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M A I L B A G

India deserves a berth
in the Security Council

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s demand for a permanent berth for India in the United Nations Security Council should receive the whole-hearted support of every country, especially the United States. His plea for expansion of the Security Council during a visit to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly session very recently, is timely.

Looking at our country’s size, role and contribution in maintaining peace in the sub-continent at the global level, India’s permanent membership in the powerful UN organ is long overdue. But there are some hurdles to be overcome. The American and Chinese leaders will have to be convinced and persuaded about India’s capability, aspirations and how we deserve it.

This would, in fact, be an acid test of Dr Manmohan Singh’s diplomatic skills. Let power politics not cast its shadow on our country’s prospects for membership of the prestigious council.

It is encouraging to note that our Prime Minister has also made a strong plea for the inclusion of Japan, Germany and Brazil in the expanded Security Council. What is more, the G-4 leaders (comprising India, Japan, Germany and Brazil) agreed that their foreign ministers would meet henceforth regularly and coordinate their follow-up plans in pursuit of their objective.

K. LALL,
Yamunanagar

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, neatly hand-written or typed in double space, should not exceed the 150-word limit. These can be sent by post to the Letters Editor, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030.

Letters can also be sent by e-mail to: letters@tribuneindia.com

Editor-in-Chief

Pitfalls of globalisation

When Congress leaders plunged the nation into a debt trap, we had to accept the conditions laid down to us by the IMF, the World Bank, the US and other lenders. We had to sign GATT and ultimately WTO. Liberalisation and globalisation have affected our agricultural, financial and small-scale industries.

Consider the low prices of our agriculture products and the havoc played by the foreign banks. Gradually we are witnessing the ill-affects of greedy capitalism. Due to one-sided WTO, our markets are open to foreigners. The same nations, who lecture us on liberalisation and globalisation, heavily restrict our exports. Textiles is one classic example.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a new brain wave. He says, we need large doses of FDI. So the UPA government is all set to increase FDI limits in insurance, telecom and civil aviation sectors.

Ironically, the Communists are propping up the UPA, which is out to sell the interests of the working class. Of course, our Communists proudly proclaimed that they will be barking and will not bite. What a harakiri! The only way out of the mess is for the workers of all hues to leave the Communist-controlled unions.

K.V. KAMATH,
Karkala (Karnataka)

Postal mess

The postal services in the Una area of Himachal Pradesh have gone haywire. This is so because the bus service deputed by the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation to ferry mailbags on the Una-Gagret-Daulatpur route plies erratically. The matter has been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned time and again but in vain. The affected people are at a loss to know what to do.

The importance of the dak system for the common man cannot be over-emphasised. The dak system is people-friendly, especially the poor. So it is the onerous duty of the authorities concerned to keep the dak system in good health. The postal services should not be allowed to fail for one reason or the other.

TARA CHAND,
Ambota (Una)

I would like to bring to the attention of the Chief Post Master General that the Shahabad post office is in a mess. Its services are deplorable, to say the least. Our important letters, documents etc do not reach their destination early and this has created problems for us. Sometimes, our letters have been misplaced. Who is responsible for this?

If customer satisfaction is the motto of the post office, the postal employees should live up to our expectations. I request the CPMG and other top officials to take some strict measures to restore people’s confidence in the postal services.

ASHOK SHARMA,
Shahabad (Haryana)

In bad taste

I have been a reader of The Tribune for over 40 years. I continue to read it every day and admire it for its bold, independent and unbiased news coverage. The headline of the news-item “Sikh firm gives security to US installations” (Oct 1) was in bad taste. Any Indian living overseas is nothing but native Indian first. If I start a business in the US, will it be reported as “Hindu firm runs business in US?”

SUBHASH C. CHAUDHRY
Indianapolis (USA)

Elect wise people

Let us encourage honest and wise people to come forward and contest elections at local, state and national level bodies. We should select such people and encourage them to provide the lead.

Let all the right-minded people give support to selfless persons in occupying positions of authority and decision-making. We need statesmen like Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Dr Manmohan Singh at all levels and in all institutions. The country can be saved from the cancer of corruption only if we stop giving support and honour to corrupt politicians.

Let us be very cautions in electing men and women for various roles. We must see whether they are men of word, character and integrity. This is the only way to make things right.

Prof URMIL GUPTA,
S.D. College for Women,
Moga