Army SOPs need review

Refer to ‘Anantnag ambush’; India salutes the indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice of Col Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak, DSP Humayun Bhat and an Army jawan who attained martyrdom during a gunfight with terrorists in south Kashmir. Though there’s a visible decline in terror attacks in the Kashmir valley, the security forces must maintain a high level of vigil and readiness. Reviewing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for counter-terror operations is a critical aspect of adapting to evolving threats and ensuring the effectiveness of security forces. It’s essential to assess the prevailing operational tactics and strategies employed by terrorists and make necessary adjustments to counter them effectively.

Krishan Kant Sood, Nangal

Situation not so rosy

Apropos of ‘Anantnag ambush’, the killing of two Army officers and a police officer in Kashmir and a simultaneous encounter at Rajouri in Jammu, in which two militants were killed, are stark reminders that despite periods of relative calm and normalcy, the situation is not so rosy in the region. Two attacks within five weeks in the same area suggest that there is an uptick in militant activity in the Valley. Security remains a paramount concern in J&K, given its history of militancy. Attacks like the one in Anantnag underscore the need for creating a secure environment for conducting elections.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Ban all news anchors

Refer to ‘Opposition bloc to shun 14 news anchors’; if all news anchors are banned, it will be so much better for our society. With the arrival of AI-generated avatars, one is not even sure if the anchors are real or fake. Detecting disinformation is becoming increasingly difficult. While expressing their opinions, anchors should strive to maintain journalistic integrity. The volume or intensity of speech does not inherently determine the truth or accuracy of a statement or argument. Political debates and discussions are vital, but sadly we are living in a time when civility in speech has become rare.

HN Ramakrishna, Bengaluru

Special session

Apropos of ‘Govt lists agenda for session: Debate on Parl journey’; it seems that the intention of the BJP government at the Centre is to change the country’s name to Bharat. It is strange that the BJP has developed so much hatred for the word ‘India’ that it does not want it to be seen anywhere. PM Modi himself used the term ‘India’ in various government programmes and initiatives, such as ‘Fit India’, ‘Make in India’, ‘Stand-Up India’ and ‘Digital India’. In case of name change, the government will again have go in for demonetisation as all currency notes and coins have ‘Reserve Bank of India’ written on them.

Vidwan Singh Soni, Patiala

G20 enhanced PM’s stature

Apropos of ‘PM, nation basking in G20 glory’; the resounding success of the G20 summit has certainly enhanced the stature of India and the PM. This comes close on the heels of ISRO’s two successful missions — Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1. Since these landmark achievements have materialised under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP will benefit in the forthcoming elections. The G20 summit drew accolades from everyone, especially the heads of member nations. The most difficult part of the summit was to reach a consensus on the Delhi Declaration. However, even this task was accomplished by the PM and his team with aplomb.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal

Follow rules strictly

Refer to ‘Responsible lending’; the Fair Practices Code needs to be followed strictly. In case of a business entity, the time period of 30 days for returning the original documents related to movable and immovable property is too long. It should be reduced to seven days — and to 15 days in case the documents are to be returned to legal heirs. The introduction of a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day beyond the stipulated time will act as a deterrent against unwarranted delay. The RBI direction of supplying a copy of the loan documents to borrowers at the time of execution is not being followed by all banks. Evergreening of loans should be stopped to prevent an economic catastrophe.

Bhushan Dev Singla, Bathinda

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@tribunemail.com