Justice must be seen to be done

With reference to ‘When power seeks to rewrite justice’; the writer has awakened us to the need for striking a balance between a criminal-centric justice system and justice dispensation to the victim. Seeking the burial of a case involving a heinous crime amounts to gross wastage of legal resources deployed over a decade, consequent erosion of faith in the rule of law and alienation of minority communities. Instead of closure, such a move will open a Pandora’s box. I am reminded of the dictum by Lord Gordon Hewart: Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.

Madhuri Sharma, Pennsylvania (US)

Rule of jungle should not prevail

Refer to ‘When power seeks to rewrite justice’; the Uttar Pradesh government's bid to withdraw from prosecution in Mohammad Akhlaq lynching case is by no stretch of imagination in public interest. It is enjoined upon the prosecutor and the trial court to allow withdrawal only after applying their mind and law independently and after giving the complainant an opportunity of being heard. The need of the hour is to treat every victim with dignity and not on the basis of political considerations or convenience. Otherwise, the rule of the jungle will prevail.

MD Sharma, Shimla

Reusing plant waste

Refer to ‘Stubble & the biomass magic bullet’; power generation from plant waste is a win-win situation for farmers, government and the pollution control boards. To encourage the reuse of biomass for power generation, electricity should be heavily subsidised. It will serve two purposes — pollution control and energy generation. At least 200 biomass plants of 10-MW capacity each should be installed by the PSPCL near all its substations and on its spare land. These plants can also use city domestic waste along with biomass. Encouraging such kind of power generation provided to the public on subsidy is better than the revenue loss incurred by giving free power to domestic consumers.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Safeguard livelihoods

Apropos of ‘Exporters’ woes’; shrinking orders and rising costs are generating acute financial stress for thousands of MSMEs and workers dependent on US demand. The RBI’s relief package — a four-month moratorium on loan repayments and an extension of export credit to 450 days — is a welcome step aligned with the ‘needonomics’ mandate. The temporary relief must be complemented by strategic efforts to diversify markets, upgrade technology and strengthen trade diplomacy to counter unilateral tariff actions. We need a resilient, ethical and need-driven approach to global trade that safeguards livelihoods while enhancing India’s long-term competitiveness.

MM Goel, Kurukshetra

Ideological leanings dangerous

Apropos of ‘Delhi suicide bomber glorifies act in video found in his phone recovered from brother’; the unravelling of an extensive terror plot has brought forth strong ideological underpinnings, which is what makes it so dangerous. Institutions which cradle such ideologies need to be thoroughly investigated and audited. Tentacles of a tightly knit sleeper cell network may run much wider and deeper, and its full extent and scope needs to be unearthed. The sources of funding such networks through hawala and crypto transactions, which apparently have roots in foreign soil, need to be plugged. There is no place for radicals and their sympathisers in our progressive, pluralistic democracy.

Chander Shekhar Dogra, Jalandhar

Upgrade laws to fight AI misuse

AI deepfakes have become a serious threat to online safety. They appear so realistic and easy to create that even ordinary people fear their photos or videos being misused. Families are often unable to discern the truth, and the emotional harm is severe. Although India has provisions under the BNS and the IT Act, these laws were not designed to tackle advanced AI manipulation. Victims struggle to get quick help or clarity on legal remedies. India needs clearer rules and strict penalties for misuse of AI-generated content.

Karan Kaushal, Patiala