Canadian PM’s comments

The Canadian PM professing solidarity with Punjab farmers smacks of political opportunism. PM Trudeau said that Canada would always defend the right to peaceful protest. It is extremely odd that Trudeau should have chosen a religious event to wade into a domestic matter such as India’s farm reform laws. The reason Trudeau feels compelled to comment on the farmers’ agitation is most likely the sizeable Punjabi community in Canada, many of whose members still have agricultural land back in Punjab and are sympathetic to the farmers’ protests. Trudeau evidently places a higher premium on currying favour with this domestic constituency than on relations with India. India has rightly responded by calling Trudeau’s comments as ‘ill-informed’. But this isn’t the first time that the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has ruffled India’s feathers. His 2018 visit had turned into a fiasco over the Canadian government’s invitation to a Khalistani militant. Justin Trudeau should shun his penchant for letting domestic messaging prevail over key partnerships.

PL Singh, Amritsar

Trivialising foreign policy

If the Canadian PM’s remarks on the farmers’agitation are unwarranted, so was India’s open support to Trump during PM Modi’s visit to the US by coining slogans like “Ab ki baar, Trump sarkar.” Governments should refrain from trivialising their foreign policy while trying to guard their strategic interests.

BPS Kanwal, via mail

Farmers’ protest

Apropos of the news report ‘Talks inconclusive, next round tomorrow.’ The farmers have rejected the Centre’s offer to set up an expert panel as they are adamant on the farm laws being rolled back. The problem is of trust deficit. The PM claimed that the farmers have been misled. But the government should remember that if the farm laws had been good for the farmers, they would have welcomed it. Even the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, owing allegiance to the RSS, was not consulted. The movement is now becoming stronger with leading personalities deciding to return their awards. This government must understand that trust and faith are like a small lamp in the dark forest, which may not light everything, but can assure that the next step is safe.

Capt Amar Jeet Kumar, Mohali

Time to begin a dialogue

Apropos of the editorial ‘Time for fruitful talks;’ farmers protesting against the farm laws in Delhi should not be treated as unwanted guests. Instead of trying to begin a dialogue with the farmers in order to address their worries, many in the ruling party at the Centre and in Haryana have sought to suggest that the agitated farmers are being instigated by the Congress, while the others are even alleging that they are in league with anti-national elements. This is unbecoming of a ruling party when faced with popular dissent. The BJP should realise that Punjab won peace and stability the hard way after a decade lost to turbulence.

EL Singh, via mail

Support for farmers

On the demand for MSP by the agitating farmers, I wish to quote Adam Smith who said, “Businessmen seldom meet to gather, even for merriment, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” This has been rightly quoted by Montek Singh Ahluwalia in his book Backstage. Keeping in view the above fact, the government enacted laws for maximum retail price for factory products and minimum wages for workers. As of now, this class is entering the agriculture market, so the government must ensure minimum support price for all farm products.

Naresh Mohan Johar, Amritsar

Gender bias

Apropos of ‘Gender blindness during Covid’; it is true that women have been equally affected, but the media focus has mostly been on men. It was noticed during the lockdown when women suffered a lot, but it was not taken very seriously. The condition of the migrants who walked back to their villages was tragic but their predicament on the way was completely ignored. It was a tough time for the women who had to brave the ordeal while moving on the road in the scorching heat. The media should change its perspective and highlight the condition of all sections of society.

Subhash Taneja, via mail

Plane crash

Apropos of the news item ‘Six days after MiG-29K crash, pilot still missing’; we recently lost a MiG-29K in the Arabian Sea. Earlier, a Jaguar had crashed at Ambala in June 2018. How long will such tragedies continue? The Rafales cannot carry the entire load of the IAF. HAL engineers need to be given exhaustive training in maintenance and refurbishing foreign-made fighter aircraft.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

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