Revenue loss not corruption

The recent allegations against the AAP government regarding revenue loss due to its excise policy warrants a more balanced perspective. Mere revenue loss from a policy does not establish corruption. Several policies implemented by the BJP government at the Centre have not yielded expected results. However, such outcomes alone cannot be used to label the government as corrupt. Similarly, AAP cannot be blamed solely for implementing a policy that did not perform as anticipated. Policymaking is a dynamic process where governments, irrespective of political affiliation, experiment with measures to address governance challenges. Some succeed, while others fail. If a failed policy is automatically equated with corruption, it would set a dangerous precedent. The political discourse must focus on constructive criticism rather than allegations.

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Naresh Kumar Nijhawan, by mail

AAP as an effective Opposition

Apropos of ‘Big blow to AAP’; the scrapping of the new excise policy, the brainchild of AAP under its supremo Arvind Kejriwal, has provided food for thought to policymakers. AAP’s relegation to the Opposition benches after a decade-long innings shows the strengths and challenges of the Indian polity. Ten years of political experience should stand AAP in good stead as an effective opposition in the Delhi Assembly. Public perception would be impacted by AAP’s ability to counter the ruling party.

Jagvinder Singh Brar, Patiala

Crackdown on travel agents

Refer to ‘24 FIRs, 1,274 raids: Punjab cracks down on travel agencies’; the Punjab Government seems to have woken up from its slumber and has started taking strict action against errant and dubious travel agents. A similar crackdown is required in other states as well. The Haryana Government is planning to introduce a bill on the ‘registration and regulation of travel agents’ in the Assembly next month. Hopefully, the proposed legislation will bring justice to the youth of Haryana who have been cheated.

Vinay Kumar Malhotra, Ambala

CBSE’s futile exercise

The CBSE’s decision to hold Class X exams twice a year seems to be a futile exercise. On the one hand, we are trying to reduce the burden on the students, while on the other, we are putting undue pressure by holding the exams twice. Holding exams two times in a year is a cumbersome process. It is a mere wastage of money, resources and manpower. It will also be an additional burden on teachers and schools. This new pattern of holding the exams must be opposed by the teaching fraternity.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Justice undone by delay

Refer to ‘Life term for Sajjan’; the editorial asks, ‘Has justice been served?’ The answer is a big ‘no’. The conviction of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, four decades after he orchestrated the slaughter of innocent Sikhs, is a travesty of justice. That the judiciary took over 40 years to punish such barbarity is an unforgivable failure, rendering the verdict more symbolic than substantive. Worse still, sparing him the death sentence due to age and ailments mocks the victims who were shown no mercy. A nation that cannot punish its worst crimes in a time-bound manner risks normalising impunity.

Chanchal S Mann, Una

Find other options for fighter jets

Refer to ‘Why India must think twice about Trump’s F-35 offer’; though the writer has comprehensively discussed why India should think about the F-35 offer made by the US, he has not suggested other options that Delhi can consider. The government is more keen on indigenous aircraft. However, the Air Force Chief has gone public saying that he is not confident of HAL’s ability to meet the timeline for the production and delivery of latest variants of Tejas jet fighters. With the HAL persistently missing deadlines, it would be prudent for the IAF to look for suitable fighter planes from other countries to overcome shortages.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar