Zohran’s real test begins now

Refer to ‘Zohran Mamdani’; the New York Mayor-elect’s real test will begin after he takes over the reins. The people who voted for Mamdani are minorities and migrants, who are hoping for a real transformative change. But that will not be easy. His open support for the cause of socialism in the world’s most capitalist city, has frightened many. With President Donald Trump threatening to cut down funds to cities that do not comply with his priorities, the mayor can expect a tough battle. The New York City Council may fall short of economic resources to fulfil his promise of making NYC more affordable and liveable too. In an America of deepening political fault lines, Mayor Mamdani will be closely watched.

PL Singh, by mail

Be open to new ideas

Refer to the articles ‘The genesis of reforms’ and ‘A blow to autonomy’ in the ‘Two views’ segment; a sizeable cohort of sycophants come together in academic campuses to form bodies like the Senate which serve as political akharas. A university grows through its openness to new ideas and through interaction among members of the academic community, unaffected by concerns of hierarchy. Universities function by self-regulation and the freedom implied in this process includes the freedom to destroy. Disastrous use or abuse of freedom has taken place in the past, and will keep happening. Vice-Chancellors should be above suspicion like Caesar’s wife and should be proud men or women who depart while they are still being pressed to stay.

Anil Bhatia, Hisar

AI sovereignty a necessity

Apropos of ‘AI sovereignty: The new frontier of digital power’; this novel concept enables nations to maintain control over critical AI infrastructure and sensitive data paving the way for strategic autonomy. However, currently, India faces numerous challenges in achieving AI sovereignty, which stems from factors like insufficient R&D investment and inadequate computational infrastructure, which forces its reliance on foreign cloud services and hardware. This makes the country more vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and geopolitical coercion. India should pursue AI sovereignty as a strategic necessity.

Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh

Counter-questioning won’t help

Apropos of ‘Rahul’s onslaught’; the Cong MP’s claim that one out of every eight voters in Haryana is fake appears exaggerated, yet it raises a grave concern. While the Election Commission rightly questions why Congress’ booth-level agents failed to flag such irregularities during the October 2024 elections, this does not absolve the Commission/state election office of their constitutional responsibility. The EC must respond with transparent and verifiable data rather than rhetorical counter-questions about timing. Restoring public trust in the democratic process should remain the paramount objective.

MM Goel, Kurukshetra

ECI must act on Rahul’s complaint

The H-bomb (Haryana bomb) thrown by Rahul Gandhi should have been countered with evidence by the Election Commission of India and the ruling dispensation. Instead, the poll body’s hurried response was shocking. It should have taken its time to investigate, and not straightaway deny the allegations. One of the main responsibilities of the Opposition in a democracy is to point out lapses of the government. There is always room for improvement in any system. The government should take these allegations seriously and conduct appropriate investigations.

Prem Kumar Sharma, Chandigarh

Come together for transparency

The real strength of democracy lies not merely in laws but in the unwavering faith of citizens in the fairness of the electoral process. While the Election Commission of India has taken several commendable steps to ensure transparency, the voters’ trust must continue to be strengthened in a democracy as vast as ours. Even a small doubt in minds of voters can weaken the moral foundation of the election process. It is, therefore, essential for the Election Commission, political parties and civil society to work together to enhance transparency.

Surinder Kumar Khanna, Amritsar