Eternal homage

Refer to ‘The Indian soldier’s spirit remains eternal’, the government has rightly merged the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the adjoining NWM in recognition of the Fallen Soldier. Anybody visiting the memorial can spend two minutes in silent homage there. This acknowledgement of sacrifice and the laying down of lives by the soldiers in the defence of their country is beyond political considerations and controversies. The walls of the memorial would resonate with this immortal couplet: ‘Shaheedon ki chitayon par lagenge har baras mele, watan par marne walon ka yahi baki nishan hoga.’ We all salute them.

Gurpreet Singh, Mohali

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Restore the flame

The Amar Jawan Jyoti is extinguished and the symbol of unknown soldiers — a helmet and an SLR rifle — will be removed from the canopy to make way for Netaji’s statue. This will be a national insult. Netaji’s statue can be installed at the NWM. The symbol of ‘unknown soldiers’ represents martyred soldiers, who are not less revered than Netaji. Who says that the Jyoti was never a national war memorial? If that be so, why were the PMs and Presidents going there and bowing their heads? The best solution is to extend the NWM to the India Gate War Memorial. Let the eternal flame be restored.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

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Celebrating Constitution

This Republic Day, we must stand together to celebrate our Constitution and resolve to be active participants and adopt the significance of the Constitution. The Preamble, fundamental rights and directive principles provide identity to us. We must introspect whether the people, for whom the Constitution was written, are playing their part towards achieving its goals in the field of social, economic and political justice, liberty of thought, expression and belief. Strive towards peace, research, controlling price rise and generating employment, rather than unfurling the National Flag and giving vague hopes to the citizens during political address.

Harpreet Sandhu, Ludhiana

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Why toll exemption?

The exemption of toll tax to a certain VIP class is irrelevant. With FASTag mandatory, it is advisable to treat everyone on a par with the common public. No exemption should be given to a VIP of any segment. It will lead to the reduction of toll tax for ordinary people, which is high. Revenue will increase and a positive message will go out to the general public.

Arun Kumar Jain, Ludhiana

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Indira Gandhi’s role

Apropos of ‘Valuable collection on war that reshaped South Asia’, in a democratic system, the real power rests with political leaders elected by the people. Indira Gandhi was thought of as ‘goongi gudia’, but soon after, she proved her mettle, as the ‘only man in the Cabinet’ and ‘Goddess Durga’. The review does not mention, inadvertently perhaps, her significant role in the 1971 War. She was instrumental in dismembering our belligerent neighbour, Pakistan, and scripted new history and geography by creating Bangladesh. No doubt, the credit for victory goes to the supreme sacrifices by our armed forces, but all this could not have been possible if Indira did not stand like a rock, considering a threat from the US, which had moved its nuclear ship towards Indian waters.

BM SINGH, AMRITSAR

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Beauty with brains

The nostalgic middle, ‘The picture-perfect girlfriend’ warmed the cockles of old-timers’ heart. The Bette Davis of India, Leela Chitnis, was a heart-throb. The ultimate combination of beauty and brains endowed her with a rare elegance. She essayed her roles with aplomb. Even in the era of theatrical acting and histrionics of Sohrab Modi and Prithviraj Kapoor, she acted naturally. When I met the legendary Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz in Kohat (NWFP), he ruefully told me, ‘Leela Chitnis se milne ki aas naaqis rah gayee’ (the wish to meet Leela Chitnis remained unfulfilled). When she shuffled off the mortal coil in 2003, an Urdu film critic wrote in a Pakistani daily, ‘Leela Chitnis ka namkeen jaadoo theatre se nikalne ke baad bhi taveel arse tak dilo-dimaagh pe taari rahta tha’ (The sultry mojo of Leela Chitnis stayed for a long time with cine-goers even after coming out of the theatre).

Sumit Paul, Pune

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Golden era of cinema

‘The picture-perfect girlfriend' takes one to the lanes of Rawalpindi in the early 1940s, the then camaraderie in the British India army, and the threshold of the ushering in of the golden era of Indian cinema. Remembering such events as the love affair of the legendary Devika Rani and Russian painter Roerich, the first Indian Lux face of the almost-forgotten legend Leela Chitnis, describes appreciably the range of the flight of the imagination of the writer. The story has been woven in golden brocade and is as impressive as the stories of Chekhov and Tagore.

Surinderjit s sandhu, Amritsar

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