Always a victim

Reference to ‘Hushing up rape case’; schools are considered to be the most secure place after home, but the Delhi gangrape incident belies this notion. When the 11-year-old victim approached the school authorities to seek justice, they whitewashed the whole incident for the sake of the school’s image. This action reflects the mindset of society which keeps the victim in shackles but the perpetrator is let off. The stringent laws framed to tackle the surge in rape cases are proving futile. The plight of women will not improve till society remains indifferent to their suffering.

Rishika Kriti, Jalandhar

Stigma of rape

Apropos of ‘Hushing up rape case’; it is unfortunate that incidents of rape are still being hushed up in our society. The victim is left to herself to bear the pain and stigma of the brutality inflicted on her, not only by the perpetrator of the crime but also an indifferent society. There is need to bring about a change in the misogynistic mindset of society, which should be empathetic and supportive towards the victim. Justice delivery too should be speeded up and punitive measures adopted to curb such crimes. Most importantly, we, as individuals, need to stand up with the victim.

Sumita Kanwar, Yamunanagar

Congress election

Reference to ‘Presidential polls: Tharoor urges everyone to join him to make rejuvenated Congress’; after nearly 22 years the Congress will hold election for the post of president. Tharoor is in contest with senior party leader Kharge. The party has not fared well in elections. Tharoor has expressed his desire to decentralise the decision-making process and has been forthright about bringing reforms within the party to take it forward. On the other hand, Kharge has enough political experience but his road map for the party is not clear, even though he is a respected face in the Congress.

Devendra Khurana, Bhopal

Credibility at stake

Apropos of the article ‘The Gambian tragedy’, the families of 66 children have paid a heavy price for the gross negligence of a drug manufacturer. The incident has also put a question mark on the Indian pharma industry’s credibility. It is unfortunate that drug controllers responsible for issuing licence and ensuring quality control are working independently. If a drug fails quality test in one state, the licence of the unit must be suspended in the state of its location. The company’s claim that the two excipients termed as ‘contaminants’ by the WHO were supplied by a third party is no excuse. The overall responsibility for quality and testing lies with the manufacturer. Worse, the Haryana drug controller certified the company as WHO-compliant. The central regulator, CDSCO, should be held accountable for the failures. The Indian Government must put in place a meticulous regulatory system.

SANJAY CHOPRA , MOHALI

Drug companies

A large number of licensed drug companies are listed as defaulters by the authorities of different countries. Simply cancelling the licence is not enough. Indian drug controllers must ensure the quality of medicines. Such cases have been reported earlier too, but no solid action was taken. Various medicines are banned in some countries but are still supplied in India. The government should check if there are any complaints against companies and penalise them for tarnishing the image of India’s pharma industry.

Tashi Baheti, Ujjain

Locking school

Apropos of the news report ‘Pupils lock Maura govt school, seek transfer of staff’; students are compelled to take such extreme steps only when the situation worsens and gets out of control. When the matter reached the police station, the authorities should have taken remedial measures and transferred the guilty teacher. Fights between teachers have a long-lasting impact on the minds of students and vitiate the school atmosphere.

Upendra Sharma, by mail

Religion is secondary

The stories of Noor and Malti have been narrated in an exquisite manner in the middle ‘Noor and Malti, a symbol of hope’. The common man, whether in a rural or an urban landscape, is primarily concerned about two meals a day, sans any thought or concern for religiosity. It is a secondary issue for the aam aadmi. Religion is the opium of only bigwigs, who keep looking for opportunities to divide and rule the struggling populace.

KL Noatay, by mail

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