Political leaders must mind their words

Apropos of ‘Lok raj without lok laj is a hollow democracy’; the words of wisdom of late Devi Lal, ‘Lok raj lok laj se chalta hai’, deserve attention of politicians, both in power and in the Opposition. Political leaders must let laj (a sense of moral restraint and dignity) guide their words and actions. Unfortunately, public discourse has been reduced to theatrics, where half-truths, exaggerated claims and malicious rhetoric are normalised. Politicians must realise that their communication in public meetings and press conferences shapes public perception and social cohesion. Irresponsible statements polarise society, undermining the very spirit of democracy.

MM Goel, Shimla

Thin line between satire, sarcasm

Refer to ‘Words that wound’; politicians habitually shoot barbs at the drop of a hat. Anurag Thakur’s ‘goli maro’ remark is still fresh in public memory. Haryana MP Ram Chander Jangra and Madhya Pradesh BJP minister Vijay Shah are the latest troublemakers. The BJP leadership is to be blamed for the unbridled remarks by its leaders. The PM himself, when he was a CM, had hurled a ‘Rs 50-crore girlfriend’ barb at Shashi Tharoor. In a recent speech, the PM clubbed all Muslim youth as a ‘puncture repair’ community. Our politicians forget that there is a thin line between satire and sarcasm. Look at Voltaire and Jonathan Swift, who are remembered for their astute satire; Harishankar Parsai perfected this art in Hindi and Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi in Urdu.

Arun Hastir, Gurdaspur

BJP’s glaring hypocrisy

With reference to ‘Words that wound’; the ruckus created by the BJP when it was in the Opposition over ‘cattle class’ or ‘headless chicken’ remarks is in complete contrast to the studied silence to the disparaging remarks made by its own leaders. There has been no action or reprimand against the offenders. This has emboldened others to do likewise. The police swing into action when those who do not belong to the saffron party make controversial comments. The BJP seems to be immune to public opinion as it believes in its invincibility when it comes to winning elections.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

India’s economic ascent

Refer to ‘Economic milestone’; India has achieved a historic milestone by overtaking Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world. It marks a significant moment in India’s economic ascent. India’s rise to the fourth place reflects its resilience and sustained growth trajectory. However, India should not ignore the fact that its per capita income is 13 times less than that of Japan. Per capita income is a true indicator of a nation’s economic prosperity and standard of living, so the nation has a lot of catching up to do. It has been a giant leap from bullock carts to space shuttles, but a lot of work still needs to be done to spur equitable and sustainable economic growth.

Bal Govind, Noida

Keep up the momentum

Apropos of ‘Economic milestone’; India’s ascent to the world’s fourth-largest economy despite post-Covid headwinds and trade turbulence is commendable. The IMF’s projection that India will remain the fastest-growing economy over the next two years affirms its macroeconomic resilience. However, the alarming 96% plunge in net FDI warrants urgent policy introspection. The Centre and Opposition-ruled states must transcend mutual distrust and act in tandem to boost investor confidence. India must sustain this momentum as a launchpad for inclusive reforms and transparent governance lest these economic gains be squandered through complacency.

Amarjeet Mann, Una

The fairness of Dr Bambah

Former Panjab University V-C Dr RP Bambah was not only an able administrator and academician, but also an idealist. He shunned the sifarish syndrome. Once, I was in his office when an influential person approached him for somebody’s appointment. His prompt response was, “Is the person competent?” On being told that the person was capable, the Vice Chancellor literally roared, “If the person is competent, then let me judge during the interview. Don’t give me his name, lest I get biased”.

VK Anand, Chandigarh