Probity in public life

Refer to ‘Minister must go’; in 2000, Ajay Mishra was booked on the charge of murder. Though he was acquitted by the trial court, the victim’s family has filed an appeal against it in the Allahabad High Court. On December 15, the MoS pounced upon a mediaperson, snatched his camera, abused him and dared him to ask questions on the SIT report in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. A businessman-cum-politician, Mishra has considerable influence on a particular community in the area that could fetch votes and secure seats. Probity and high political standards are required in public life. When such values are thrown to the winds and the miscreants have patronage of higher authority, any hope of getting justice from such rulers is trampled under the feet of arrogance. What a shame.

BR DHIMAN, Hamirpur

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Not PM-like

The report ‘BJP CMs in Ayodhya as party tests Hindutva model to keep votes intact’ does not emit pragmatic and healthy vibes. As per our Constitution, no government is authorised to follow any particular religion, though there is no such bar on political parties to exploit religion for electoral gains. At times, it appears that the Prime Minister is behaving like a spokesperson for a particular religion rather than governing like an undisputed leader of secular India.

JAGDISH CHANDER, JALANDHAR

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A war well fought

The 1971 war was a formidable display of coordination in waging war. Unlike the American invasion of Iraq and its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the 1971 war showed what clarity of purpose could achieve. Bangladesh today is a rising star among emerging economies and a steadfast partner of India. The war showed India’s potential to be a positive force. It remains the high point of our national journey.

SANJAY CHOPRA, MOHALI

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Dilemma over AFSPA

Refer to ‘Not a licence to kill’; those police officers who have dealt with insurgency and terrorism during their service know better the difficult situations they encounter vis-à-vis the civilian population. Insurgents and terrorists belong to the local milieu and draw some degree of support from their kith and kin and people. The line of judgment becomes very thin for the law-enforcing agencies to act as per their mandate. On the other hand, political parties in opposition exploit the situation, as is being seen in the context of the Manipur incident. AFSPA was in force during the UPA regime, too, but it never thought of repealing it.

LR Sharma, Sundernagar

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Brain drain

Reference to ‘Talent migration has now come full circle’; MNCs the world over value Indian talent and are assigning them key responsible positions. Not all such people are groomed in IITs and IIMs, but in our own ordinary schools and colleges. The rugged grind of children inculcates in them the habit of working hard and is a strong Indian hallmark. It is a matter of recognition of talent and giving them well-deserved opportunities which India perhaps lacks, as we as a nation are stuck in nepotism and bureaucratic red tape, thus neglecting human resource which propels brain drain.

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana

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Boycott Beijing Olympics

With regard to boycott of the Beijing Olympics, India should follow western countries in boycotting the Olympics since tensions with China have been escalating. Many of our brave young men have been martyred in border skirmishes. We should send out a strong message to China and show it that we are not afraid of its military might.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

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Age to tie knot

Refer to ‘Step towards women empowerment’; a nod to increase the age of marriage of girls from 18 years to 21 will help in the growth and development of women in society. They will now be able to complete their education up to graduation level. They will get an opportunity to take a stand for themselves and mature mentally to take a decision about marriage, making them physically strong and financially independent. This decision will have a positive bearing on our socio-cultural environment and will usher in a change in society.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Bible Chair

The Punjab Chief Minister’s announcement to set up the Bible Chair at Guru Nanak Dev University is a good move for the long-neglected and political orphans — the Christian community of Punjab. There is hope for their long-pending demands, like land for burial grounds, unemployment among Christian youth and other socio-economic issues.

Raj kumar, Pathankot

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