M A I L B A G

Growing troubles of America

Apropos of the editorial “Shifting sands in Iraq” (June 16), your assessment is correct and it is no exaggeration that Americans are going to be in great trouble both in Iraq and at home. What has the UK-US duo achieved by launching an unjustified attack on Iraq? Have they found the WMDs which were to pose danger to the world peace? Will they be able to instal a democratic government in Iraq? Will they restore the credibility of the UNO? Will they make up for the material destruction and loss of innocent human lives?

The biggest achievement as a result of this aggression Mr Bush can boast of, is dethronement of Saddam Hussein, the Bush family’s enemy No. 1. In the bargain the US has established full control over huge oil reserves and created multibillion dollar business in rebuilding of Iraq. A genuine democracy cannot be put in place even if fair and free elections are held because the fundamentalist elements which remained under check during the Saddam regime already elbowed into the masses to gain power in the governance of Iraq. And once an elected government is established Iraq might become fundamentalists’ democracy exporting terrorism to other states, including the US.

COL KULDIP SINGH GREWAL (retd), Patiala

Parking blues

I and my colleagues in a private company have been parking our vehicles in the CMC parking area, Sector 17-C, Chandigarh, for the past five years. Till last month we purchased monthly passes from the contractor at Rs 50 per car and Rs 30 per scooter per month.

This month the contractor stopped issuing passes. He forces all of us to buy a parking ticket for Rs 5 on a daily basis. On further enquiries, we came to know that the contractor has issued only 48 passes and refuses to issue any more. This is unfair. Nobody will object to it if no passes are issued. If passes are issued these should be given to everybody. We have to go out time and again everyday in connection with our business. This means buying tickets whenever we leave Sector 17. This is not a fair practice. How can one bear such a huge parking burden? In the interest of fair play, therefore, a pass should be issued to anybody who demands it.

I. A. QUADRI, Chandigarh

Value-added learning

The article “Colleges turn youth clubs” by Dr Amrik Singh (June 13) made thoughtful reading. It is true that students are in an adolescent stage, need “baby sitting” as the phrase is rightly used by the writer. At this stage students are neither well groomed adults nor children who could be controlled. They need constant encouragement, security and justice and cannot be easily satisfied but they have sound judgment and can easily single out a sincere teacher from an insincere one and the talented one from an average. So the teacher has a vital role to play in shaping the character of the students and in developing their abilities.

It is he who can prove a forceful tool for the cultivation of moral and social values in the present scenario of fast erosion of essential values and increasing cynicism in society. So value based and value added (job oriented) education is the need of the hour which can be helpful to solve the problem of student unrest and unemployment to a large extent.

SAROJINI NAUTIYAL, Ambala Cantt

Education or business?

It is very interesting to note that in almost all the professional educational institutions, mainly the engineering and technical institutions, a provision of some NRI seats has been made, which should strictly stand for persons of Indian origin, residing outside India. But the Indian version for these NRI seats stands for very highly paid seats, which can be taken by any person, who can pay the huge sum for them.

More interestingly, persons opting for these NRI seats, are exempted from appearing in the qualifying entrance tests, too. Doesn’t it show the avarice of these institutions, claiming to be promoting engineering and technical education?

AKSHIT TILAK RAJ GUPTA, Radaur (Yamunanagar)

Rising forest cover

It is welcome to note that India has succeeded at least in improving forest cover though only by 6 per cent. Forest conservation is very necessary for healthy environment. Indian courts have also contributed by having strict vigil to save greenery like was done to save the ridge in Delhi from being converted in a concrete jungle.

Urban population has by now realised the importance of natural green. But the government should feel itself duty-bound to take all necessary steps to avoid the practice of using wood as a fuel in rural and tribal areas to achieve the goal of 25 per cent forest cover out of the total geographical area by the year 2007.

SUBASH CHANDER AGARWAL, Delhi

Anti-conversion Bill

I take off my hat to Ms Jayalalitha, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, for bringing the much needed and long-awaited anti-conversion Bill in the Assembly. She further deserves kudos for giving a rebuff to Pope.

In fact, communalism, fascism and hatred emanate from this very instinct to convert and bring others to the fold of their own religion showing thereby that others’ religions are inferior. Mahatma Gandhi, therefore, disapproved of it. He condemned Swami Shradhanand, an Arya Samajist next to Swami Dayanand, for conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism. It is a separate issue that neither Mahatma Gandhi nor his Congress disciples took any initiative to stop conversion of Hindus to other religions.

DESH RAMPAL, Ferozepur