Communal angle

Apropos of ‘Gurugram namaz’, although the Constitution declares India as a secular and democratic republic, in recent years secular credentials have become suspect in the eyes of the world, particularly Muslim world. Even minor communal issues like Gurugram namaz need to be handled carefully. No doubt, using public space for religious affairs is a debatable issue, but it is likely to assume a communal hue. With BJP’s Hindutva agenda in the air, these minor incidents get magnified. If justice, social security and gainful employment could be provided in this very world by man-made institutions, it would be possible to wean people away from dogma, and even religion. But these targets are a far cry in India, at least at this juncture.

Beant Singh Bedi, Mohali

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Congress infighting

Refer to ‘Discord in Punjab Cong’; it is unfortunate that infighting has divided the party. There appears no ray of hope for any compromise in the near future because of the haughty attitude of PPCC chief Navjot Sidhu. To revive the glory of the party, it is necessary that the CM and PPCC chief should work together, failing which the CM will not be able to deliver in the true sense. Sidhu is not a good team player and neither has he proved to be a good politician who is always at the service of people. He cannot be trusted in political circles. Sonia Gandhi should sort out the issue. Instead of making the CM shuttle from Chandigarh to Delhi, he should be given a free hand to attend to the state’s duties.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, Ropar

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Irresponsible behaviour

With reference to the severe AQI in Delhi and other cities, this is a matter of worry how educated masses fail to consider the consequences of bursting crackers. Why do we lighten our houses when we are not enlightened ourselves? People are ready to blame the government for everything but they never rationalise their own deeds. Pollution caused by transport and commercial activities is mostly unavoidable, but bursting crackers is the biggest folly one can do in the current scenario.

Laxmita Miglani, Kaithal

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Bursting at seams

People gasped for breath as the AQI crossed the hazardous level at many places, besides birds and animals were terrified as the SC order on firecrackers was defied with impunity. Though crackers added to the mood and festivities, it acquired a vulgar display of affluence to the detriment and distress of others. Environment friendly and reusable electronic crackers are a better alternative. Despite ‘Supreme’ diktats, rampant mob hooliganism, disruption of public utility services, and even violence and damage to property, in the name of protest, continue as a bane of our electoral democracy.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Carbon emissions

Refer to ‘Chasing mirage of net-zero carbon emissions’; the net-zero stage is reached when addition of GHGs into the environment due to the burning of fossil fuels/hydrocarbons and other activities is neutralised by the absorption of an equivalent amount of GHGs by forests, crops, carbon dioxide sinks and nascent technologies of GHG sequestering. Calculation of GHG additions is comparatively easy but calculation of absorption of GHGs is cumbersome and fraught with inaccuracies. The World Energy Outlook 2021 document prepared by the International Energy Agency revolves around the concept of net zero, but it does not describe the procedure to calculate the amount of GHGs being added and absorbed by various sources. The better way to fight climate change would be to fix the targets of phasing out thermal power plants and limiting the use of crude oil and cooking gas on annual basis for top 20 countries that make use of 60% of crude oil and 89% of coal. China alone uses 53% of the total annual output of coal.

RN Malik, Gurugram

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Relevance of Sanskrit

Apropos of ‘The many uses of abuses’, I am presenting a Sanskrit sentence to repudiate the assertion that there are no abuses in Sanskrit: ‘Bho shatha, ihaagachchh’ (you depraved one, come here). There are many such words in Sanskrit that are classified as abuses, such as ‘chandaal’, ‘dhoort’, ‘paapishth’, ‘naraadham’ etc. Many languages, much younger to Sanskrit, have become dysfunctional whereas Sanskrit has not waned to that degree. It is still used in our religious rituals with devotion. There are many proverbs and idioms in Sanskrit that are used in their original form in Hindi and other Indian languages. Every language has its own character and flavour. We ought not to compare one with another.

LR Sharma, Sundernagar

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