China unpredictable

Apropos of ‘India rejects K-reference by China, Pak’ (Aug 23), it is unfortunate that China has been playing a dubious role. It is ill-treating Uighur Muslims. Except Pakistan, many countries, including Islamic nations, have condemned China. With more than 90 per cent Han community, it has an expansionist attitude, and in the garb of communism, is spreading its wings to other places of the world. India knows how it backstabbed Nehru who was amicable to China.

Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

PSPCL in a bind

PSPCL is facing a financial crunch in serving consumers and is sometimes unable to release the salary and pension of employees and retirees. A major reason for this is that the subsidy amount toward free electricity to the agriculture sector is not being released timely by the government. Besides, heavy amount is pending towards the state department and the police, which has been brought out by The Tribune a number of times. Recently, PSPCL employees were thrashed while checking power theft at the Barnala police station. It is shameful (Cops ‘thrash’ JE, PSPCL fines station for ‘power theft’, Aug 23). Why does the government not provide timely funds for electricity payment to each department, including the police and water supply department that consume a vast amount of electricity for pumping?

OP GARG, PATIALA

English phobia

Refer to ‘Treat English as a native language, not a colonial imposition’ (Aug 23); English phobia in the current context is not good for the nation. Burdening the people of South and Eastern India with three languages is unfair and biased. The three-language formula was never implemented with conviction in the Hindi heartland. No language in history has dominated the world, and certainly in the world of science, quite like English does. Almost 400 million people speak it as their first language; a billion more know it as a secondary language. It is an official language in at least 59 countries. English is going to remain the principal language of the Internet and technology for many years to come. There is nothing colonial about English. Indian English and Indian authors have won the Nobel prize.

HN Ramakrishna, Bengaluru

Mother tongue vital too

Knowing more languages is like crossing more bridges safely, and, not coming across barriers. English language has come to stay as a great language of the human race, with varying degrees of working knowledge for communication. Its adaptability from other sources like French, Latin, Greek, German etc, has made it easily acceptable and popular everywhere. English has over a million words, and, the next close, Chinese, nearly half of it. All Indian languages, including Hindi, have not crossed the 2 lakh figure individually. At the same time, it is a fact that mother tongue helps create spontaneous friendships. NEP did the right thing in promoting the local language up to class V as compulsory.

SUDERSHAN WALIA, Amritsar

Language of opportunities

Being a global language, English should not be meted out step-motherly treatment on one excuse or the other. At a time when India wants to compete with other countries and dreams to be at the forefront of all progressive movements, neglecting English language will not do. English is not only an official language of the UN but also 53 countries. It gives an edge to students and is a passport to get admission to an educational institute of repute and choice for higher studies. English should be made compulsory at every level till the final year of graduation. Being a language of job, opportunities, Internet and media, it deserves a prime position in NEP.

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

BPL criteria

Refer to ‘Differently abled man not on IRDP list’; why doesn’t the state government conduct an inquiry against the alleged gram panchayats? Why isn’t the selection process of BPL persons transparent? If the government survey team visits the house of the people, how do rich people enter the BPL or IRDP lists? There is a need to amend the selection procedure for BPL persons, making it more and more transparent.

Ritish Pandit, Dehra Gopipur

Not in sports spirit

Refer to the editorial ‘Sports awards need overhaul’ (Aug 24); this year’s sports awards were too controversial. Despite a new selection committee being formed, the fault lies in the system. A very large number of individuals were nominated for the awards. No Arjuna Award has been given to a chess player since 2013. What is the selection committee up to? Rather than provide awards that politicise sports, the government should provide jobs and funds to sportspersons.

Amitoj Kaur, Patiala

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