Issue unresolved

Apropos of ‘End of protest’, it is a great relief to the entire nation, and more so to the farmers who are heading home with a sense of victory and satisfaction. A peaceful protest with conviction for a just stand has been vindicated. But the task is not yet over, neither for the government nor the kisan unions. Politics and other extraneous considerations apart, the fact is that the farmers need a better deal to make agriculture more profitable and remunerative, breaking the vicious circle of indebtedness, exploitation and frustration. Is government protection and MSP a panacea for all? How can it be supported, and at what cost? How can marketing be made more organised digitally and exploitation free? How can the displaced population be accommodated in other sectors with a definite time frame for alternative employment? The government, domain experts, various stakeholders and the intended beneficiaries need to be willing partners in the reform process.

GP CAPT JS BOPARAI (RETD), BHADSALI

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Free to choose, eat

Refer to ‘Food choices sacred’; the Gujarat HC has taken the Ahmedabad MC to task for its drive against street carts selling non-vegetarian food, asking how people can be stopped from eating what they want. The virus of intolerance has also travelled to Karnataka, where seers of various mutts have protested the state government’s decision to introduce eggs in the midday meals served to schoolchildren in the backward districts of Kalyana-Karnataka and Vijaypura. They have threatened to launch a stir if the government refuses to withdraw the order. This is how the liberty of thought and belief granted to the citizens is being eroded. Where is India headed?

Beant Singh Bedi, Mohali

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Generate revenue

With the Assembly elections in Punjab nearing, all political parties are offering freebies to woo the voters. Everybody knows that Punjab is under heavy debt and unable to afford freebies. No party is coming up with a concrete programme to increase the revenue of the state. If the revenue increases, all problems relating to higher prices, unemployment, poor education, medical facilities, etc., shall be resolved; no one shall need anything for free. We need a solid blueprint to raise the state’s revenues. Any party?

SS Bhathal, Ludhiana

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Anything but equal

With reference to the article ‘As unequal as 70 years ago’; it is sad that the bottom 50 per cent of India earns the same as what the poorest 50 per cent of the US earned in 1932 after the Great Depression. Why could no single government in India make a positive difference in inequality among the citizens? The rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer.

Ritish Pandit, Sunhet

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Gurdaspur’s history

Apropos of ‘China, Pak want to keep J-K border relevant’, I have written a book on the history of Gurdaspur, and would like to add that Maharaja Hari Singh, at the time when Pakistan and India were declared separate nations, was given the choice of joining his state with either of the two. He had expressed concern that he could not join India as there was no territorial link with the country since Gurdaspur district bordering J&K had been give to Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten was annoyed and remarked that it could not be altered as Radcliffe had returned to England after announcing the details of the Partition. But he did feel that Maharaja Hari Singh was right. He, thereafter, ensured that Gurdaspur was given to India. An announcement in this regard was made on August 18, 1947. After Gurdaspur was allotted to India, Jinnah was furious and said he would never allow Mountbatten to enter Pakistan. Thus, Gurdaspur district remained with Pakistan for three days.

Lt Col MS Behl (retd), Zirakpur

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Too many dropouts

It is shocking that the closure of schools due to the pandemic has affected a whopping 320 million students. What is more surprising is that out of them, 158 million are girls. The education of girls, which remains a contentious issue in rural India, has suffered another setback. It is true that sons will be given preference to access online classes and the girls will get residual time, if any. Whatever we have achieved with regard to the education of women over the past few years will turn to nothing if some concrete and quick action is not initiated. Otherwise too, the data of school dropouts in the current year as compared to the previous one is disturbing. This trend needs to be checked at the earliest for the betterment of our education system. Already we are spending too little on education.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

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