M A I L B A G

Improving the quality of governance

Mr H.K. Dua’s timely tips to the voters in the run-up to the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, in his front-page editorial “People must assert: Time to cleanse the system” (March 1), are inspiring. Although the nation has taken many steps forward for safeguarding democracy, the quality of governance is slowly being eroded by the representatives’ unlimited greed for power.

The growing menace of sale and purchase of legislators in the country has reduced the party system to a mockery and made nonsense of our parliamentary democracy. But why blame politicians alone? Today corruption has become a way of life for everyone. Moral degradation in our society has reached its climax. Over the years, scores of scandals have been exposed but the high and the mighty have not been held responsible.

When the corrupt call the shots in a democracy, the best gravitate to the bottom and the worst float on the top. In such circumstances, we, the people, have to use our most sacred voting right cautiously, elect talented men and women and shut the door on the criminal and the corrupt.

JAGTAR SINGH, IDAS (retd), Mohali

II

Mr H.K. Dua has rightly called upon the voters to use their franchise with utmost care and cleanse the system by throwing out the irresponsible and corrupt politicians and to elect men and women of integrity and character.

But the situation is different on the ground. Most of the voters are illiterate and are in no position to select the best representatives. They can’t distinguish between the right and the wrong; they only do what the party leaders tell them. Moreover, most voters are carried away by the charisma of the leaders or by their ability to bestow favours on them in return of their support for winning the election.

P.L. SETHI, Patiala

III

Mr H.K. Dua’s editorial “People must assert” (March 1) was simple and candid. I fully agree with him that the voters must ask questions to their candidates and analyse them to arrive at a correct decision before casting their vote.

I would also appeal to the electorate not to boycott voting. The right to vote is the most important and sacred right of a citizen. The people ought to cast their votes judiciously after making a dispassionate and impartial assessment of the positive and negative points of the candidates. Yes, a local constituency-level movement could strike fear among the criminal, the corrupt and the political parties which support them.

JITENDER SINGH, Kalka

IV

Mr H.K. Dua has rightly cautioned the electorate to exercise their sacred right to vote judiciously. His editorial will instil in the voters a sense of confidence to stand up against the criminal and the corrupt and thus give a fillip to the voters’ movement.

I also agree with Mr Dua’s view that the voters should realise that they are the masters and makers of the nation’s destiny. Certainly, elections offer an excellent opportunity to frustrate the efforts of those corrupt politicians who always look for an opportunity to subvert the system for their ends.

SOHAN LAL JOSHI, Chandigarh

V

Mr H.K. Dua’s front-page editorial “People must assert” (March 1) is an eye-opener for all Indians going to elect their representatives for the 14th Lok Sabha. Each and every point highlighted by Mr Dua deserves to be followed by the voters and the candidates.

Laudable in this context is the role of the Press in awakening the conscience of the electorate. Mr Dua’s reminder to the voters to use the franchise to cleanse the system is praiseworthy as it is only then that we would be able to live in a true democratic set-up.

The word “democracy” is derived form the Greek word “demos” which can be interpreted as follows: D (decency), E (ethics), M (morality), O (Opposition with a strong foot-hold) and S (Sustainability).

SHASHI KANT GALHOTRA, Advocate, Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh

VI

Every right-thinking person should read Mr H.K. Dua’s front-page editorial and follow his pathbreaking suggestions. Service clubs, societies, social and cultural organisations engaged in championing the cause of the people and the nation should be allowed to widely circulate it in different languages for spreading general awareness, of course, with due acknowledgement to Mr Dua and The Tribune.

M.P.S. RANDHAWA, Dhapei (Kapurthala)

VII

The four points suggested by Mr H.K. Dua are the best measuring rod to decide about voting, but it is very difficult to find a candidate with all the good qualities prescribed. A person having all these qualities will never indulge in the unscrupulous game of politics. He is also unable to finance his election expenses.

The best solution is that people should approach persons of high character and integrity and request them to contest the elections, assuring them of their support and finance, in the national interest.

Dr K.K. JINDIA, Sangrur