M A I L B A G

Stop this diabolic game by politicians

Every right-thinking Indian is shocked by the diabolic game being played by our politicians to strengthen their vote-banks. Those who are in the saddle also think that they are supposed to protect the interests of one particular community or caste to perpetuate and consolidate their hold over temporal power and material gains.

The minds of the innocent and illiterate people are being inflamed in the name of caste and community only to make a mockery of the rule of law and democratic values, exposing the hollowness of our secular and casteless society which was envisioned and cherished by the founding fathers of our Constitution.

The inept handling of terrorism has already imperiled the lives of countless Indians. This terrorism is said to have been aided and abetted by Pakistan and other hostile neighbouring countries. But what leaves one aghast and outrageously stunned is the kind of role being played by our esteemed, duly elected representatives at the Centre and in states.

The Gujarat carnage — first in the Godhra incident and then its aftermath in various parts of the state — has convinced the common man that our too smart politicians are bent upon disintegrating this country by resorting to the diabolic game of "divide and rule" through casteist and communal politics. The Gujarat Chief Minister has established his communal credentials. The sooner such a man goes the better.

R. L. GOEL, R. S. CHAWLA, Ladwa (Haryana)

Courts: theirs and ours Apropos "Canadian court comes to Ludhiana" (March 15), a full-fledged court has come all the way from Canada to Ludhiana to verify a complaint that an immigrant has made a wrong statement in his immigration and citizenship petition. And if the complaint is proved, he will be convicted on a criminal charge and may even be deported. This is one side of the picture. The other side is presented by us where everyday hundreds of witnesses resile from their earlier statements, made even before Magistrates, leading to the acquittal of murderers, dacoits, rapists. Recently, in a widely reported case, an eyewitness "converted" the involved BMW car into a truck. Surprisingly, sometimes even the victims themselves resile. And no one is hauled up for perjury. It is considered something trivial. How sad! Comparisons are really odious. RAM SARAN BHATIA, Faridabad

Indians shamed

I firmly agree with Tavleen’s views of how religion has pretty much taken up people’s lives. I believe in order for India to prosper. It needs to set aside religious differences among people and find a common ground where people can work together to take the country to the next level.

I am proud to be an Indian but seeing all these turmoils, I am very displeased with the direction people seek. This is definitely not the direction we want to take and we need to clearly understand that we live in a different world now. Let us take the perspective of an outsider and see what we have created amongst ourselves. Is this something we want to show the world who and what we are? If you ask me that question, it brings being Indian to shame.

India needs to put education on top priority so that people can at least think intellectually and not be influenced by a wrong force. Wisdom is an important element that needs to be put in education. Besides the academics, importance needs to be put in values. A good place to start this is in schools so the young Indians grow in peace and prosperity.

KULJIT JAGPAL, by e-mail

Prosecute killers

As an Indian living in California, I feel that the impact of the Gujarat riots will be terrible. The Muslims will lose confidence in India and foreign investors will think twice before they invest in an unstable environment. The burning of 1000 trucks, the vast majority belonging to Hindus, shows the ability of the rioters to perpetuate chaos without discrimination.

The Indian government should, with all means at its disposal, find and prosecute the murderers, like the Jews chased the Nazis. Unless this is done we will alienate a lot of Muslims.

SHOBHAN PAUL, Malibu, CA

It’s sickening

It just sickens me what Hindus and Muslims have done to each other. I read in Time magazine that girls were raped and killed. These people who did this are just plain wicked —having nothing to do with religion. So many crimes, horrible ones at that, are committed in the name of religion. Sickening. Wonder if God is regretting that He made man. Animals don’t do this to each other. And we think we are better than animals? We certainly aren’t proving it.

JIVLEEN K. SANDHU, Richmond, VA

UGC norms

Recently, the Department of Higher Education, Haryana, directed Kurukshetra University to calculate the workload of teachers according to the personal whims of the Education Secretary and, on the basis of that calculation, suggested the outright retrenchment of 72 permanent university teachers. The teaching community on the campus resisted this unlawful move because the UGC, which frames the rules for determining the workload etc, has not sent any such directive to the state.

Similarly, in another case the Higher Education Commissioner and the Secretary of Education, Haryana, directed a B.Ed college to advertise the post of Principal according to the qualifications prescribed by the Haryana Government and throw into the dustbin the provisions laid down in the Act of the N.C.T.E, which the highest Central authority created by an act of Parliament to regulate the B.Ed colleges all over the country.

Such whimsical directives of the Education Department are creating confusion and chaos and the education institutions in Haryana, including the universities, are in a fix whether they are to follow the norms and regulations prescribed in the Central Acts of the UGC and the NCTE or adopt the norms of the Haryana Education Department, specially when they contradict and negate the provisions of the UGC and NCTE. This confusion needs be removed as early as possible if higher education is to move on the right track.

Dr H. S. SINHA, Kurukshetra

Education in Punjab

Apropos the news item “Education level in Punjab ‘poor’ ”, Mr I.K. Gujral as PM had “told Akali leaders Parkash Singh Badal and Gurcharan Singh Tohra to improve the literacy level in the state”. This sounds like playing a flute before a buffalow. Both leaders are least bothered about the future and welfare of the people of Punjab.

Mr Badal is on record having said recently: “Being lucky does not pay in politics. Neither does intelligence matter. What counts is the stupidity of your opponents. Here I am lucky.”

Akalis hate educated and intelligent leaders like Justice Gurnam Singh, Kapur Singh (ex-ICS), Justice Kuldeep Singh, Simranjit Singh Mann etc.

Ms Joycee Pettigrew in her research work on the Jats titled “Robber Noblemen” has concluded:

“They are concerned that the immediate interest of their own family and families to whom they are connected in some way be looked after. If such a situation were to arise where faithfulness to one’s friends and loyalty to ideas were in conflict, the former would have the power to displace the latter as the focus for concern. Jats can thus never be ‘maniacs of a beautiful idea’ nor can a Rousseau (an intellectual) flourish among them.”

MANJIT SHERGILL, Ghal Kalan (Moga)

Entrance exam

Almost all major news channels have reported the leakage of all-India entrance exam papers for the MD/MS courses (2002 session). What has come to light recently is just a tip of the iceberg. It is common knowledge that many postgraduate seats of some reputed medical institutions of North India are sold each year for hefty amounts even before the conduct of the entrance examination.

DR JAGTAR SIDHU, Patiala

BJP-BSP alliance

Ms Mayawati says to Mr Vajpayee: “Aap mujhe achchey lagne lage”.

S. K. HANS, Jalandhar