Hurdle in expressway

Reference to the move by some farm bodies to oppose the acquisition of land for the Delhi-Katra expressway passing through Punjab is ill-timed and short-sighted. The proposed expressway is likely to boost religious tourism as it connects with Amritsar and Kartarpur Sahib. Besides cutting travel time, transport, trade, hotel and agriculture will benefit a lot from it. Those opposing the expressway are robbing the public of travel convenience and employment avenues, besides revenue gains to the government treasury.

Anita Wahi, Kapurthala

Mockery of ‘Jai Jawan’

Apropos of ‘30 yrs after Army officer’s death, wife awaits pension’, it is a matter of shame for the authorities in the Defence Accounts Department that Kanta Katoch has been waiting for the release of pensionary benefits, despite court orders and directions by the Centre. This attitude is tantamount to cruelty of the worst order towards a female senior citizen related to a defence officer. Perpetrators of such crimes should not forget that their family members may have to face such situations in future. Even the attitude of PNB officials at Ludhiana and DPDO at Chandigarh warrants condemnation. Such acts of officials should be construed as major misconduct and entries to that effect should be reflected in their ACR.

Upendra Sharma, by mail

CAA significance

Apropos of ‘Another temple bites the dust in Pakistan’; the rampant discrimination and human rights violations against religious minorities in Pakistan need no elaboration. The dismal state of these minorities is attested by the fact that their numbers have only dwindled since the Partition. Temple desecration is only one of the many ways in which their religious freedom has been undermined in the Islamic State. Rapes, murders and forced conversions are regular occurrences. It is for these reasons that these minorities are seeking haven in India. The demolition of the Krishna Dwara temple should be a wake-up call for the so-called secularists and liberals who deem the CAA ‘anti-Muslim’, when in reality its objective is to protect these religious minorities whose rights have been trampled upon for decades.

Nissim Aggarwal, Chandigarh

Judicial officers

Apropos ‘BCI wants three years practice must for aspiring judicial officers’, the BCI has rightly stated that a majority of judicial officers not having practical experience at the Bar are found incapable, inept, impolite and impractical in their behaviour. A majority of fresh law graduates selected through judicial services exam and appointed in lower/subordinate courts without any practical experience at the Bar, fail to handle cases efficiently, effectively and skillfully which results into inordinate delay.

Madan Lal Sharma, by mail

Responsibility to state

A chief minister should not overlook his responsibility to the state (‘Khattar’s mahapanchayat venue ransacked’). Rather than seeing the writing on the wall, the Haryana CM vaguely blames it on the Congress, the communists and a farmers’ organisation, against whose head a police case has also been registered. The CM, in vibrant federalism, is not expected to ignore the interests of his state to simply please the rulers at the Centre, viewing them as his masters. He is expected to have courage to assess the ground situation and report the same to the Centre. The CM’s utterings, besides provoking the peaceful agitators, will undermine the office of the CM and may further add to the arrogance of the Centre, intent on imposing the contentious laws rejected by the real stakeholders.

HL Sharma, Amritsar

SC bats for farmers

When delayed and biased court proceedings have almost become the hallmark of the present-day judicial system in the country, the Supreme Court in its hearing on farmers’ protest has come up with a human heart, showing great concern about the safety and wellbeing of the protesting farmers and asking the government to put on hold the implementation of the three farm laws or the court will do it. It is rightly pointed by the SC that it is better to constitute a high-level committee to listen to the grievances of the agitating farmers.

SS Verma, Longowal

Fire at govt hospital

Every now and then, the government indicts private hospitals for their lapses and exorbitant charges without setting its own house in order. The gruesome fire incident which killed at least 10 infants at a government hospital in Maharashtra is shocking (‘Ghastly hospital fires’). The accident has exposed the chinks in the safety measures in government hospitals. All hospitals, hotels, theatres, institutes, malls and skyscrapers of the country should be periodically audited for fire safety measures. It seems that there is no accountability in government buildings.

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

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