M A I L B A G

Where have we gone wrong?

While staying abroad even for a couple of weeks one cannot miss the stark difference between the conditions prevailing in many foreign countries and in India. On coming back home, one is stunned, yet again, by the scenario here: the same grimy surroundings, inadequate infrastructure and pervasive poverty, the same selfish and self-centred mindset, the very same surliness and casualness for duty. 

The change hits us in the face the moment we approach Delhi airport. I felt angry and anguished when   the captain of the aircraft matter-of-factly announced: “ ... the usual hazy sky over Delhi... there are at present 15-16 aircraft waiting to land.. We are sixth on the list ... maybe another 15-20 minutes more  .…”

Outside IGI airport, while waiting for transport in the poorly lit porch strewn with handcarts, discarded cartons and bottles, I was left in no doubt that I was indeed back to my homeland.

Wing Commander S.C.KAPOOR, (retd) Noida

Shameful treatment

The brutal way of handling the agitation by medical science students and doctors all over the country is highly condemnable. It is shameful for society and the nation to see the cream of their children being treated in a very rough manner by the thick-skinned politicians who are no match to them.

Doctors, engineers, etc—with their hard work, dedication and discipline and by nourishing values throughout their study period, right from the school days, and getting selected at each level, facing tough competition among the best ones—prove themselves as the most valuable children of the nation. The nation should be proud of them.

But what a funny administrative set-up? It should not be forgotten that the leftover students come to the IAS, PCS and other civil services and become the controlling authority of doctors and engineers.

What a cruel joke it is that those who had no standing in the studies and have been disrupters or violators of the rules become politicians using their money and muscle power. It would be interesting to know the percentage of ministers in the Union Government and state governments who have been toppers or even merit holders?

ABHAY KUMAR JAIN, Mohali

CMC’s functioning

The news item “CMC society threatens to close down institutions” (May 18) is not the first of its kind. It is the second time in less than a month that such a news item has appeared in The Tribune. On April 27 a similar report appeared in another newspaper. The CMC has a chequered history. In 1884 Dr. Edith M. Brown started it with four women medical students being the pioneer in the East. The Punjab Government recognised it in 1916.

It was with the generous financial aid of the Government of India and the Punjab Government that this institution was upgraded to the MBBS level the in 1950s. There is an agreement signed between the institution on the one side and the Government of India and the Government of Punjab on the other so that it functions like the other institutions of the country. The institution had been receiving grants from the Government of Punjab until around the 1980s when it unilaterally suspended to receive the grants to escape from conforming to the provisions in the agreement.

The institution was required to have on its managing society and governing body two representatives each of the Government of India and the Government of Punjab. Both the governments must look into the agreement signed by the CMC before is finally closed down.

JASWANT SINGH SIDHU, 
Ludhiana

Positions on Siachen

I was read the article by Lieut-Gen Harwant Singh (retd) published May 20 on Indo-Pak relations in which he has rightly suggested to work out some way to solve the Siachen problem. When we appraise the outcome of the confidence building measures taken by both governments in the recent past, the result seems to be quite dissatisfactory.

The reason is obvious as both governments are quite insincere to the public.

PARAMJIT SINGH SEKHON, Kapurthala