Own the deportees

With reference to ‘Nowhere people of a nowhere world (The Great Game)’; some people believe that illegal migrants deserve the kind of treatment they got because they adopted illegal ways, while others are of the view that their only fault is that they risked their lives in search of greener pastures. The deportees are not the only ones who are at fault. The whole system is such that the youth easily fall into the trap of the ‘Amreeka dream’. Travel agents continue to dupe innocent people with impunity. The problem is that the government acts tough against them only for a short period. Soon, it is business as usual for all. No foolproof method to check illegal migration has been explored so far. The deported youths need support, be it emotional or financial. They must not be looked down upon, they are not criminals. We must own them.

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Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Deportation a deterrent

Refer to ‘Nowhere people of a nowhere world’; the recent deportation of our countrymen who had illegally entered the US has achieved what our own government has failed to do — create awareness about illegal migration. The publicity that this issue has generated will act as a deterrent for all those who plan to enter another country illegally. Trump has earned goodwill from his compatriots, while India has been able to drive home the point that entering another country through underhand means will bring you back to square one. It is a win-win situation for both countries. However, it is painful to see our fellow citizens in handcuffs and chains.

Gurnoor Grewal, Chandigarh

Blessing in disguise

Prevention is always better than cure. The crackdown on immigration agents who misguide youth should have commenced long ago. Illegal migration through the ‘Dunki’ route was ignored due to the big money involved in it. The authorities will be forced to focus on it now to save face. It should be considered a blessing in disguise as illegal immigrants reached home safely under official supervision; otherwise, some would have never made it back, leaving their families to mourn their loss forever. A sustained clampdown on immigration agents is needed before they go into hiding or escape.

COL RS Narula (retd), Patiala

Saffron party on a roll

During the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP became complacent as it thought it would win a majority of the seats in the all-important state of Uttar Pradesh, cashing in on the Ram Temple inauguration. The outcome was a rude shock for the party. Having learnt its lesson, the BJP spared no effort to win the Delhi Assembly polls. Multi-cornered contests in Haryana and Maharashtra helped it get an emphatic win. Having decimated AAP and Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, the BJP’s next pitstop would be Bihar later this year and West Bengal next year. The INDIA bloc has already committed hara-kari. There’s no stopping the BJP juggernaut.

Hira Sharma, by mail

RBI encouraging businesses

Refer to ‘RBI’s rate cut’; the regulatory body has sent a signal that it wants to boost lending, stimulate consumer demand and nurture investment. By lowering the borrowing cost, the RBI wants to encourage businesses to expand, boost consumption and help economic growth. Now, banks will be happy to extend credit more freely but they need to be wary of what microfinance and unsecured loan portfolios witnessed in recent months. The real estate sector and SMEs have heaved a sigh of relief. People will have to pay smaller EMIs and thus have more money in their pockets. While the RBI did its best to spur economic growth, inflation should not spoil its game.

Bal Govind, Noida

Mockery of education system

Apropos of ‘47% high schools in state without headmaster’; the Bhagwant Mann government boasts of providing quality education in Punjab. It has also opened many ‘schools of eminence’ in the state. Many principals as well as teachers have undergone training in Finland. A recent survey revealed that 810 of the 1,723 posts of headmaster in Punjab are lying vacant. It is ironic that the headmaster’s post in a Sangrur school has been lying vacant for the past 30 years. This is a mockery of the education system.

Vijaya Sharma, by mail