LAC misadventure

The tragic death of our 20 men at the LAC is indicative of the failure of command and communication at all levels. At the top political level, the PM chose to remain silent and the Defence Minister used soft words. Chinese appreciated their ‘strategic silence’ and ‘choice of words’. Diplomatic corps under External Affairs Minister Jaishankar did not share with military commanders the complete details of interactions with their Chinese counterparts. Jaishankar is lonely at the top. There is no one in the Cabinet with the necessary security heft to advise him. It is a general practice for troops in contact to keep on improving their defensive positions by occupying areas which offer them tactical advantage. No clear orders seem to have been issued to them in this regard. CDS has only disrupted the military command for the worse at the top. It is indeed ludicrous to see him displaying Army No. 1 on his star plate. It is General Naravane who is No. 1 in the Army. Participative decision-making at the top and unequivocal communications of orders down the chain of command are the need of the hour.

Lt Col GS Bedi (Retd), Mohali

Condemn China globally

It is high time that our top brass came up with a strategy to end the LAC logjam. Dialogue is the only solution: we have witnessed it during the 2017 Doklam standoff. It takes huge resources, will power and hard work before a soldier comes into being. Their sacrifices can never be paid back. China has always put dialogue as second priority. It should be condemned globally for this and all countries must come together to defuse tensions.

DEEPINDER KAUR, PATIALA

Rising fuel prices

Apropos of the editorial ‘At public expense’ (June 17), what an irony that as crude oil prices are at a historic low in the international market, the petrol and diesel prices have been hiked consecutively for 11 days, touching the highest level in over a year. The moment crude oil prices surge, the same are immediately implemented in India. But now, when the prices have gone down drastically, this benefit is not being given to the consumers who are already physically, mentally and financially affected due to Covid-19. Why these double standards? The government should think of the welfare of the masses also.

NK Gosain, Bathinda

Revisiting exams

If in this emergency, the CBSE, CISCE or state boards cannot cancel exams suo motu, there is something wrong with our education and exam system (‘Looking beyond exams’). Class X and XII students are fighting a mental battle regarding an uncertain future created by the government. Courts are taking too long to decide the petition filed by parents and organisations. At this juncture, the PMO or HRD Ministry should step in and take a decision in the best interests of the students. Students are mentally fatigued, anxious, stressed, and their parents, too.

Vikramjit Singh Gill, Muktsar

Strengthen rural economy

Reference to the June 16 article ‘Lessons for Yogi from Gandhi and Lee’; Yogi’s wishful utterances amid Covid blues that he does not want UP residents to migrate in future may turn out to be a mirage for the migrant labour back home. UP’s growth has been less than the national GDP numbers. Its people’s aspirations for economic freedom are yet to be fulfilled as the politics of Babri Masjid and Ram Mandir have put development issues on the backburner for years together. The sordid politics of power could never appreciate the strength of Gandhian economic philosophy which visualised development of villages as a unit. The immediate need of the hour is to plan for strengthening rural economy by engaging the employable ones in intensive and allied agricultural activities. Formation of workers’ and small farmers’ cooperatives with support from the state government can replicate the model of Amul Dairy not only in UP, but also in other states.

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana

Picture says it all

Refer to ‘When a picture is worth a thousand woes’ (June 17); the emotive response the pictures generate denotes our collective concern, distress, agony, anger, fear or expectations in life. Sometimes these pictures of people or of events become catalysts for large movements, bringing about a social, political or economic change. Writers also get inspired to depict and generalise the sufferings or woes of humanity through an individual’s predicaments.

Abhimanyu Malik, Jind

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