Relief for AAP, Opposition bloc

Apropos of the editorial ‘Kejriwal on poll trail’; voters don’t want a criminal to be treated with kid gloves. But they do feel outraged when tainted politicians evade arrest by joining the ruling dispensation. By granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with some reasonable restrictions amid the Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court has risen to the occasion. The SC has restored a level playing field, upholding the integrity of the electoral process. The development has brought fresh momentum to the AAP and INDIA bloc campaigns. This could be a game-changer in the ongoing polls.

Roshan Lal Goel, Ladwa

Criminalisation of politics

With reference to the editorial ‘Kejriwal on poll trail’; after being released from jail, the AAP national convener, who has been accused in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam, returned to campaign for his party. Politicians who face incarceration must be ineligible to participate in Assembly or Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court’s decision to release the Delhi CM so that he could campaign for his party amid the General Election reflects a disturbing erosion of democratic values in our country.

Jagdish Banyal, Una

Consumer safety goes for a toss

Apropos of the article ‘Pandemic response and the dilemma of vaccination’; a concerning trend persists in India — from vaccines to food items, unsafe products are marketed to millions, endangering their lives. The safety concerns about AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine, MDH and Everest spices, Patanjali health products, certain baby foods and genetically modified crops are valid and raise serious questions about consumer safety. The fact that such products have been in the market for so long shows that profits have been prioritised over public health. There is an urgent need for more stringent regulations to ensure the safety of consumers.

Ankush Mahajan, Pathankot

Maintaining high standards

Apropos of ‘A parting shot by yours seditiously’ (Nous Indica); in this age of fake narratives, it has become a Herculean task for any news organisation to maintain high standards of journalism. Yet Rajesh Ramachandran, a bold editor, reminded us why this daily is known as the ‘voice of the people’. His front-page editorial on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident is a testament to his style of fearless and impartial journalism. He is not one to bow down to political parties. Thanks to his able leadership, the newspaper saw a growth of 125 per cent from the pandemic’s nadir. Hopefully, his successor, senior journalist Jyoti Malhotra, will carry on the legacy of the paper with the same professional integrity.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

He spoke truth to power

With reference to ‘A parting shot by yours seditiously’; I have been reading Rajesh Ramachandran’s columns for quite a while. I always found his write-ups and his analysis of political and social issues quite informative. It is remarkable that he never hesitated to criticise the ruling regime over its policies or actions. He always seemed to have in-depth knowledge of whatever subject he wrote about. I am one of the many readers who will miss reading his take on burning issues in our country. Ramachandran has been a brilliant editor and an excellent columnist. The mainstream media needs more editors like him.

Ranjeet Nanner, by mail

Voice of the people

Refer to ‘A parting shot by yours seditiously’; under the responsible editorship of Rajesh Ramachandran, The Tribune maintained its journalistic standards, continued its pursuit of truth and ensured accurate reporting of facts in news stories. Editors like Ramachandran are the reason the paper is known as the ‘voice of the people’. His leadership ensured that the paper lives up to Walter Lippmann’s quote, “There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and shame the devil.” His contribution to the newspaper has been immense, and we look forward to more of his works.

Harjit Singh, Mohali

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