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THIS has reference to the report published in The Tribune dated 14.8.1999 saying that the Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, has cancelled the celebration of the Teej festival at Haryana Raj Bhavan as a tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives during the Kargil conflict. It shows his greatness. He has taken the initiative to give an important message to the people not to celebrate the festivals of Dasehra, Diwali, etc, this year.

As per Indian traditions, if a death takes place in a family, the festivals are not celebrated by the family for one year. Since the Kargil martyrs sacrificed their lives while defending the nation, it becomes due for the nation not to celebrate Dasehra and Diwali this year, more so when we declare our solidarity with them.

These killings were a national loss. When the news of the persecution of some of them spread, the whole nation mourned and had voluntarily forbidden to celebrate the festivals of the year.

If we just imagine the sight of the Kargil conflict when there was continuous shelling and the consequent deaths of our brave Armymen, the whole body shivers and the hair stand on the ends. Again, if we imagine the sad plight of the bereaved parents, widows and children weeping, shrieking and screaming, we will definitely be moved to decide to continue sharing their grief and to forbid the celebration of the festivals this year. In case we don’t do this, very well knowing that their tears have not dried as yet, our living on the Indian soil would be in vain and useless. The luxurious show of lights, illuminations and the sounds of fireworks will hurt their sentiments and double their grief.

Therefore, the state governments, the Centre and all social organisations should appeal to the people not to celebrate Dasehra, Diwali and other festivals this year.

Tackling militancy

I fully agree with Mr A.N. Dar (“Kashmiris’ disinterest in militancy”, Sept 24) to have greater spread of security forces. We must check infiltration and deal with militants/sympathisers with a firm hand.

The key to end this menace permanently is to improve the economy of the state. Kashmir is famous for horticulture, handicraft, woollen and forest wealth. There is a requirement at the Central and state level to encourage locals to open Kashmir emporiums at the district level in all the states of India.

Marketing of Kashmiri produce by their own kith and kin will encourage everyone of them to produce more and earn more. This economic shift, as a result of which Kashmiri people will move out from their own houses in search of good markets, will put an end to militancy. This will be the best form of integration of hearts. Banks, NGOs and government agencies must work day and night to find a better marketing place across the country for Kashmiri products. Soft loans by banks must be given to produce, market and sustain the economy of Kashmir. There is need for a strong political will at the Centre and the state level.

JYOTI PAL
Panchkula

Mr Rohit Kayastha in his letter (Sept 25) has unnecessarily drawn the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission into an unsavoury controversy over the interviews for gazetted posts of school-cadre lecturer.

In India, in recent years there have been frequent governmental failures at the Centre and in certain states. As such, elections have become a necessary and frequent affair. In Himachal Pradesh, posts of school lecturer are lying vacant in many senior secondary schools. We cannot turn a blind eye to the burning problems of students for long, whose studies gravely suffer for want of teachers.

Nearly 65 posts of school-cadre lecturer advertised earlier by the commission (in physics and chemistry) may have been increased to 70 to meet the increasing demand of lecturers in government schools. The necessities of people cannot be overlooked in a democratic set-up. The wheels of progress must not stop in the name of violation of the code of conduct in elections.

It is unfair to make any attempt to tarnish the image of an autonomous body like the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission without having sufficient proof against it. Its sanctity ought to be maintained at all costs.

This has reference to the news item dated September 19, “Examinees spend night in open”. The facts are that about 6,900 candidates were called for the final written examination for clerks, and out of that only about 5450 appeared. They belong to all the 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh. At Hamirpur there is a seating capacity of more than 8,000 candidates in various institutions. Thus to say that seating arrangements inside the halls were poor is not correct.

Hamirpur is a central place in the state and well connected by roads with a daily bus service involving about 800 buses. Thus most of the candidates came and went back on the same day. The others came either by their own vehicles of by taxis, and those who stayed at night may have faced inconvenience. Nowhere, not even at the Union Public Service Commission, the authorities make board and lodging arrangements for the examinees.

Hamirpur has a daily inflow of about 5000 to 7000 students, and an equal number of locals. Being a Sunday on 19.9.99 this inflow was partly replaced by the candidates. Thus it is not correct that on that day traffic was not controlled. The unfortunate death of a woman 12 km away from Hamirpur can in no way be linked with the conduct of the examination.

The primary reason for holding this main and final examination at Hamirpur was that there were credible reports that either there would be large-scale copying or attempts would be made to disturb the examination. But due to the strict arrangements made by the administration this has not happened. Even otherwise certain elements who from the very beginning were against the establishment of this board at Hamirpur and were saying that it would either be abolished or shifted, had an interest in blowing this non-event out to all proportions. Rather they should have appreciated that the examination was conducted peacefully without even a single incident of copying.

It will not be out of place to mention here that even if the examination had been held at some other place, the other candidates would have faced the same problem. And if it has been held at all the district headquarters then it would have been difficult to ensure fair conduct of the examination, defeating the very purpose. This small inconvenience is unavoidable due to geographical conditions.

The H.P. Subordinate Services Selection Board is a new institution, established in October, 1998. It will take time to grow, but it is serving the purpose for which it has been established.

	M A I L B A G	Friday, October 1, 1999
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