M A I L B A G

A matter of justice and fair play: ‘Be yee lamps unto yourselves’

I fully endorse the views of Hari Jaisingh contained in his article “A matter of justice & fair play” (Aug 9). The face of all the candidates selected for various posts during Mr Ravi Sidhu’s tenure as PPSC Chairman must not be tarred with the same black brush. There must be many who would have probably got through the selection process the hard way and on merit. Such innocent souls should not be made to suffer for no fault of their own. I would therefore suggest that the cases of those named in the confessional statements of Mr Sidhu’s touts should be removed from service forthwith, besides any other action warranted under the law of the land. All the rest should continue to serve but their appointment be treated provisional till approved by the present PPSC (or even a special review board comprising prominent persons from outside the state), assisted by an independent investigation agency like the CBI.

The following factors can be taken into account to arrive at a fair decision: (a) academic record from Class 10 onwards ()b) social standing and financial position of the guardian (c) whether the guardian raised any loan against immovable property at the relevant time (d) political, judicial or bureaucratic links of the guardian (e) actual performance in the written examination.

The same procedure should be followed in the other selections like those of teachers.

DALIP SINGH GHUMAN, Chandigarh

HARSHVINDER SINGH, Hamayunpur, Sirhind

Timely advice: Hari Jaisingh has earned the gratitude of thousands of employees and their families by giving timely advice to the Punjab Government with regard to the proposed sack of all the employees recruited during the SAD regime. Most of these employees got their jobs on the basis of their academic performance and merit. Punishing such candidates with dismissal from service cannot be justified on any ground. Law is generally ruthless and blind, but justice always has a human side to it.

H.K. VERMA, Patiala

The agenda: To keep the flag high of The Tribune crusade for a cleaner public life, I suggest the following agenda: (a) let there be mandatory daily publication of progress in the inquiry into the scam by the government (b) let all the bureaucrats who are even remotely connected with the scam be compulsory sent on leave immediately so that they do not have an access to the government files and the related records be sealed (c) let there be an objective decision on each case of appointment made by the PPSC. Meritorious and the deserving must not be sacked whereas the dubious ones need to be prosecuted (d) let technocrats and professionals, rather than the bureaucrats (IAS or PCS), should head the departments to ensure that the government is well informed about problems of the people (e) let there be an independent inquiry into the expenditure incurred on the maintenance of hordes of bureaucrats and the non-taxable perks they enjoy officially or unofficially at the cost of the public exchequer.

B.B. GOYAL, Ahmedgarh Mandi

Natural justice: Hari Jaisingh has once again risen to the occasion by highlighting the cause of the meritorious and innocent youngsters who have suffered and may suffer for the misdeeds of others. He is very right when he says that whatever be the provisions of law, there should not be a single case of miscarriage of justice.

The very principle of natural justice states that a hundred guilty persons may go scot-free to safe just a single innocent. Agreed that corruption has touched new heights and is eating into the very vitals of society, but does it mean that on the pretext of removing corruption the innocent should be made the scapegoats? We can certainly not tie everybody with the same rope.

DR DHARMINDER SINGH UBHA, Phallewal Khurd (Sangrur)