Pak spanner

Apropos the article ‘Asian nations should join hands for rural revival’ (March 16), with Pakistan being a recalcitrant member of SAARC, any proposal for a coordinated regional effort to collectively provide succour to the ailing agricultural sector by stamping out the common maladies from South Asian agriculture would remain a far cry. Pakistan is more inclined to perpetuate its pseudo and festering mentality rather than closely collaborating with its neighbours in negotiating the common challenge of poverty, hunger and disease afflicting its people. Only the other day, when PM Modi took the initiative of offering a $10 million fund to combat corona in the region, Pakistan brazenly raked up the bogey of Kashmir, rather than cohesively reiterating PM Modi’s initiative.

Vikram Chadha, Amritsar

Resorting to hoarding

With news of corona pandemic spreading like wildfire, more and more people are resorting to hoarding, especially FMCGs. Shopkeepers are also leaving no stone unturned to create an artificial scarcity in the market, leading to imbalance in the demand and supply chain, thus escalating the prices of daily essentials. The need of the hour is for all to act prudently and unite to fight against corona rather than indulging in such acts.

Aastha Bagga, Hoshiarpur

No relief in fuel prices

The fuel prices remain high even though international prices of crude oil have decreased due to Covid. Another Rs 3 has been levied on diesel and petrol as excise duty. Oil prices have crashed by about 50 per cent since mid-January. Whenever international prices of fuel increase, the oil companies immediately increase the retail price. There is a need to pass on the benefit of price reduction in the international market to the people. The major portion of the country’s revenue is generated from the sale of fuel and liquor, but unfortunately, both are kept out of GST purview.

Wg Cdr Jasbir S Minhas (retd), Mohali

Rise of Hindutva

Refer to ‘Ashis Nandy: It’s very difficult to go back to pre-violent days after you’ve once participated, killed’ (The Sunday Tribune, March 8); according to Nandy, religion can weaken only if some aspect(s) of it are suspect. This is true as English education exposed the more vulnerable part of Hinduism — caste. Hinduism was progressing till Hindutva, a political ideology which even its progenitor does not equate with the former, began to assume centre stage in the wake of the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Hindutva is a divisive force, which does not accord equal status to followers of other religions. The fascist tendencies of its practitioners are revealed by the call for ‘ghar-vapsi’. Hindutva clearly put a brake on Hinduism, which would have evolved as a pact between God and individuals. It is, however, a moot point if this eventuality would have been liked by all the people — Nandy including — as a positive development. But the experience of North America and Europe demonstrates that this arrangement between religion and political space works well.

AKHILESH, Hoshiarpur

Overspeeding on highways

Apropos ‘Speed radars along NH-44 to check mishaps’ (March 16); more than one lakh people lose their life every year due to road accidents, and many of these accidents are because of overspeeding. This is a great decision by the Haryana Government to install a network of speed radars, automatic number plate readers and cameras on the 187-km stretch of the NH-44. It will help in reducing road accidents.

Varun kohli, by mail

Get tough with defectors

Defection of MLAs from one party to another as per the law is all right. Indulging in horse-trading for forming a government is illegal and a blot on democracy. The huge wastage of taxpayers’ money involved in the elections is unfortunate. The apex court needs to take cognisance of it. The law-makers are unlikely to ban horse-trading for obvious reasons. Legislators indulging in such defections should be banned from contesting elections for a specific period.

Ravinder Singh, Jalandhar

Talks with Taliban

Reference to the article ‘Start afresh in Afghanistan’ (March 16); India can start anew and engage in talks with the Taliban, like other countries. It will be a good initiative and also necessary to be in a global village and maintain its priority and relevance.

Shruti Sharma, Chandigarh

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