M A I L B A G

Jobs for retired judges

Please refer to "Assignments for retired Judges — a close look at the related issues" (Tribune, Nov 27).

A reference has been made in the article to a Judge who was allegedly confronted by the then Chief Justice of India with some allegations, and who challenged the Chief Justice to do what he could.

But the writer has omitted to refer to the Judge who after retirement was unceremoniously removed first from the post of Lokpal and then from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. In this connection, it was reported in the Press that TRAI allowed reimbursement for travelling and daily allowance for a foreign trip, though no rules existed to authorise such expenses. Not only that, while functioning as the Chief Justice of one of the oldest High Courts of the country, the same Judge incurred the wrath of the Bar of that High Court and was even roughed up on one occasion, due to his style of functioning.

As far as the alleged defiance of the then Chief Justice of India by a Judge referred to in the article is concerned, perhaps it has escaped the notice of the writer that the then Chief Justice of India was accused by one Dr Jolly Bansal of having been influenced in the notorious Hawala case which was being heard by a Bench presided over by him.

AMRIT LAL
Panchkula

Waiting for a messiah

Mr P.H. Vaishnav deserves to be complimented on his bold and forthright article "Paswan owes an explanation" (Tribune, Dec. 20) castigating the Central Government as well as the unions of postal employees for their roles in the 13-day-long countrywide strike that paralysed the postal services. No doubt, the gods ruling the roost in the country have, over the years, increasingly betrayed the public cause, hoodwinking the gullible masses with attractive slogans and jugglery of words. The political parties have badly let down the unorganised sections of society.

As for the executive, nothing but judicial snubs seem to goad it to some action. It is virtually "lost to all sense of shame", as Mr Vaishnav has observed.

Things seem to have reached a point where the situation will not take a turn for the better unless some cataclysmic change takes place or some messiah appears out of the blue.

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)

H.P. Congress

Ms Vidya Stokes has been elected president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress. It is a welcome change to empower a woman in a male dominated area. The average Himachali see a lot of good in this development, even if the change has come about a bit too late.

Mr Virbhadra Singh and Mr Sat Mahajan had both set their eyes on the coveted post but neither of them could succeed.

Of the two aspirants, Mr Virbhadra has already reached the height of his incapacity. During 1997-98, he had been harping on the Sukh Ram issue in all his public speeches. The defeat of his wife, Pratibha, in the 1999 Lok Sabha election from the Mandi constituency ought to have taught him a lesson. The former Chief Minister has now made it a point to criticise the present government, day in and day out. Such excessive indulgence does not behoove a seasoned public man.

Similarly, Mr Sat Mahajan has certain unmistakable weak points. He spends most of his time looking after his business in Punjab. Ask him for a brief appointment at Pathankot, his actual and functional headquarters, and he will tell you to meet him 'next month' when he will be at Shimla.

Now a word about Ms Vidya Stokes. She should maintain her known trait of sincerity of purpose, make herself accessible to the public and keep away from sycophants.

There is no other way to revitalise the sickly state Congress party.

K.L. NOATAY
Shimla