Vulnerable to mismanagement during calamities

Refer to ‘Every calamity must unify the nation’; disasters demand unity, yet political leaders often exploit them for electoral gains instead of coordinating meaningful action. Unity must translate into planning and prudence. The real vulnerability lies in mismanagement. Even when warnings are issued, they rarely reach at-risk communities in clear, actionable terms and local bodies often lack basic disaster-response training. Relief efforts are slow, underfunded and frequently marred by corruption. Urgent steps are needed to enforce rules, restore ecosystems, train communities and ensure transparent aid distribution. Disasters are inevitable, but the scale of devastation is not.

K Kumar, Panchkula

US, a fair-weather friend

Apropos of ‘Trump’s overtures’; the US President’s climbdown seems to be more of a tactical move than any real change of heart. India, China and Russia coming together on one platform at the SCO Summit in Tianjin has made him realise that today’s world is no longer unipolar. Any international trade pact or deal ought to be on the basis of mutual respect and understanding without any undue pressure emanating from coercive diplomacy, which has been exhibited by the Trump administration lately. The US is regarded as a ‘fair-weather friend’ in international relations rather than a consistent and reliable ally.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal

Effective diplomacy the key

Refer to ‘Trump’s overtures’; the US President appears to be following the overly used dictum in diplomacy, ‘There are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests’. To build bridges, the role of successful diplomacy is like oxygen. ‘Diplomacy is the art of fishing tranquilly in troubled waters’ in the words of historian J Christopher Herold. For now, India should follow the rule ‘na kisi se dosti, na kisi se baer’. China can be contained if India is close to the US, which enjoys global leadership because of its powerful economy, military power and scientific advancement. Trump’s tariff game is focused on building a stronger economy.

BM Singh, Amritsar

Recusal not a matter of discretion

Apropos of ‘Frequent recusals’; British lawyer and former judge Sir Stephen Sedley’s words hold true: “Independence and impartiality are the twin pillars without which justice cannot stand, and the purpose of recusal is to underpin them.” A judge should recuse himself only to avoid any conflict of interest. Recusal cannot be a matter of discretion, as it is the duty of every judge to hear cases allocated to him, unless he considers a real risk of bias or apparent lack of independence. A mistaken case of recusal can prove as destructive to the rule of law as those cases where a judge chooses to refuse a recusal despite the probability of bias. There is a dire need for a strong regulation providing judges to clarify grounds for their recusal.

Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh

Don’t lose public trust

Frequent recusals by some judges of the apex court and high courts is a dangerous trend eroding people’s faith in justice delivery system. You can have results or excuses, not both. A judge is supposed to deliver complete, fair and substantive justice in accordance with law, without fear or favour. Justice is an ideal and law is a tool. There is nothing more pious than justice and no party should suffer for a mistake of the court. Judicial supremacy rests not only on constitutional provisions but also on sound legal principles and moral authority. The judiciary has to take probity, transparency and accountability earnestly to keep public confidence intact.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

Teacher of teachers

During his brief stay in London, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia — whose death anniversary falls today (September 9) — witnessed the role of universities in enlightening society. On his return, he decided to build public opinion for an English-medium institution of higher education, and wrote editorials to this effect in the newly established The Tribune. He also founded the Dyal Singh College, Lahore. Thus, The Tribune has been at the forefront of education since its inception.

Mohan Singh, Amritsar