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L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R

Law must take its course

With reference to the debate in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha regarding striking a deal to end the vendetta between the ruling and Opposition parties, I want to ask if filing corruption and disproportionate assets cases is vendetta, then how justice will be done. How will the powerful politicians be punished? They have been accused of misusing public office and money. Are they not accountable to the public?

Many such cases against top politicians are now in courts. There should not be any other way to sort them out. The lawmakers should have faith in law of land. Certainly there have been many false cases registered against party workers belonging to the opposition. This wrong practice must end, but ongoing corruption cases should be taken to their logical conclusion.

RAJESH VASHISHT, Bathinda

Right to know

It is shocking to read that the Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has filed a writ petition in the High Court praying for exemption from the operation of the Right to Information Act. The Sikh community believes and the SGPC claims itself to be a religious body. Its functioning should be transparent and open. Not only religious bodies should be honest they also should appear to be so. Their conduct should be above suspicion. When such bodies come to the High Court for the protection and concealment regarding their functioning and operation, they naturally lose their grace and dignity.

Most of the income of the SGPC is from devotees’ contribution. When the management of such bodies seeks the protection of the highest court in the state to keep their dealings secret, it naturally creates suspicion about the conduct of everybody who manages it. The donations collected by the SGPC are because of the faith of the devotees. Resisting the right of the people to know how this money is spent betrays the guilt of the management. It is the first duty of the management of any religious body to maintain an honest reputation.

GS GREWAL, Chandigarh

Empowering girls

Himachal Pradesh University has recently announced a special reservation in professional courses for female candidates in cases where a girl is the only child of her parents. The incentives so far catered to the small family norm and thus have no impact on this particular problem of having children till a male is born in the family. Reservation of seats for a girl who is the only child in a family is likely to go a long way, not only in controlling the population but also in empowering women.

Other universities and educational institutions in the country should follow HPU’s example. Further, such reservation can and should also be considered for girls who happen to be only two and or twin girls in a family.

KL NOATAY, Shimla

The former US President, Mr Bill Clinton has one daughter and no son. His successor, Mr George W. Bush has only two daughters. President Barak Obama has only two daughters too. This is a good example for us and we should love our daughters dearly.

CHAMAN SINGLA, Bhatinda

Stop subsidies

Farmers demand regular supply of power even if it comes at a cost (editorial, “No free power,” March 15). The economy of Punjab had already been drained by the funds spent on fighting terrorism.

The last blow was the free doling out of subsidies and popular poll gimmicks. It is high time that all political parties shed all their policies of appeasement of voters and work for the real welfare of its constituents, so that Punjab may again regain its number one position as the most affluent and progressive state.

AJAY K JINDAL, Ludhiana.

Seize the opportunity

The Punjab government failed to rationalise power subsidy during the last three years of governance (editorial, “Missed opportunities: Punjab stuck in fiscal mess,” March 18). Scant attention to industrial and agriculture growth has brought Punjab down.

While the government did not have funds to pay for the retirement benefits and thus increased the retirement age by one year just to defer payments, it did foot the over Rs. 10 crore helicopter fuel bill of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

It is high time that Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal takes concrete steps on fund mobilisation, austerity measures and economic reforms like disinvestment in loss-making PSUs. The citizens of Punjab expect that the government should not hand over debt-ridden economy after two years when elections take place.

RAVINDER SINGH BRAR, Ludhiana