Nuclear blackmail by Pakistan

Apropos of ‘Collapse of nuclear grammar’; the Pakistan Army Chief has been threatening to use nuclear weapons against India. The world has not forgotten the holocaust caused by the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. It is the duty of the powerful nations of the world to sit together and speak in unequivocal terms against the threat of nuclear weapons against any nation. India is also a nuclear-armed country, but it is bound by the declaration of ‘no first use’. It’s time the world woke up from its slumber and addressed the nuclear blackmail of Pakistan.

Ravinder Kumar Jain, Ludhiana

US-Russia thaw good for India

Refer to ‘Putin firmly spells out Russia’s red lines’; there has been considerable progress at the Putin-Trump Alaska meet, but some sticking points still remain to be resolved. Any thaw in US-Russia relations can widen India’s geopolitical space. President Putin is pressing Ukraine to cede some territories, but it’s a bitter pill for Zelenskyy to swallow. The US President has promised to urge his Ukrainian counterpart to give peace a chance. European leaders have not rejected outright the idea of territorial compromise, though they have insisted on security guarantees for Ukraine. In case the US decides to disengage from Ukraine, Kiev would collapse in no time. Trump has bluntly stated that Ukraine cannot defeat Russia.

PL Singh, by mail

Promises can’t be relied upon

Apropos of ‘Trump promises security for Ukraine’; promises are not sustainable and cannot be relied upon in terms of diplomacy. Ukraine was pushed into war against Russia on the unfulfilled promise that it would be taken into the NATO fold. Russia did not come to the rescue of Armenia as promised. No country came to Iran’s aid during the Israel attack. Even Russia did not boldly speak out in India’s favour after the Pahalgam attack. Nobody will come to the rescue of Taiwan either if China invades it. So, countries should take their individual decisions wisely by assessing their own strengths and weaknesses.

Vijay Gupta, Jind

Wake-up call for judiciary

Refer to ‘Contempt for delay’; the ruling of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that non-compliance with the SC’s six-month timeline for disposal of execution petitions would amount to contempt is a wake-up call for the entire judicial fraternity. If the judgments passed by the courts remain unexecuted and unimplemented for years together, it is bound to result in miscarriage of justice. Similarly, keeping reserved judgments pending over years even in urgent matters erodes public faith in the justice delivery system. Unfortunately, justice getting delayed has become a norm in the judiciary.

MD Sharma, Shimla

Acid test for democracy

Refer to ‘Opposition vs ECI’; the Opposition, especially the Congress, is hell-bent on confrontation outside and inside Parliament, where disruption and not debate is what we see. They talk of a ‘committed’ judiciary if they do not get a favourable election verdict. This does not augur well for democracy. Moreover, Rahul Gandhi’s earlier yatras did not reap major electoral dividends for the Congress. Whether his Bihar yatra will succeed is anybody’s guess. As for the ECI, as its credibility is at stake, it must go the extra mile to win the trust of the masses.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar

ECI’s credibility at stake

Refer to ‘Oppn mulls impeachment motion against CEC’; the Election Commission’s reputation and credibility are at stake; impeachment proceedings against the Chief Election Commissioner could further erode public trust in the institution. Removing the CEC requires two-third majority in both Houses of Parliament, making it a challenging proposition. The controversy surrounding the ECI might lead to call for reforms to ensure the institution’s independence and impartiality. The Opposition is likely to mount pressure on the ECI and the government, potentially worsening the situation.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar