M A I L B A G

Criminals as ministers a blot on govt

This has reference to the editorial “Minister on bail” (May 27). Even with a considerable mass following, there is no guarantee that the elected leader will not be a gangster of sorts. A case or two could be dismissed as some kind of aberrations, but when the goons gang up in dozens for governing the country, there is surely something wrong the way democracy is practised.

Who is responsible for the induction of goons in the legislative bodies? The people them selves no doubt, but politicians cannot absolve themselves of the blame. The damage is done right at the time of selecting candidates in the run-up to the elections when the winning capacity of the candidate, no matter if he has criminal antecedents, draws on money and muscle power or polarisation on caste and communal lines, is allowed to prevail over integrity and moral values. Subsequently, the compulsions of the coalition government comes handy to give the reins of governance in the hands of the corrupt and the criminals.

The democracy should not be meant to be only “by the people and of the people”, determined only by the numbers, but also “for the people”, asking for the quality in governance. Criminals as ministers — at the Centre or in the states — are a blot on the government. It is time we checked this deplorable trend in the interest of the world’s largest democracy.

Dr K.C. PRASHAR, Dhalpur (Kullu)

Check corruption

By sheer chance and good luck, providence has been kind to our country: after a long time since Independence, we have two highly accomplished and impeccably honest men of known integrity as the President and the Prime Minister — Professor Abdul Kalam Azad and Dr Manmohan Singh. Sadly, the country has reached its lowest ebb, in spite of all the resources available. Corruption has become a way of life.

To curb corruption and give impetus to the economy, suitable amendments need to be considered. There is a need to do away with jumbo-sized ministries and representative institutions. If only expenditure on these heads is checked, the country can be self-sufficient. It need not approach other countries with a begging bowl.

To impart professionalism in policy-making and effective day-to-day administration, technocrats should be appointed as advisers in departments such as finance, commerce, law, health, civil aviation, public works, agriculture, education, industries and so on.

Dr HARISH KHANNA, Panchkula

Dowry deaths

Apropos of the news-item “In-laws booked for dowry death” (May 13), dowry deaths have increased in recent times. In almost all cases, the parents of the bride blame the in-laws for the death and complain of harassment and torture of the bride for months and years for bringing inadequate dowry. The police, without doing proper homework, pounce upon the in-laws’ family and book them under the Anti-Dowry Act, purely based on the oral complaint of the bride’s parents.

In my opinion, the bride’s family is equally responsible for her death and they should also be booked for abetment of the crime, because they do not report to the police the harassment and torture that their daughter undergoes at the hands of her in-laws fully knowing that this might ultimately lead her to death. Till the death of their daughter, the bride’s parents and other members of the family keep mum and once the death occurs they come out with complaints against the family members of their son-in-law and his parents. Why do they keep silent when their daughter is tortured for bringing inadequate dowry? This act of criminal negligence on the part of the bride’s parents makes them a party to the crime, and hence they are liable to be punished under the law.

While dealing with dowry cases, the authorities should keep this aspect in mind. Dowry deaths can certainly be curbed if the bride’s parents are also made a party to the crime for causing death to their daughter by not reporting the cases of torture to the police before it is too late.

T. BHATTACHARYA, Panchkula