M A I L B A G

Putting a stop to the drift

this refers to the article ‘‘Putting a stop to the drift’’ by Mr Hari Jaisingh (Tribune, Dec 29). He has concluded that ‘‘We cannot afford to communalise the polity once again and create conditions for a second partition’’.

No sensible person can disagree with it. But he has not told us who the real culprit is. All these 50 years the Congress and its like have ruled the country, and created a strong Muslim vote-bank. Pakistan was created as a Muslim homeland, but we decided to have a secular setup with special provisions for the minorities (in practice Muslims). The Congress started telling the Muslims that they should vote for the Congress, if they wanted to be safe in India. Such propaganda went on increasing and it became an established feature of the working of the Congress.

The Muslim community also agreed to become a vote bank for the Congress. The best security for the Muslims is cordial relations with the Hindus. The Muslims must understand this basic reality or the so-called secular parties will continue to exploit them.

Anand Prakash
Panchkula

POLITICIANS’ GAME: Who communalises the Indian public, the politicians or the public itself? As regards the public, on every happy or sorrowful occasions people collect irrespective of their caste or creed. Divali and Id greetings are exchanged between the two communities. Another proof is the smooth functioning of the trade and business. Some time back public opinion about the Masjid-Mandir dispute was gathered on the TV. The public of Ayodhya had said: ‘‘We do not have any ill-feelings, but the politicians do create tensions’’.

As regards the writer’s hopes on educated persons, this will not be possible till a minimum qualification clause is added for contesting elections. There was a time when musclemen were helping in booth capturing. Now these people have become candidates. Let us wish that good sense prevails to improve the situation. Otherwise brain-drain, crime, fighting, etc will continue.

Hari Om Mittal
Ludhiana

LEADERS WITHOUT VISION: The democratic setup has given this country dharnas, strikes and lockouts. These have dragged the nation backwards and often national progress comes to a screeching halt. Who is to be blamed for this state of affairs? More than the workers and the employees, the authorities are responsible for this situation. The country has to bear a financial loss of thousands of crores of rupees.

First, the employees put their demands before the authorities concerned. Thereafter, the authorities give assurances to fulfil their demands. For long, the assurances remain unimplemented. At a later stage, these are implemented — when the people, employees and the establishment have already undergone suffering. If the demands are genuine, these ought to be decided and implemented expeditiously.

Today’s leaders lack vision. We can feel its effect in Parliament and the state assemblies. Over the years, the quality of debates has deteriorated in the august Houses. Quite often, there is din and bedlam. As the people watch live telecasts of the proceedings, they wonder whether the leaders who try to stall the proceedings gain any mileage out of it.

Now, in the 21st century the people have gained political maturity. The writer rightly points out: “What the country lacks is persons of vision with missionary zeal to think and act on right lines for the good of society.”

We ought to have a lasting approach to the problems. We should plan things keeping in view the nation’s long-term gains. That we still find shades of casteism, regionalism, parochialism, communalism and various other biases in our society is due to the vote-bank policies of our leaders. These policies have played havoc with our national life. The caste and communal cards are overplayed to appease vested interests.

Iqbal Singh
Bijhari (Hamirpur)

MOMENTS ERR, CENTURIES SUFFER: It is true that we are living in unusual times and are faced with unusual problems. The country and her people are becoming helpless spectators before the emerging chaotic scenario in which people’s woes are getting multiplied. Each day brings new and unheard of problems that compel us to do an introspection as to why we are losing ground in every sphere. The devil of corruption is afflicting our day-to-day social and political life and we are unable to check its onward march.

The bane of our political rulers has always been to allow the precipitation of a problem to unmanageable proportions and to wait for its automatic solution or otherwise. However, nations have to pay a heavy price for this kind of drift. When moments err, centuries suffer, to borrow an Urdu expression. We should rise to the occasion at the turn of the century so that we can keep our heads high with dignity and not hang them in perpetual shame.

Sukhdev Singh
Jalandhar