Call all-party meeting

REFER to ‘Crowd without a leader’ (Nous Indica, December 21); spontaneous movements are often led by common people themselves. In a democratic country, the rulers ought to hear the voice of the people. But violence of all types must be condemned as it does not provide permanent solution to any national problem. To create an amicable atmosphere, the PM should invite the opposition leaders to an all-party meeting and seek their suggestions and views on matters of national importance, like the CAA and NRC. Fears and apprehensions ought to be removed. Politicians must show courage to think beyond their party interests, and address more serious problems, like the slowing down of economy and unemployment.

RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

Our own enemy

‘Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,’ these words by Yeats aptly depict the devastating reign of terror in the wake of the citizenship Act. Frenzied mobs are ruling the roost; devastating and killing at will. As ever, our police force proves to be ill-equipped and ill-trained to handle mob violence. Unfortunately, opposition parties are grabbing it as a golden opportunity to destabilise the government. We don’t need Pakistan or China to annihilate us, our own people will do it. The government is also responsible for this ruination. Protesters’ fears may turn out to be unfounded, but the haste in which the new Act was implemented is bound to raise doubts. It is better to withdraw the Act for the time being and bring it on the floor of the House for discussion, and implement it after wide coverage of its advantages.

Deepak Kaushik, by mail

Deadly tool

The existence of subscribers to the argument that creation of Pakistan should have involved the complete transfer of minorities from both countries cannot be undone (‘Crowd without a leader’; Nous Indica, December 21). There is no way to ‘redo’ Partition. Why the CCA and talk of a pan-India NRC exercise then? This is just to use these as tools to polarise Hindu voters in BJP’s favour by spreading mistrust and hatred. An agitation without a leader is a positive sign that indicates that the public has its own opinion which cannot be ignored.

HL Sharma, Amritsar

What about duties?

Law-enforcing authorities are damned if they do it and damned if they don’t (editorial ‘Digital clampdown’, December 21). If the situation goes out of hand anywhere, media will cry hoarse that the authorities have not been able to control the situation. Who is to decide whether the steps taken are disproportionate? It can, at best, be subjective. We are all vociferous about our rights like freedom of speech and protest enshrined in the Constitution, but does the same Constitution not speak of our duties?

Kastinder Johar, Palampur

CAA will help many

The CAA has nothing to do with religious discrimination. It will help minorities who faced persecution in neighbouring countries to settle down in India. No human rights establishments, UN, or country tried to address their grievances. The affected minorities will get some relief from the CAA. The right to protest should not be used to create anarchy. Destroying public and private property is unacceptable. There is need to understand the Act properly.

Karan Singh Vinayak, Chandigarh

More appointments

Punjab is reeling under financial crisis and salaries and other benefits are not being paid to employees on time (‘Cash-strapped Punjab clears 80 political appointments’, December 21). Appointments of many advisers and chairpersons of departments and corporations reflect poorly on the efficiency of the government. They will prove to be a parasite on the coffers. It is prudent to be selective regarding such appointments.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, Ropar

Shelter from cold

Refer to ‘Authorities blind to plight of pavement dwellers’ (December 14); the condition of the labour class and street vendors who have been left in the cold is a blot on the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB), which spent several lakhs of public money on extravagant display in the name of Gita Mahotsava, without caring to spend money for improving the condition of the existing night shelter. This is criminal neglect of the poorer section of society. The KDB is claiming that business worth crores was conducted at the craft and SARAS fair, and several lakh would have been earned in the form of GST. This money can best be utilised to repair and clean the night shelter, and also to construct a shelter near Sannehit Sarovar. It shall give solace to the soul of Gulzarilal Nanda, who changed the fate of Kurukshetra, and who was the benefactor of the labour class.

HS SINHA, Kurukshetra

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