Corruption in judiciary

Apropos of the editorial ‘Criminal contempt of court’ (Aug 3), corruption is rampant in all departments in the country and those dealing with the public are more corrupt than others. Defence and judiciary are considered to be less corrupt because of internal checks. Judiciary has recommended that its functioning be kept out of the ambit of the RTI. According to the Transparency International, judicial corruption in India is attributable to factors like delays in the disposal of cases, shortage of judges and complex judicial procedures. Impeachment procedure of corrupt judges is very complex and time-consuming; whistleblowers fearing invocation of contempt of court is another factor. In a democracy, ‘we the people’ have the power to elect governing bodies of our choice, and should also have the right to transparency in functioning of the government, including the judiciary.

Advertisement

COL KULDIP S GREWAL (RETD), PATIALA

Judicial accountability

Apropos of the editorial ‘Criminal contempt of court’, the SC’s contempt of court against senior lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan is based on the assumption that the courts can never be wrong. It has been recognised by jurists that each time the offence of ‘scandalising’ the court or lowering the court’s authority is invoked, some tend to believe that the court has something to hide. Contempt of court is more and more an anachronism in a democracy — it has been circumscribed and rejected in the US and the UK. It is time to usher in judicial accountability.

SS Paul, Nadia

Cheap politics

The death of over a hundred persons due to spurious liquor in Punjab is a painful tragedy, especially for the near and dear ones of the victims. But the politics over the whole affair leaves a bad taste. Weren’t the panchayats and villagers, who are now demonstrating outside the police stations and hospitals, aware of the goings on? When the government is giving a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the families of martyrs, an MLA has demanded Rs 1 crore for the families of hooch victims. What a cheap way to score political brownie points. Rather than politics, it is time for introspection for politicians, the police and the public to avoid such gruesome tragedies in future.

Lt Col Harbinder Singh (Retd), Patiala

Spurious liquor

Reference to spurious liquor killing over 100 people in Punjab; the news is shocking and calls for a serious debate on the prevailing law and order situation in Punjab. To lose a breadwinner is unfortunate. Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. Bootlegging has been going on in Punjab under the very nose of the powers that be. No serious efforts have ever been made to contain this malady. The government should devise ways to avoid the recurrence of such incidents.

Santosh Jamwal, Hamirpur

Can’t do away with exams

Refer to the NEP; I have observed that the major trouble with the reformists is that they hate exams. They cite exam pressure and the weight of books children carry as two major reasons to play with the education system. What they do not understand is that if you teach well and students take interest in studies, there is no such pressure. Exams are a very important component of education as it tests the ability and capability of a student. The crux of the problem is poor teaching and learning environment in classrooms, especially in government schools. No amount of structural changes will be able to improve learning unless we recognise the facts for what they are.

DS Hooda, Rohtak

Not the end of world

It is really shocking to learn that on an average, Ludhiana saw one suicide per day during the lockdown. It might be the story of other cities across the country. The bitter truth is that lockdown has snatched the ways and means of livelihood of a majority of the people, which is an immediate cause of depression during this phase. But we must realise that it is a temporary phase and it will abate soon. Birbal rightly said to Akbar, ‘Yeh waqt bhi guzar jayega.’ So, we must not lose hope and try to adopt a positive attitude. It is a precious gift by God. Spend time with your family and share your feelings with others.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Misleading claims

The middle ‘The twilight zone of reason’ is praiseworthy. Big claims by babas and illiterate people will go on unless people develop a scientific temper. These claims should be scrutinised before they are aired because a majority of the people, being illiterate, try to find quick and cheaper treatment. Most channels are showing such miraculous treatment of all diseases just for TRPs. The media should be more responsible.

RC Garg, KotKapura

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