M A I L B A G

Criticise the creation, not creator

THE editorial “Repentant rogue” on this year's Booker Prize winner D.B.C. Pierre, who is said to be “a confessed concaine and gambling addict”, reminds one of Jean Genet, a criminal genius of French literature, who wrote two disturbing off-Broadway hits, “The Blacks” and “The Balcony”. He was raised in prison and spent his first thirty years in prowling the European underworld. Even his first novel was written in prison in 1940-42.

But about seven years later, a petition signed by Sartre and Picasso was presented to President Auriol, who granted Genet a pardon.

As D.H. Lawrence says, “Follow the poem, not the poet and criticise the creation not the creator”.

SURJEET MANN, Sangrur

Rajdhani stop

Every Friday, 2425/2426 Rajdhani Express which starts from New Delhi at 9 p.m does not halt at Ambala Cantonment though it is a main junction of the northern region i.e. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. As a result, residents of these areas are deprived of the facility of comfortable travel to Jammu, New Delhi and back to their stations by the said train.

Moreover, this station covers the vast area of Cantonment which itself comprise Air Force and paramilitary forces living there. Since it is the most genuine demand of the general public, the railway authorities should introduce stoppages for Rajdhani Express at Ambala Cantonment on both directions.

This will not only meet the genuine demand of the public but also go a long way in improving the revenue of the Northern Railway. Suffice it to mention that this train has only one halt at Ludhiana at present in the entire journey.

ASHWANI K. KAPUR, Chandigarh

When I lost my walking stick I would like to share my two incidents in my life with the readers of The Tribune, one in 1944 and the other very recently. When I was posted in 1944 as a Magistrate in Deva Ghazikhan district of now West Punjab, a district West of Indus, it was very inaccessible. A normal journey to Dera Ghazikhan from Lahore by rail, bus and steamer would take about 18 hours. My wife and I crossed over to the eastern side on our way to Lahore. When we reached Multan, I found that a trunk containing our clothes etc had been inadvertently left on the bank of the river. We decided to get back to the river by the same bus. We reached there in the evening. We picked up a boy on the way who informed us that a trunk had been taken across to the Western bank by the Captain of the ship as unclaimed property. This information was valuable and relieved some anxiety. I managed to send two mallahs (swimmers) across the river. They left at about 9 pm. They swam across the river and brought back my trunk, absolutely intact, at 10 am the next morning. Contrast this with what happened in Chandigarh recently. I went to Sector 11 Post Office and inadvertently left my walking stick there. I discovered this when I got ready for a walk in the evening. Next day when I went to the post office, I was told that there was no stick there, and that it might have been taken away by the sweeper. I was able to get back a trunk containing clothes and valuables 60 years ago. But I was unable to get back my walking stick from a public office a few days back! V.P. MALHOTRA, IAS (retd), Chandigarh

Goodness vs evil

Apropos of Prof Darshan Singh Maini’s middle “Musings on evil” (Oct 22), he professes his thesis about the powerful presence of evil in every nook and corner of the world. This fact can hardly be refuted. But evil, whatsoever its shape and intensity may be, has never been able to frustrate the indomitable spirit of man who has been blessed with unyielding bent which tends to rise above the threatening roar of evil and evil-doers from time to time. The good has always battled against evil with grit and guts resulting almost always in triumph.

The invincibility of man’s spirit against all odds is Biblical. To continue to fight from generation to generation against evil with unceasing courage is the crux that matters. Perseverance opens up chinks through which rays of hope and optimism enter to dispel the darkness which may envelop the mind of man at some stage. The number of evil-doers and the quantum of evil is not so big and awesome as we fear it to be. Goodness will always win over evil as the fight against evil is perennial and so permanent and potent.

C.L. ARORA, Ferozepore City

Soiled currency

Every now and then, there is announcement on the television about the Reserve Bank of India’s instructions to all the banks not to staple the currency bundles. But most seem to follow the directive more in breach than in practice. Soiled currency notes exchange hands everywhere and the RBI staff are unable to check this.

The RBI authorities should take drastic action against banks violating its instructions in this regard. All the banks should get the usually soiled, torn and refixed notes exchanged at the RBI.

SANSKRITI KHANNA, Panchkula

Prompt action

I would like to bring to your notice the prompt work done by the doctors in the Casualty wing of IGMC Hospital, Shimla. On October 17, when I was returning home after attending duty, someone told me that my son met with an accident at about 2.35 p.m. When I reached the IGMC Hospital, I was contented to see that the people on the spot had taken my son and his friends to the IGMC Hospital and all the doctors and specialists in the Casualty wing had attended to my son very well. In fact, all his tests had been done before my arrival.

I appreciate and thank all the people and doctors of IGMC Hospital on behalf of my family who helped us in those critical moments.

USHA CHAUHAN, Shimla