It would be better for SAD (Badal) to limit its interest to the Delhi gurdwara elections only as going beyond that would affect governance in Punjab. It should rather lay more emphasis on carrying out its electoral commitments and redress grievances of people back home.

RAVINDER SINGH, Jalandhar

Prevention is only cure

Dr Rajeev Gupta’s article ‘The white powder of death’ (January 31) has portrayed a real picture of our society. Small fragmented families and their being over-busy in their professions has given space to such deadly evils to creep in. The larger question is about its prevention, as there are least remedies after drug addiction sets in .

Prevention seems to be the only cure in this case. The counselling of teenagers with a completely professional approach can prohibit our young generation from experimenting such misadventures in their life. Parents need to spare some time to observe any behavioural change in their young ones. The old system of social watchdogs has collapsed in India due to transitional and experimental phase of our development.

HARDESH KUMAR BATRA, Paonta Sahib

II

Drug abuse is a serious issue and vast efforts are required to make a drug-free society. There is need of collective action by the community to check drug abuse by adopting multi-pronged supportive strategies at different levels including education, prevention, management and therapeutic treatment, training and the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Educationists, the members of medical fraternity and social activists should join hands for tackling this social evil by rendering their time, expertise, knowledge and full support in this gigantic task. Also, there is a need of bringing them into the mainstream by giving them vocational training and rehabilitating them in productive ventures.

VINEET KAPOOR, Panchkula

III

College and school teachers must particularly bring the contents of this article to the notice of all students and their parents. Special seminars and meetings should be held so that they understand the deadly impact of this white powder almost in every sphere of our life. NGOs, government bodies, religious groups, etc must take up this agenda on a priority basis and come forward in a big way to spread awareness about drug abuse among public.  

HARINDER KUMAR, Bathinda

Show of power

Indian citizens are lathi-charged by the police in one or the other part of the country on a routine basis. Most of them are common citizens, like school teachers, employees, etc who hold peaceful protests and demonstrations to seek redressal of their grievances. Women protestors are also not spared.

This act stinks of wielding of unnecessary authority, is barbaric and gives a feeling that an ordinary citizen is still being governed by alien rulers, who have no respect for an aggrieved section of society. That is why there exists a disconnect between the common man and the state authorities. Why are protesters treated as state enemies even when they are not indulging in any harmful activity? Why do the authorities deter them with violent means?

Dr RAJEEV GUPTA, Manas