M A I L B A G

Need to tackle the crisis of confidence

The crisis of confidence in the government cannot be overcome by the vigilance agencies put in place to curb corruption and inefficiency. The root cause is the present education system. The system initiated by McCauley during the British Raj has, no doubt, produced high quality engineers, doctors, bureaucrats and diplomats but it has failed to produce good citizens.

Unfortunately, the present system has no in-built mechanism to impart moral qualities like honesty, integrity, public consciousness, cultural identity, patriotism, courage and fearlessness to the citizens. Thus, in the absence of the moral fibre, no amount of policing and vigilance by the host of agencies can deliver the goods.

Shall we reconcile ourselves to the rapid degeneration among the political class with increasing cynicism or should we take strong steps to check this downward trend? The nation, for its own survival, has to take vigorous remedial measures. Otherwise, the identity of India, as a nation, will wither away.

Air Marshal P.K. JAIN (retd), Chandigarh

A grave question

The editorial “Canadian failure” (May 6) raises a very grave question. That is, whether the External Affair Ministry, The Tribune and others who do not accept the Canadian courts’ verdict on the unfortunate blast of Air-India’s Kanishka flight, consider us Sikhs as Indians?

The two accused who have been honourably acquitted by the Canadian court of the biggest aviation disaster in history happen to be Sikhs. The Indian subcontinent is the home of the Sikhs. Our religion was founded, nurtured and grew in this part of the globe. If the External Affairs Ministry, The Tribune and others think that we Sikhs are Indians, then it would be a great occasion to be relieved that it was not the work of Indians and a further probe or an appeal to a superior court was unnecessary.

If the Indian state is upset with the decision that the Sikhs have been acquitted and want further action, then what is the position and mind of the Sikhs? We Sikhs are of the opinion that though this unfortunate tragedy did take place and the Sikhs have been honourably acquitted, the fact remains that 331 lives were lost. Since the Indian state calls this a “diabolic crime”, we think it is no less.

We want the culprits to be brought to book. Therefore, we call for a UN investigation, similar to the one ordered in the murder of the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

That would be the fairest thing to do amidst the controversy as to who caused the wreck of the Air-India flight. We Sikhs too, feel like the Indians, that the relatives of the deceased need justice.

SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN, President, SAD (Amritsar) Quilla S. Harnam Singh

A retrograde step Today, when the world is turning into a global village and the best talent sought after, the Punjab government is taking retrograde steps by giving preference to medical graduates from their state medical colleges for admissions to post-graduate courses and also house-jobs in government hospitals. It is understandable if this is done on the basis of domicile, but it is unconstitutional to give preference in service and PG courses to students from particular colleges. Or does the state government imply that students from Punjab Government Medical Colleges are underprivileged? Dr SIMRAN KAUR, Ludhiana

The real picture

Mukesh Aggarwal’s photo (May 22) of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi at a function held to mark Rajiv Gandhi’s 14th death anniversary at Veer Bhumi in New Delhi depicts the real political situation in the country. The Prime Minister was greeting her out of respect. But she was not responding!

SHER SINGH, Ludhiana

Medical policy

The Haryana government’s new medical policy for its employees and pensioners is welcome. It indicates that the government cares for them. Vide this policy, it has allowed full reimbursement for medical treatment in government hospitals across the country. The Punjab government employees and pensioners also need similar sympathetic treatment. At present, they have to knock the doors of the courts to get reimbursement even in respect of their treatment in PGI, Chandigarh.

G.R. KALRA, Chandigarh

Dirty train

Train No. 2716 starting from Amritsar on May 11, 2005 was very dirty. It was not cleaned or washed from outside. As a result, those boarding this train at Amritsar faced problems. If the railways cannot provide proper maintenance, this job may be assigned to private contractors. Alternatively, the SGPC can take up this responsibility. Its volunteers will happily clean the train.

S.R. MITTAL, Ludhiana

Curbs needed

Reference the editorial “Capital rape” (May 11). Lonely girls coming out on the road at 2 a.m. in the night is what else if not “asking for it”. An empty door tempts even a saint. And those loafing about at that unearthly hour are not even saints. They are loathsome prowlers looking for a prey.

The young girls would do well to follow certain self-imposed restrictions. It is humanly impossible for the police to be on high alert at all times. Let us help them to help us.

Wg-Cdr C.L. SEHGAL (retd), Jalandhar