Sweet nothings

Refer to ‘China at it again’; exchange of sweets could be a good start, but we have already burnt our fingers after the ‘Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai’ slogan and the subsequent 1962 war. This exchange of sweets is nothing but hypocrisy. Poet Bashir Badr wrote, ‘Yaaro ki mohabbat ka yakeen kar liya maine. Phoolon mein chhupaaya hua khanjar nahi dekha.’ After the 1962 debacle, Nehru must have felt something similar. Today, China is far more aggressive. We have to evolve an effective and professional strategy to contain China, and for this, the best services of experts must be acquired. Israel’s Mossad-type high-tech intelligence agency should be raised and put in operation to take on China.

Sudershan Walia, Amritsar

---

Dealing with China

Conviviality between China and India that showed up briefly on New Year vanished within a few hours, with the former reiterating its claim on Indian territory. Expansionism is Chinese national policy. Since 1962, China predominantly followed a simple rule to conduct excursions deep into our territory and withdraw a few miles following international pressures. On the last few occasions, India has shown visible resistance against Chinese ‘adventures’, but it is not enough to decisively check their advances. During this phase of economic slowdown worldwide, the Chinese will not go in for a full-fledged war, and this is the right time to deal with them firmly.

Col Kuldip S Grewal (Retd), Patiala

---

Lead from front

Refer to ‘Over 5,000 security personnel to guard Modi in F’pur today’; Covid cases in India are up six times in the past nine days. Should it not ring alarm bells for our rulers/power-seekers? Even before the Election Commission intervenes, if at all, Modi should lead from the front by refusing to attend any more crowd-gathering and Covid-spreading election rallies and set an example for other parties/leaders. More so since a rally by the PM requires large-scale bandobast by the administration and involves the SPG, intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces, etc., besides deployment of huge police force for days in advance. One wonders how so many projects come up for inauguration in poll-bound states and that too right before the elections.

HL Sharma, Amritsar

---

Different rules

A sum of Rs 84,500 was collected as fine from 169 mask violators on Tuesday by the Panchkula police. On the other hand, election rallies by all political parties in election-bound states are going on in large numbers. The Prime Minister and Home Minister themselves are holding huge rallies almost every other day which shows the double standards of our politicians! In the morning, they address rallies, and in the evening they conduct corona review meetings and issue guidelines for the general public.

Bhupinder Kochhar, Panchkula

---

Political rallies

Apropos of ‘Jabs for adolescents’, the Centre and state governments are sparing no efforts to increase testing and vaccination for different age groups, update hospital facilities and introduce a raft of precautionary restrictions to deal with the impending threat of the fast-transmitting Omicron variant. Unfortunately, the government asks people to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviour, but fails to check politicians from reckless politicking. Parties are organising rallies and door-to-door canvassing in violation of the mandatory health protocol in the election-bound states. Is contesting elections more important than the safety and security of citizens? Have we not learnt from the West Bengal election experience that led to a spurt in the cases of the deadly virus? The EC should keep a check on political gatherings and ask parties to canvass on TV and other media platforms.

Harmohit Singh, Hoshiarpur

---

Durga Puja

Reference to ‘Urbanisation of rituals’; Durga Puja will now attract tourists of different hues, not just from the country but also from the world over. Ten days of religious fervour and festivities are marked by cultural performances and large-scale installations and pavilions. It will help various artisans, crafts people, etc. UNESCO recognition will further boost the economic, social and cultural rejuvenation that West Bengal needs.

Vijay Singh Adhikari, Uttarakhand

---

Illegal mining

It is shocking and tragic that five workers lost their lives because of a landslide at a mining site (‘Illegal, unscientific mining’). Their families ought to be generously compensated and an investigation should be carried out to book those whose negligence caused the mishap. An inspection committee had inspected the site and reported that it was illegal and mining was being done in an unscientific manner.

Raj Bahadur, by mail

---

Letters to the Editor, typed in double space, should not exceed the 200-word limit. These should be cogently written and can be sent by e-mail to: [email protected]