Presidential pick

Reference to ‘Murmu’s march’, it is indeed commendable that the BJP-led NDA has picked a tribal woman leader, who has risen through the ranks, as its presidential candidate. Moreover, by naming Droupadi Murmu as its candidate, the BJP has tried to express its support for women’s empowerment and bringing Adivasis into the mainstream. Having said that, the Opposition’s disparaging response to her candidature left a sour note.

Aanya Singhal, Noida

Elected President

The question here is not just of electing a tribal President. The question is can the President tell the ruling party about where it needs to rethink the measures taken. Just as this government is concerned about keeping the fittest youth in Army, it must practice this even in politics. The President must be elected directly by the people as per their aspirations. The President must be above politics and not a nominated person of any political party with a majority of votes.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

Coalition experiment

Apropos of ‘Power play in Maharashtra’, MVA, an Opposition coalition experiment which held off the BJP for quite some time, is in peril. The MVA government’s troubles are made worse by the fact that Sena and the other players in the coalition seemed unaware when Shinde’s rebellion became apparent. CM Uddhav Thackeray’s relatively good record as an administrator and MVA’s seeming stability against a BJP that outwitted many Opposition parties in other states, had probably hidden realpolitik weaknesses.

MS Khokhar, by mail

Mature soldiers

Apropos of ‘Fitness for soldiering not just about youthfulness’, the emotive factor of youngsters needs more deliberations to determine the age bracket for Agniveers. The younger generation of present times may be physically tough and technologically advanced, but they also have to be emotionally stable and mentally tough. It will be better if the minimum age limit for Agniveers is increased to 25 years and above to attract more mature and responsible soldiers.

Sunil Kumar Mahajan, Ghumarwin

Young force a ploy

Refer to ‘No rollback, India needs young force: NSA Doval’, under the existing system, a jawan entering at 18 years retires at 33 after serving for 15 years to earn pension. Isn’t 18 to 33 years of age a young force? The call for young force is just a ploy, real aim is to save on the pension bills. It takes three to four years to fully train a person. Let us not use the forces as a platform to train men only to lose them to others. I had commanded a unit in the Air Force. If the scheme had come at that time, I would have refused to accept an Agniveer in my unit. And, why are you eyeing the pension of the soldiers, how about the MPs or MLAs who get pension that they do not deserve?

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar

Sainik School incident

Apropos of ‘Sainik School boys thrashed by seniors,’ parents of students interested in opting for defence forces prefer to send their wards to Sainik Schools so that they learn the etiquettes expected of them at an early stage. But what happened at Sainik School in Kapurthala would upset parents. The authorities must inquire and take the right steps to ensure discipline on campus.

Vijaya Sharma, by mail

Debt-related deaths

Reference to ‘Debt-ridden farmer kills self’, suicide by a debt-ridden farmer in Fatehgarh Sahib district has sounded a clarion call for those at helm of affairs. The incumbent AAP government is in an overdrive to rein in corruption and initiate other path-breaking decisions to show good governance, including vacating of panchayat lands, offering appointment letters to unemployed youth, inviting people’s view on budget, to name a few. The government also needs to focus on debt-related deaths. Saving precious lives should precede other key decisions of the government.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

UN Public Service Day

The United Nations Public Service Day (June 23) is observed every year to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community, highlight the contribution of public service in the development process, recognise the work of public servants and encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. This day commemorates the efforts of public servants to the country’s development. The contribution of workers who safeguard, acknowledge and invest in their well-being in order to keep the nation together is highlighted on this day.

Divyansha Sharma, Ujjain

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