Rahul Gandhi must hold the fort

Apropos of ‘Rahul must focus on the fight at home’ (The Great Game); his utterances abroad create an anti-India impression in the public mind. Besides, he is criticised for going abroad when his presence is needed the most here either because of an ongoing parliament session or elections in any state. The latest example is the upcoming Bihar poll. He ought to have focused fully on the Bihar election to sharpen his diatribe against the well-entrenched and formidable BJP. He must ponder over why the Congress-led INDI bloc is repeatedly unsuccessful in dislodging the overconfident BJP. Something is surely amiss in its electoral strategy. Rahul needs to assure the country’s electorate that his party is capable enough of taking on the BJP.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal

Think before you speak

Refer to ‘Rahul must focus on the fight at home’; a spoken word is like an arrow, once out cannot be called back. Rahul Gandhi holds an important position in his party and a responsible post as the Leader of Opposition in Parliament. He should speak with full sense of responsibility, especially while representing India on foreign soil. The writer has cited umpteen instances of his outbursts from foreign land. He has every right to criticise the policies of the government in or outside Parliament but not while on a visit to other countries. If he feels strong about any issue, Rahul must speak out, but only when he is in India.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar

Escapist approach

Although Rahul Gandhi does raise the voice of the masses, when Rahul Gandhi talks from foreign soil about domestic problems infesting India, even ordinary citizens feel compelled to question his faulty political strategy. If Congress had reached an electoral agreement of seat sharing with the AAP in the Haryana Assembly poll, the results would have been diametrically opposite. I support the writer’s core argument that he should learn from his past mistakes or loopholes in his political strategy. Whenever his services are needed more in the country, he escapes them.

Raj Bahadur Yadav, Fatehabad

Quality control non-negotiable

Refer to ‘Cough syrup tragedies’; it’s always the cough syrup, always the same regulatory lapses from Jammu to Rajasthan, and even across borders in Gambia and Uzbekistan. The fact that hundreds of pharmaceutical units continue to operate without meeting the upgraded ‘good manufacturing practices’ is alarming. Periodic extensions and weak enforcement have emboldened smaller firms to prioritise profits over safety. Negligence must carry criminal liability, only then will firms invest in safer processes. The cost of regulatory indifference is being paid through children’s lives. Quality control cannot remain a slogan; it must become a non-negotiable practice.

Harsh Pawaria, Rohtak

Waning trust in Indian medicines

Refer to ‘Cough syrup tragedy’; India, often hailed as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’, has earned global trust by producing affordable generic drugs and life-saving vaccines. But that trust is fragile. The ban on Coldrif cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh due to toxic contaminants is not an isolated case. It highlights a deeper, disturbing truth: our drug quality controls remain dangerously inconsistent. Weak regulatory enforcement, poor batch testing and political apathy continue to allow substandard medicines to reach patients. Each lapse erodes public confidence and damages our global reputation. Outrage flares up briefly, as accountability is delayed or denied. India must rise beyond being a low-cost supplier to become a global symbol of uncompromising quality and integrity.

K Kumar, Panchkula

Regional stability important

The Gaza hostage crisis nears resolution as Hamas has agreed in principle to release all remaining Israeli captives under a US-brokered peace plan. The deal, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, could open the door to a ceasefire and humanitarian relief in Gaza. Yet, disputes over Hamas disarmament and Israel’s internal politics may delay progress. For India, regional stability ensures energy security, safeguards its diaspora and strengthens its global image as a balanced voice for peace and humanitarian diplomacy.

RS Narula, Patiala