Politicians should forget politics and sink all differences with each other where national security is at stake. If the Centre is strong enough, there is no question of any terrorist plot being successfully carried out in the country. The politicians of all hues and class must realise this and help this anti-terrorist law to come into force without losing further time in the interest of the security of the nation and its people.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh

III

On mere apprehension, the states cannot make unsubstantiated claims that the Centre would misuse its power against them. In this way, we are helping terrorists. The Centre and states need to put their heads together to fight the demon of terrorism, one cannot do without the other.

States should take the issue of national security seriously because the maze of terror pervades state boundaries. Terrorists have a local, national and a global network and use them as per their requirement.

Technology aids them. The state police lacks technological skills to fight the enemy, an agency with hi-tech gadgets and wide network can handle them.

Security of citizens should get precedence over other matters of governance (editorial 'Revisiting NCTC' February 26). The Centre and states should not begin a war of words at every step.

KHUSHINDER SINGH SURYA, TAPA (Barnala)

Bonanza for North

The Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal tabled the Union Railway Budget 2013-14 with great skill. The Railway Minister hiked the rail fares in January this year and in the railway budget, he introduced hike in freight charges and surcharge on reservation, tatkal booking and super fast trains. It was a move that the middle class does understand will indirectly affect his pocket.

After years of neglect, a Union Railway Minister has focused his vision on Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh, and that was possible because of his being a north Indian.

RAJAT KUMAR, via e-mail

Dependency syndrome

The Mewat region of Haryana needs better connectivity for its all-round development. The people of Mewat have now started raising their voice for a railway line connecting Gurgaon to Alwar via Nuh and Palwal to Rewari, the district headquarter of Mewat. Not only in connectivity, Mewat is a highly backward region of Haryana on all social parameters inspite of being just 80 km from the national capital and 40 km from Gurgaon, the cyber city of Haryana.

As per Census 2011 report, as against 58% rural sanitation coverage in the state, it is merely 18% in Mewat. So is the case with the literacy rate. The main reason behind backwardness of Mewat is the laidback attitude of the people and the dependency syndrome that has been generated among the people over a period of time. The political leadership of Mewat is trying to further perpetuate this dependence for selfish interests.

Dr PURAN SINGH, Nilokheri

Clarification

An article published with the title 'New life with 'technology knees' (November 28, 2012) on arthritis care, prevention and knee replacement inadvertently carried the picture of Mr Gurdev Singh and his mother, Mrs Man Kaur, both athletes. The article was meant to be representative of age, joint health and exercise, and in no way was to suggest that the above mentioned persons seen walking in it had undergone knee replacement or supported the concept. Any hurt caused from the subjective interpretation of the article and the picture was unintentional and is regretted. —Editor-in-Chief