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

Politicians don’t want police reforms

The article “Resistance to reforms: Key to better policing” (July 21) exposed the ever-increasing double standards and hypocrisy of politicians because they talk of reforms and the people-centric administration and its they who are the root cause of corruption, the custodians of the colonial legacy, and the biggest hurdle in the reform process. Sadly in India power brokers, politicians and bureaucrats have captured the system and the police force is highly politicised. The common people suffer silently.

If the police reforms are initiated in letter and spirit, people can hope for some changes in the insensitive, corrupt and high-handed image of the police force. But politicians and bureaucracy are finding ways and means to delay or even not to implement the proposed police reforms. There is an urgent need to improve the basic working conditions of the police force like the grossly inadequate police population ratio, poor infrastructure, inhuman long working hours and inadequate pay structure.

Unless the Supreme Court comes down heavily on the governments of states and the Centre for non-compliance of its directions and the media takes on the responsibility to build public opinion for the early implementation of police reforms, politicians will continue to resist its implementation.

Dr VITULL K GUPTA, Bathinda

Enforce traffic law

The editorial “VIP’ violators” (July 21) rightly stated that it is high time the traffic law is enforced in the right earnest and wrongdoers punished. It is a pity that violators of the traffic rules who are able to establish VIP links or bribe the policemen are easily let off. Only those violators who fail to fulfil either of these two conditions are booked and punished for violations. It is deplorable that any honest and upright police officer who dares to punish the VIP violators is made to suffer.

Besides, whenever drivers feel that they are not being noticed by the traffic police, they violate rules. Whenever the traffic lights are not working and the traffic police is not on duty, one can see all hell let loose in the form of traffic jams on the crossings. In foreign countries it I has been seen that traffic gets slow and even stops while passing by a school or on a zebra crossing. Alas, there is no self-discipline among the people of our country.

JAGDISH MITTER GANDHI, Gurgaon

Settle disputes

I fully agree with the views expressed by the Chief Justice of India as expressed in the editorial “Mediation is the key” (July 21). The Chief Justice has rightly pointed out the need for replacing litigation with settlement. Actually reconciliation is not new to our culture.

We have just lost the right path. Traditionally, village elders used to settle disputes in the village through mediation alone. The need of the hour is to revive this culture and save time and money spent on litigations.

JASLEEN SINGH, Bathinda

Tougher stance

The belligerent outburst of Pakistan Foreign Minister at the bilateral talks in Islamabad recently was a reflection of Pakistan’s injured psyche and deep- seated fear of India which proved counterproductive to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries (editorial, “Mr Qureshi, shut up!: Speaking too much will take India, Pak nowhere,” July 20).

Mr S M Qureshi’s body language and his words casting aspersions on Mr S M Krishna and the Indian government were not diplomatic. I agree that making such provocative statements will take the two neighbours nowhere. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister more often than not parrots that Pakistan wants good neighbourly and cordial relations with India and at the same time his overtures at international platforms leave much to be desired. It is high time that India shows Pakistan its place and gets rid of its ‘soft state’ image.

R M RAMAUL, Paonta Sahib

II

The editorial “It’s Kayani’s Pakistan” (July 24) instantly gave a true picture of the present Pakistan. There is no government of people in Pakistan. It is the “government of the army” that rules.

The Pakistani rulers want to complete their term, want to fight terrorists and also please the US. Thus the continuance of General Ashfaque Parvez Kayani is a must. It is now up to India to frame policies taking into account these factors. India should encourage intellectuals of Pakistan to create peaceful conditions and prevail upon Pakistan’s leadership. India should also exert pressure on the US to counter the designs of the Pakistani army. 

KHAZAN SINGH, Kapurthala

Trip to Scotland The news report “They went, saw & returned empty-handed” (July 22) by Jangveer Singh was interesting. The Vidhan Sabha Pollution Control Committee had gone to Scotland to study the pollution management in distilleries there and now the committee has come back after a week-long sojourn. The committee members are both from the ruling party (Akali BJP alliance) as well as the Opposition Congress party. It is pertinent to note that no permission was sought from the External Affairs Ministry, lest it may be denied! The technocrat accompanying the committee was not sent by the Punjab Pollution Control Board but was handpicked by the Government (read politicians). Well, our committee members, bright and intelligent as they are, have discovered that ‘the technology to prevent pollution is the same whether it is for scotch or Indian whiskey, only the Scots are more particular about rules. The Punjab Government should nominate these committee members for a Nobel Prize for this “unheard” of discovery. Punjab was in the grip of floods but these politicians were busy studying the making of scotch whiskey. There is not an iota of doubt that these committee members were on a holiday trip on taxpayer’s money. If our lawmakers want to go on a vacation on public money they should enact a law that every member of the legislature can go on a paid foreign holiday trip. Nobody can stop them if they do so. After all they are the lawmakers. I am reminded of a couplet of the famous romantic Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi “Un ka gham, un ka tasavvur unke, shikve ab kahaan, Ab to ye baatein aie dil ho gai aayi-gayee”. ARUN HASTIR, Gurdaspur