Johnson’s resignation

UK PM Boris Johnson’s resignation was expected after the resignations of two senior ministers of his cabinet. But the interesting thing is a morality tale that has lessons for democracies, how a leader who just over two years led his party to a landslide parliamentary majority, squandered so much political capital so fast. Even the most ardent of Boris Johnson will have to agree that his authority has been severely dented. The message here is that even leaders with mammoth mandates need to be mindful of the fact that the office needs to command at least a measure of respect and authority.

SK Panesar, by mail

Flight safety

‘Ensure flight safety’; it is appalling that SpiceJet had failed to take appropriate corrective actions despite several warnings about deficiencies in its operations. It also reveals the lack of penal action by the regulator, the DGCA. It would be appropriate if the airline curtails operations for a while so that all inadequacies are addressed. With so many mid-air incidents, confidence in air travel is bound to be dented. The regulator needs to be more alert.

SS Paul, Chakdaha

Mid-air turbulence

Apropos of ‘Ensure flight safety’, the show-cause notice to SpiceJet over safety protocols is mere routine stricture passed by the aviation regulator. What matters most is the blatant non-compliance of minimum safety protocols required to be observed before take-off. If Spicejet failed to maintain in-house safety measures, DGCA too has been lagging in its periodic safety audit and inspection exercise leading to series of worrying incidents.

Anil Vinayak, Amritsar

Obnoxious comments

Refer to ‘The growth of the fanatic’, most people of all faiths want harmonious relations with each other, barring some fanatics who are present in every faith. The writer has mentioned many incidents, past and present, from India and abroad, but omits to say even a word about ‘Kaali’ that tends to hurt religious sentiments. If everyone belonging to every faith tries not to pass any comment that may hurt anyone’s religious feelings, India will become a beautiful place to live in.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar

No jobs in Punjab

In Punjab, there is no guarantee of employment even after pursuing higher education which leads to migration of youth to foreign countries like Canada, Australia in search of jobs, and better quality of life. On the other instance, the youth is veering towards drugs and into the trap of gangsters. It is a matter of concern for society.

Konica Deveser, by mail

Police reforms

Apropos of ‘Cops vs cops in Ghaziabad’, how the law enforcement agencies are misused not only to target innocent political adversaries but also to defend the accused involved in an offence of hitting the opposition leader is amply illustrated by the unseemly tussle between the cops of Chhattisgarh and UP over the arrest of a TV anchor on the charge of a misleading or doctored video clip. Rule of law in the real sense of the word can never be enforced in the country till the police are released from the shackles of political parties. Roshan Lal Goel, Ladwa

Accidents on highways

It is reported that 80% deaths on the KMP (Kundli Manesar Palwal) expressway is due to lack of timely medical help. Most road accidents involve truckers. The drivers of trucks and professional cabs become drowsy due to continuous long driving. The highway authorities should make mandatory to provide medical help and ambulance at all toll-plaza roads. The working hours of the drivers should be fixed. For all highway drivers, a card should be issued and this may be inserted in the gadgets installed in the vehicles sending the information in real-time to the authorities concerned. The violators should be dealt with strictly. A law should enacted by the state and Union governments to punish those who ignore the accidents occurred and continue their journey due to fear of police questioning. Road safety needs to be ensured by all means.

Dilwar Ali Meerak, by mail

Northeast insurgency

Many insurgents in Guwahati have surrendered before the Assam Chief Minister this year. Most insurgents are familiar with the terrain having spent years in jungles. The government must play an active role in involving them in activities that help rehabilitate them. Delay in rehabilitation could prove counter-productive and discourage their surrender.

Garv Bhupesh, Panchkul

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