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Opposition must learn to behave

I read the editorial, “A new low in Bihar” (July 23). It rightly castigated the Opposition legislators in Bihar for their nasty, violent, unbecoming and undemocratic behaviour inside and outside the State Assembly.

The right to oppose, criticise, demonstrate and even boycott the proceedings of the House is acceptable and valid but to sit in the well of the House for the whole night after disrupting the proceedings and not to permit the transaction of the business, using abusive language, damaging the furniture, exchanging blows with treasury benches and attacking even the presiding officer and shouting slogans demanding the Chief Minister’s resignation are the most deplorable acts.

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General pointing the “financial irregularities” for non-remittance of vouchers and receipts of expenditure worth over Rs 11,000 crore spread over six years and the subsequent observation of the Patna High Court for investigation by the CBI cannot be concluded as a “financial scam” or embezzlement. Even the Public Accounts Committee is to furnish its report as yet.

The action of the Bihar Opposition legislators is a manifestation of their frustration. Being in the Opposition is weighing heavy with them. For them the suspension of their 67 colleagues is trivial because the next election is due in October.

The political leadership cannot atone for their sins nor conceal their shabby past by inciting their followers to resort to violence. It is time the Opposition learnt to behave.
Let Bihar’s electorate make their representatives accountable for their misconduct.

Prof. SUDARSHAN DHINGRA, Abohar

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, neatly hand-written or typed in double space, should not exceed the 150-word limit. These can be sent by post to the Letters Editor, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030. Letters can also be sent by e-mail to: Letters@tribuneindia.com
— Editor-in-Chief

The editorial is apt and timely. Debate and discussion have indeed degraded into shouting matches. Our worthies use the august House to test their lung and muscle power instead of articulating the problems and difficulties of the people they represent.

Their skirmishes are more for partisan ends than for the welfare of a common man. Intriguingly, they lose no time in forgetting their differences when it comes to hiking their salary and allowances.

There can be no better example of their hypocrisy and opportunism. The abominable antics of our MPs and MLAs are a big slur on the world’s largest democracy. Once elected, they forget the decency, decorum and discipline in public life and consider themselves above the law.

To make them accountable and pay for their recalcitrance, society must act as a watchdog and press for a constitutional amendment for introducing the right to recall recalcitrant MPs and MLAs as also for preventing them from contesting elections again.

HEMA,Langeri, Hoshiarpur

Need for clarity

I read the editorial “GM foods” (July 24). It is justified that genetic modified foods have the ability to combat climate change, pest formation and are high yielding, but one doesn’t know its impact on human beings. A China survey shows 84 per cent people have given their consent in favour of GM foods and 14 per cent against it.

There is the fear of cancer spreading foods. But the Punjab government is in favour of GM foods because of the cotton belt and genetic cotton yields more and pest resistant. There is also the problem of fast depleting ground water level and heavy power consumption.

Whether GM modified foods are safe or not is not yet clear to our scientists and agriculturists. There are differing technical views for its use by human beings.

So, its merits and demerits need to be clearly assessed before use by human beings.

KAMALJIT MALWA, Mansa

As stated in the editorial, if there is any problem, GM crops have the answer. However, as it concerns the people’s health, it should be tested properly.

The Government of India will have to play a pro-active role in this regard. Let it take effective steps for testing the suitability of GM foods for human consumption. Only then, it should be introduced.

VIJAY MEHTA, Gurdaspur

Teacher and reformer
Prof Suraj Bhan (79), who passed away at Rohtak, was an academic par excellence. A Doctorate in Ancient History from M.S. University, Baroda, he distinguished himself as a teacher of history at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra. A reputed archeologist, he was a Visiting Fellow at Shimla’s Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.
He never failed to stand by the Kurukshetra University Teachers’ Association during the phase of authoritarianism in Haryana (1972-77). He also championed the cause of the non-teaching employees of Kurukshetra University.
He was a Member of the Panel of Independent Historians of India who called the bluff of the communal historians regarding the presence of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya at the place where the Babri Masjid had been constructed during the Mughal rule.
Prof Bhan was a radical reformer of Haryana. He always fought for women whenever and wherever they were deprived of their human rights by the khap panchayats. He was the first to stand up against the atrocities on the Dalits in Haryana — whether at Dulina or Gohana.
He played a notable role in the activities of the Gian Vigyan Samiti, SEARCH and other organisations fighting illiteracy in Haryana. He was a rare Haryanvi intellectual who never hankered for positions of power and profit.
Prof RANBIR SINGH,Haryana Institute of Rural Development, Nilokheri (Karnal)