M A I L B A G

FDI must add to the job opportunities

INDIA should not follow any country blindly — be it China or the USA — because of fundamental differences in the socio-cultural and economic conditions. China’s highways are of international standard. However, in India only 2 per cent roads match that level. This has been achieved by China itself and not by multinational corporations.

China excels India in many other ways. It is not a soft state like India. Corruption is dealt with a heavy hand there while in India the big industrial houses, the political elite and other bigwigs go scot free.

FDI is welcome in India but it should be invested on setting up new industrial units, bring in advanced technology for higher productivity and add to the increasing opportunities for employment. Similarly, labour or LPG (liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation) reforms are welcome so long as the people at large are benefited, without merely adding to the profits of MNCs or the upper crust of society.

Dr PREM SINGH DAHIYA, Rohtak

Pending court cases

It is shocking to learn that there are at present about 28 million pending cases in the country. The huge backlog of cases is due to shortage of judges. Over one-sixth of the total number of sanctioned posts of judges are lying vacant. Owing to inordinate delay in the dispensation of justice, the common man is apparently losing faith in the judiciary.

It is time the Centre took up the matter seriously and dealt with the issue expeditiously. The vacancies of judges should be filled promptly to the extent possible. Special courts may be set up to dispose of cases which have been pending for years as also cases of senior citizens who are in the evening of their lives.

G.R. KALRA, Chandigarh

II

The Supreme Court and the High Courts are themselves responsible for the huge backlog of cases. See the mind-boggling number of pending appeals! Is there any justification for arguing the same appeal twice?

First, an advocate files an appeal for obtaining stay of the lower court’s order. And then, the same appeal is argued on obtaining the relevant documents which contain facts and evidence on which the order or the judgement is based.

The Supreme Court and the High Courts should stop this practice and ensure that no advocate can appeal without the original documents which can be obtained from the court concerned anywhere in the country within 10 days. Thus, any appeal can be argued point to point on the first hearing itself, and the question of stay can be decided within a period of say, two months.

Lt-Col P.S. SARANG (retd), Chandigarh

Dubious distinction

Mumbai is known as the Commercial Capital of India. It is also known as one of the world’s largest Film City. Most films are produced here. However, the flip side of the coin is that Mumbai is also known as the country’s mafia centre. Dawood Ibrahim, Abu Salem, Chhota Shakeel and tainted film stars like Monica Bedi also hail from this city.

KUMUD KUMAR, Jind (Haryana)