Take all stakeholders on board on Ladakh issue

Refer to ‘4 killed, 65 injured as Ladakh statehood protest turn violent’; the sudden flare-up in Leh is worrisome. Exhibiting lack of responsibility and accountability, the Centre has blamed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and the Congress for the violent acts of a few. The government can no longer bury its head in sand; it needs to listen to the demands of the people. The Central government cannot act on its whims and fancies and has to take all stakeholders into confidence to find a peaceful solution. The government must dwell on finding a middle path.

Aanya Singhal, Noida

Don’t alienate Ladakhi youth

The Centre had given wings to the dreams of Ladakhis for statehood during the parliamentary elections. Sonam Wangchuk has been demanding inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for a couple of years now. Any dilly-dallying by the Central government may not only worsen the situation but also fuel feelings of alienation and neglect in the minds of the people of Ladakh. The government should keep in mind the recent turmoil faced by Nepal. Also, India has two hostile neighbouring nations who are always ready to fish in troubled waters.

Arun Hastir, Gurdaspur

Sitting on mercy petitions

Refer to ‘If offence grave, why Rajoana not hanged till now, asks SC’; the mercy petition of Rajoana has been hanging fire for over 13 years. The apex court had set a deadline for the Centre to take a call on his mercy petition by March 18, but to no avail. Compelled, the convict has now approached the SC for commutation of his death sentence into life imprisonment on account of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition. Such petitions should be disposed of in a time-bound manner.

MD Sharma, Shimla

HP govt has missed the bus

Apropos of ‘CM invites global investors to explore avenues’; the HP chief minister’s call to investors to put their money in knowledge services is a bit too late. Himachal missed the boom in India’s knowledge economy such as IT Enabled Services (ITES), which has passed on from metros to tier II and tier III cities, providing employment to millions of skilled workers. While states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have brought out policies to attract Global Capability Centres through financial incentives and subsidies, HP has missed the bus. The state has several institutions of excellence including an IIT, NIT and a Central university but the unemployment rate is among the highest in the country.

Chander Shekhar Dogra, Jalandhar

Trump’s Nobel rivalry with Obama

The claim by Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, even if made in jest, appears to be a response to his long-standing rivalry with former US President Barack Obama. It is believed that Obama’s comments at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he publicly mocked Trump, fuelled his desire to run for President. With Obama also being a Nobel laureate, Trump seems to be seeking the same validation. This constant desire for the Nobel Prize seems less about genuine peacemaking and more about getting even with Obama.

Harshita Singla, Rajpura

Nobody raises maids’ issues

Apropos of ‘Spare a thought for domestic workers’; sadly, nobody does so. House helps are neglected and exploited in Indian homes. Poverty forces families from the Hindi heartland to send their children to other states for household work. All of us are aware of their plight during the Covid pandemic when they walked hundreds of kilometres to reach their native places.

VK Anand, Chandigarh