War cry

I would like to correct TR Goyal on what he has said about the Army in his article "Hindus are not bound to any ideology" (April 26). He has stated: "In the Army too this slogan (Bharat Mata Ki Jai) is used before launching an attack on the enemy. It has spurred it to victory on many occasions over the last 65 years (about 69 years) since Independence and even before that." This is not correct. Each regiment has its own war cry (what he calls slogan) depending upon its class composition. Just to quote two examples. The Jat Regiment's war cry is: "Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan" and the Sikh Regiment's war cry is: "Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal." Goyal has also stated that the RSS and Mohan Bhagwat are trying to teach the country about nationalism. Who are they to teach us about nationalism and become custodian of it? Almost all citizens of India perhaps know much more about it than what they have to teach. 

Advertisement

COL PRITAM BHULLAR (RETD), Chandigarh

Hindus & ideology

TR Goyal's article “Hindus are not bound by any ideology” is an illuminating piece of writing in an atmosphere where Hindu-bashing and demeaning the PM and the BJP has become the fad and fashion by some 'secular' and 'liberal' writers. 

Amba Charan Vashishtha, New Delhi

Refuse CPS 'post', MLAs

Parkash Singh Badal's unnecessary induction of seven more CPSes to his jumbo team where they now outnumber the size of his ministry is a cruel blow on the anaemic and bleeding state exchequer. The beneficiaries of this bonanza should themselves decline to accept these sinecure 'postings' and set an example of the standards and the values expected of them. They certainly stand to gain from such a lofty stand.

MOHAN SINGH, Amritsar

Nominate Sehajdharis

The Sikh clergy must promote the spirit of brotherhood as taught by our Gurus and give recognition to the Sehajdhari Sikhs. They could be given nomination on the managing committee. The love for maintaining the essence of Sikhism should outweigh other narrow and political considerations.

Hari Singh Sidhu, Gurgaon

Divisive design

This is regarding the Sehajdhari Sikhs being barred from being a practical part of the faith. It is painful that this broad-minded and large-hearted religion, which incorporated the great sayings of sages in Guru Granth Sahib without considering their caste, has fallen to the evil and divisive designs of those who want to weaken both the Sikh religion and the community at large.

BALViNDER, Chandiagarh 

Adopt tenet, get right

It is right to debar Sehajdhari Sikhs from voting rights in Sikh religious institutions. When they are not following the Sikh tenets fully, why do they want certain rights? It is a strange logic that since the Sikhs are in a small number, others should be allowed to meddle in their affairs. Are Sikhs allowed voting rights in managing other religions?

IPS Anand, Gurgaon

Create jobs

For the last 20-25 years, the governments are not filling even the minimum sanctioned posts and are shirking their prime duty of generating new avenues of employment. This is the result of unchecked population growth, new subsidies to maintain vote bank, tax evasion. Little funds are left for creating new job opportunities. Every government finds it easy to minimise salary expenditure by keeping even the sanctioned posts vacant. 

NK Juneja, Panchkula

Workload of clerks 

This refers to the emotional chord struck by CJI TS Thakur regarding the workload of the judiciary. I have given 20 precious years to the department before bidding it adieu. What  about the work pressure on the clerical staff? How they are forced to do assignments that are beyond their work profile? There's no redress committee for clerks and one small mistake leads to a departmental enquiry with serious repercussions. Due to such reasons, the department faces a crunch of staff and clerks prefer jumping to other places, even on a lower pay scale. The CJI didn't detail that the SCs and HCs have less than 100 working days in a year. The working of subordinate courts is monitored by inspecting judges, but there's no one to check the working of the higher courts. The appointment of justices in higher courts is always under cloud. People with strong reference or political influence are given preference. The judiciary is out of the ambit of the RTI. The fish rots from the head down and things must be corrected from the top.

Tejbeer Singh, Samana

Judiciary reforms must

Apropos the editorial "Judiciary awaits achhe din" (April 25), it is highly deplorable that despite the shortage of judges, the vacancies are not being filled. Judiciary reforms are needed to deliver justice to the people.

SS Arora, Mohali

Reform education

Himachal Pradesh has one of the highest literacy rates but the quality of education is not good. A recent news item indicates that some students of certain higher classes could not read the books of lower classes or solve the sums of math of lower classes. Education reforms are needed. The strength of a class should not exceed 20, there is need to introduce the semester system from the primary level and improve the training of teachers. The B. Ed course should be of three years. 

Anil Kumar Jaswal, Gagret (Una)

Let IITs be

If HRD minister Smriti Irani is interested in improving the quality of education, she should first improve the primary and secondary school levels. Let the IITs bloom, as they have done over the years, without government intervention. 

Mahavir Jagdev, Chandigarh

‘Meri Ladli’ 

The "Meri Ladli" campaign initiated by the Mandi district administration for improving the sex ratio makes Himachalis proud as the programme is showing results.

NITISH PUROHIT, Sarkaghat (Mandi)

Practise it, AAP

The Delhi Transport Minister has said that MPs violated the odd-even scheme by mistake and will be spared. It smacks of double standard. AAP is not practising what it is preaching.

Ravinder Singh, Jalandhar

Letters to the Editor, typed in double space, should not exceed the 200-word limit. These should be cogently written and can be sent by e-mail to: Letters@tribuneindia.com