by the student leaders who do not want the implementation of the aforesaid guidelines. The VC has rightly cancelled the union elections and closed the university. The closure of the university has not been liked by the state’s political leaders. Nevertheless, the Allahabad High Court has come to the VC’s rescue and has issued orders to the government to provide security to him and to withdraw gunmen deployed for providing protection to the student leaders and political workers. In his laudable mission of cleansing the university and standing up to political and other pressures, the VC deserves the support of all right thinking persons in the country as well as that of the media.

G.R. KALRA, Chandigarh

II

Your hard-hitting edit in support of Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor will be appreciated by all academics and public in general. The fact that you decided to frontpage it shows how high a value you place on proper academic atmosphere.

Incidentally, I have invited Prof R.P. Singh to participate in a public seminar on “University education” at India International Centre, New Delhi, on February 3. Other speakers are the Vice-Chancellors of Calcutta and Delhi Universities.

Dr RAJESH KOCHHAR, Professor of Pharmaceutical Heritage, NIPER, Mohali

III

As rightly pointed out by Mr Dua, the one-man army in the form of Prof R.P. Singh is taking on the wrongdoers with exemplary courage and conviction in Lucknow University. No longer, those who get admission into this university would be termed to be ‘lucky’ for it has been reduced to a “crucible of conspiracies, controversies and conflicts”.

Surely, Dr Singh deserves full support and sympathy of the people. If Dr Singh succeeds in his mission, he would be long remembered as an outstanding regulator and reformer in the field of education.

K. J. S. AHLUWALIA, Amritsar

IV

Dr R.P. Singh deserves all praise for the strength of his character and for his commitment to this cause of education. The support The Tribune has extended to him by way of the front-page editorial is timely and I whole- heartedly appreciate it. I hope that more and more people will follow suit.

S.P. CHAWLA, Chandigarh

Enforce HC order The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the respondent — Manie Jindal of Bathinda — to give Rs 5,000 as cost of application to me, the petitioner, through its judgement on July 22, 2005 in the Civil Writ Petition No. 7833 of 2001. I had sent a notice in this regard to Manie Jindal to give me the application cost in accordance with the compliance order of the High Court. However, it has not yet been implemented. NARINDER KUMAR GUPTA, C/o Babu Ram Roshan Lal, Rampura Phul (Bathinda)

Humanity at its best

I was extremely lucky in honouring a lifetime commitment to visit Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib and other famous Sikh shrines under the aegis of SGPC, Amritsar.

I recall here one incident with a sense of pride and gratitude as it reveals that human values are still held in reverence. At Attari Railway station, I lost my handbag containing important documents and cash. It was a pleasant surprise when policemen, after knowing my identity, handed over me the bag. I profusely thanked them for their fine gesture.

BALBIR SINGH WALIA, Patiala