Debate over secularism

INDIA is a secular country is understandable to a common man but what is the real definition of secularism is yet to be understood. The more one goes in its depth, the more one gets confused. It is because all political parties of today have styled their own unique definitions of secularism. It is only after the emergence of the BJP on the national political scene that they had done so. For Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) Yadavism seems to be synonymous with secularism. For the BSP, Bahujan welfare is real secularism. While Paswan’s Dalit politics means secularism, the communists are also not behind. They have kept all their options open for them. Any definition is suitable to them which can provide an opportunity to cross over. The Congress has yet not decided its ideology on the concept because with the growth of regional parties its conventional vote bank has fast eroded.

From all the above definitions, it can be observed that supporting minorities or advocating about certain castes seems to be real secularism for the so-called secular parties. If secularism in brief means respect for all religions and abolition of caste, then none of the political parties in India is secular. The issue before the nation today is not whether the BJP is communal and others are not but it is corruption, unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and over-population which requires intense attention of all these parties.

Ironically, in the past 50 years no political party has ever addressed these issues with sincerity. Consequently, India has acquired ninth rank in corruption in the world. It may earn the first rank in population in the next couple of years. Nearly 52 per cent of us are unable to earn a dollar a day, while almost 88 per cent are not able to earn two dollars a day. Almost three-quarters of the educated youth are either unemployed or underemployed. The literacy rate is dismally low as compared to other South East Asian nations like Japan and Korea. Despite all these alarming statistics our political parties do not seem prepared to work on them. Do we not need to introspect and change our political systems at a time when the next century is knocking at the doors, rather than wasting time defining the concepts of secularism and communalism?

D. P. SINGH MOR
Patiala

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Haryana pensioners

I extend my hearty felicitations to the Chief Minister, Haryana, on the completion of three years of his Government in the State and fulfilling most of the promises made to the people.

It would, however, be worthwhile to mention here that when the Haryana state employees demanded the appointment of a Pay Commission on the pattern of the fourth Punjab Pay Commission, the Haryana Chief Minister had categorically stated that there was no need to do so as he was fully committed to implementing all the recommendations of the 5th Central Pay Commission as accepted by the Central Government.

However, that promise is still to be fulfilled so far as Haryana pensioners are concerned. Action has yet to be taken with regard to release of the second instalment of the arrears of revised pension of the pre-1996 pensioners/family pensioners; and fixation of revised pension of the pre-1996 pensioners subject to a minimum of 50 per cent of the minimum pay in the revised pay scale of the post from which the pensioner had retired. No wonder, Haryana pensioners feel forsaken, disappointed and depressed.

Mr Bansi Lal is known to be a man who means what he says. It would, therefore, be in the fitness of the things if he fulfils his said promise by June 30 — the day he provides power round the clock in the state.

A.K. SURI
Chandigarh

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Environmental pollution

The Supreme Court directive on vehicular emission norms is welcome from environment-protection point of view. Various car-giants such as Maruti and Telco are now gearing themselves up to make their vehicles Euro-II compliant. Though Maruti Udyog has been fitting engine management system kits required to make the cars Euro-II compliant in all the vehicles being exported by it, no such kits were fitted in Indian cars. As if Indians are sulpher-attack-proof human-beings! It is evident that these profit-making concerns are more concerned about their profits than welfare of mankind. Only strong directives from the apex court can make such concerns to produce environment-friendly vehicles.

While the car segment has been reined in by the court order, there is an urgent need to combat the vehicular pollution caused by other vehicles such as tractor-trollies, trucks, buses and auto-rickshaws. Unlicensed tractor-trollies and auto-rickshaws flocking the roads emit such a thick black smoke at human nose level that causes burning in the eyes, leaves a black mask on your face and deposits layers of carbon and sulpher on your lungs. The worst sufferers are the little children riding the rickshaws while going to or coming back from school. There have been court directives earlier also but the implementation has not been that effective. The Motor Vehicle Act too established the CO, Hydrocarbon and diesel smoke emission limits but much has remained on paper only.

In this age of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, automobiles are going to be the biggest health hazard unless effective control strategies are applied to them to prevent environmental pollution.

JAGVIR GOYAL
Bathinda

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Opposition's role

Opposition parties have a great role to play, being the watchdog of the ruling party. They should provide sufficient assistance in the running of the government. Unfortunately, by merely defeating governments, especially during the past few years, they have undermined their own roles. Wise people can blacklist the offenders, but the difficulty is of choice. In any case, rectificatory jolts can be given during the elections by the voters. Would they?

M.P.S. CHADHA
Chandigarh