Learning from Mulayam

Refer to ‘The somersault king’; many a time, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s survival tactics in politics diluted his socialist origin and disappointed his allies. Yet, this is also a fact that there was a time in national politics when the country’s most respectable leaders, like Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Chaudhary Charan Singh, admired him as a firm supporter of communal harmony and social justice in UP. He was a bold mass leader of the rural poor, backward castes and minorities. He belonged to the Yadav clan, but he won reliable friends and colleagues among Kurmis, Rajputs and Brahmins. He was accessible and helpful towards his party workers as well as leaders and cadres of his allies, including the Left parties of UP. As the defence minister, he ensured that martyrs’ bodies were carried with dignity to their native villages for the last rites. Today’s leaders can learn a lot from his achievements as well as his failures.

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RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

Leader of masses

In the year 1996, my regiment was at Babina and we were conducting the annual field firing at the firing ranges there. We were told that the then Raksha Mantri, Mulayam Singh Yadav, would be visiting us at the ranges. The next day, he visited us. Everyone in the regiment was there to have tea with him. He enjoyed a hearty conversation with the JCOs and jawans, and was seen hugging them. By the time he left, the troops were in a higher state of morale. Mulayam Yadav was indeed a leader of the masses.

Col VK Sharma (retd), by mail

WHO alert

Reference to ‘Regulatory clean-up’; after the Gambian tragedy and WHO’s alert, a rigorous drug testing regulatory regime has become imperative to ensure that India’s pharma industry remains globally competitive. Though the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has now started investigations, it should have taken strict action when some Indian children’s deaths were reported due to the use of spurious cough syrup. Heavy deterrent penalties could have nudged offenders to reform. Due to this criminal negligence, too many children and their families have paid a heavy price, and Indian pharma’s global reputation, once again — after Ranbaxy — is at risk. If a drug fails quality test in one state, the obvious thing to do is to suspend the manufacturing licence. Maiden Pharmaceuticals escaped such punishment. Due to regulatory failures, a problematic company and a dangerous contaminant escaped the attention of drug controllers. It is unfortunate.

SK SINGH, by mail

Playing with fire

Apropos of ‘Hopes belied, again’; people of Punjab are now used to the problem of stubble burning. The government cannot spare funds to tackle this menace, even though millions are approved for farmers as loan waivers every year. The AAP government is fulfilling many poll promises, like 300 free units of electricity per month and job regularisation, but it, too, has failed to deal with this issue. All stakeholders should prioritise finding a solution to this problem. Otherwise, that day is not far when every second person would be suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems.

Kushagar Bansal, by mail

Leave religion alone

It was disheartening to see the high-voltage drama enacted by Sikh religious leaders by felicitating the Haryana CM at Nada Sahib gurdwara. Religious places are meant for purely devotional purposes and not to further narrow political interests to hold control of gurdwaras. They call themselves ‘param sewaks’, but often this trait is absent. The Chief Minister should keep equidistance from all religions. His address was loaded with petty party politics about the management of gurdwaras, which should be wisely left to the Sikh community.

BAKHSHI GURPRIT SINGH, JALANDHAR

Why split celebrations?

The IAF celebrations have just ended, but why did we have split celebrations? The Air Force Day parade was held at the IAF station, Chandigarh, at 9 am, but the air display was scheduled for late afternoon at the Sukhna Lake, which has no relevance to the Air Force. Aircraft from eight air bases were flown in for the airshow. Late afternoon was too close to dusk for the safe return of the aircraft to their bases. All celebrations should have been held at the IAF station itself, and that too in the morning. A static display of aircraft, missiles, radar systems, etc., with an air warrior stationed there to disseminate information and answer queries should have been arranged for the public.

WG CDR CL SEHGAL (RETD), JALANDHAR

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