M A I L B A G

Hope for new millennium

IT cannot be gainsaid that despite the increasing incidence of terrorism, violence and corruption, if we have to build the nation for the new millennium on the foundations of cherished ethical values of life, we must forget what Dante Alighieri in Inferno II wrote to say, “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here”.

Rather I would like to share with the readers the views of Henry Morton Robinson, “In a world engulfed by hate and destruction, only one pinnacle rises above the flood — the high impregnable rock of the individual spirit. Believe and hope; something may yet be won”.

Another important quality for cultivation in the practical life is love about which H.T. Hamblin rightly wrote, “Without love we can achieve nothing.” On the fostering of this great quality of love alone will we ensure a world full of more people with greater unselfishness.

R. N. LAKHOTIA
New Delhi

How to curb hijacking menace

If the practice of negotiations by the government with hijackers is banned by enacting a law, the menace of hijacking will be curbed to a great extent. In such a case, knowing full well that the government is bound by law not to accept their demands, the hijackers, who are more interested in forcing the government to accede to their demands than harming the hostages, may think twice before committing the heinous crime.

SATISH KOUL
Nanhera ( Ambala)

School as tourist place

This has reference to the news item (Jan 6) regarding the proposed takeover of Sainik School, Kapurthala Palace Campus, for developing it into a tourist place.

It was very disgusting to learn about the plan for developing this prestigious school’s palace into a tourist place. I would like to know if our government has gone so bankrupt that it has turned its attention to destroying the grace of such educational institutions for want of generating revenue.

Sainik School, Kapurthala, has given to this nation a number of distinguished defence forces officers, engineers, doctors and IAS officers.

I also take it for granted that in due course elegant buildings of Khalsa College, Amritsar; PPS, Nabha; and YPS, Patiala, would be converted into tourist centres.

AMARJIT S. KOHLI
Naya Nangal

J&K: basic mistake

This is with reference to the write-up of Ms Tavleen Singh that appeared in The Tribune on January 8. It is correct that we do not have a clear-cut policy for the solution of the Kashmir problem.

The basic mistake was committed by the then government when our forces were advancing and were nearing the occupation of the whole of Jammu and Kashmir in 1948 when the Maharaja of Kashmir had sought our help and we had accepted his offer under the Partition Act, 1947. But somehow the government of that time accepted ceasefire and the problem began to grow into a complicated one. The UN passed a resolution for plebiscite and we accepted it.

DALIP SINGH WASAN
Patiala

Row over calendar

I am a regular reader of Tribune India over Net. The reports it carries educative, vivid and lucid. The write-ups on the controversy over the Nanakshahi calendar were very informative.

As far as I can understand, there is utter confusion over the Nanakshahi calendar. After looking at various aspects we feel that this calendar should be followed as it is our heritage.

If Gurpurab is repeated then why can't we celebrate it twice in humble remembrance of the Guru. Of course, one date can be made a “major” and the other a “minor” if a holiday conflict arises.

SURINDERJIT SINGH RANA
Mahwah (NJ, USA)

Why seek help from outside?

Prime Minister Vajpayee has demanded that the USA must declare Pakistan a terrorist state. Pakistan has never hurt US interests. It has, in fact, been a strong US ally. Why does Mr Vajpayee think that the USA will declare Pakistan a terrorist state?

Pakistan is bent upon India through the ISI's subversive activities.

If our government has any sense of shame, it should stop demanding outsiders to help India. A sane government will take immediate steps to finish off terrorists and subversives found anywhere in India.

VARUN NAMBOODIRI
PA, USA