We need more upright officers

Refer to ‘Speaking truth to Pawar’; votebank politics is the main culprit behind inaction and corruption in our country. Politicians don’t mind violating rules and regulations in order to keep their supporters and political bosses up the ladder in good humour. But, we desperately need upright officers like the writer, who served as Punjab DGP during terrorism days, and the young lady IPS officer Anjana Krishna. Unfortunately, such officers who are above board and unrelenting in discharging their duties are few and far between. Otherwise, personal interests get the better of most of the officers.

MD Sharma, Shimla

Outcry against migrants unjustified

Apropos of ‘Politics fuels Punjab’s migrants controversy’; the killing of a 5-yr-old boy in Hoshiarpur is condemnable, but the emotional outcry against the entire migrant community is unjustified. Migrants have long been integral to Punjab’s growth, especially in agriculture, and their contributions cannot be dismissed. To target them for the wrongdoing of one individual is imprudent and dangerous. Social media is further fuelling fear and resentment, forcing many migrants to leave the state. Punjabis themselves are settled not only in different parts of India but across the world —imagine the consequences if they too were subjected to such backlash for one person’s actions. The Punjab government must act decisively to reassure migrants and uphold the state’s inclusive spirit.

BS Kakkar, Jalandhar

Learn to live in harmony

The anger of the people against migrant labourers in Punjab is justified even as crime cases are on the rise due to their illegal and criminal activities. However, we must not forget that Punjabis too have been migrating to foreign countries for jobs even at the cost of selling their lands. We Punjabis have ourselves created a vacuum which has been filled by the migrant labour. Local labour is scarcely available. So there is no question of sending them back now. We have to learn to live with them in harmony. What can’t be cured must be endured.

Karnail Singh, Kharar

Punjab’s culture of inclusivity

Refer to ‘Politics fuels Punjab’s migrant controversy’; the distrust towards the migrant population is a deeply disturbing scenario as it reflects a dangerous departure from Punjab’s long-cherished culture of tolerance and inclusivity. Migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have for decades been an inseparable part of the state’s social and economic fabric. To target them through panchayat resolutions, exclusionary practices or outright hostility is to betray the very values of camaraderie that Punjab is known for. Such a trend echoes the ‘Mumbai syndrome’ where migrants were treated as outsiders in their own country — a mindset that weakens both unity and fraternity. It is high time we nip this divisive evil in the bud before it corrodes the soul of Punjabiyat.

Ramphal Kataria, Kurukshetra

Develop a bond with farmers

Refer to ‘Stubble challenge’; farmers lack adequate resources, alternatives and machinery to get rid of crop residue. Most small farmers still depend on traditional methods like stubble burning. Imposing solutions without support will only worsen the situation. Expecting poor farmers to adopt advanced technology on their own is unrealistic. Instead, what is needed is a practical and supportive framework where both the government and farming community work together. Only then can the cycle of stubble burning be broken effectively. The government is addressing the problem by scratching the surface, while the solution lies in developing a bond with the farmers at the lowest level.

Pratibha, Zirakpur

Parents never die

Apropos of ‘Seamless continuity of footsteps’; people often say that when parents leave this world, life loses its colour. But, our parents don’t truly die. It is our forgetfulness, our neglect that we stop remembering and cherishing them. When you miss them, when your heart aches for their presence, when the world feels empty without their embrace, just look around — sit with your siblings. You will find mother’s soft smile in your sister’s eyes, you will hear father’s voice in your brother’s words. You will find living pieces of your parent’s hearts in the extended family.

Ramesh Gupta, Narwana