M A I L B A G

Minors must not be given camera phones

The recent MMS scandal was a result of immature decision-making of urban parents. At an early age of their wards, their school days, they provide them with mobile phones and other modern gadgets which in the long run prove to be fatal. This can be termed as the evil face of the scientific innovations. Banning the use of hitech gadgets will to some extent solve the matter. The parents should be made well aware about the consequences of the same.

A similar case of Kareena kapoor and Shahid Kapoor also stated that camera phones compromise the privacy of the individuals. One cannot feel secure enough to travel or dine with friends because there might be someone behind the curtains taking the snapshots and putting them on front-page of newspapers.

Certainly sometimes these can also be used to reveal the real face of some culprits. Arresting the IITian and the CEO of bazee.com was no doubt a necessary measure but the unfair use of these gadgets will not cease and the obscene and porn content will continue to survive in the market and our society. An Act prohibiting the use of camera phones by minors and other irresponsible citizens should be passed at the earliest.

Paarth A Narang, Jalandhar

II

Adult websites advertising nude pictures and free video clips of Indian women or girls caught in compromising positions are selling like hotcakes in virtual land.

Many of these websites are hosted by Indians from portals abroad. Our laws are such that we can reach as far as our territory is concerned and there is no way to monitor or curtail viewing. Also there is an audience for each and every type of porn. As long as there is a market to watch it, content for it will be generated.

Suraj R.K. Kapoor, Solan

This is Railways I am a frail 70-year-old woman. I was travelling by 2nd AC two-tier in Golden Temple Express starting December 17 night from Amritsar to Saharanpur to go to Dehradun. At 4 am the train reached a station whose name I could not read due to insufficient lighting so I could not see the name of the station. I made the coach attendant get up and find for me the name of the station. The attendant was asleep (whether he is to be up or sleeping during duty hours). He informed me that it was Jagadhari and so I went back to my berth. After two minutes the attendant came running and told me to get down as it was Saharanpur. He picked up my luggage, asking me to hurry up and rushed towards the door which was still closed. Opening the door, when the train had already started moving, he threw my luggage on the platform and nudged me to get down quickly and pushed me to the platform. I fell on the platform. I lost my consciousness and when I regained my senses I found the fast moving train crossing over me. After the train passed, I looked around and found myself lying on the railway tract between the platform and the rails. A miraculous escape from death! I shouted for help and people on the platform got me out. I was bleeding from the cuts on my face. They took me to ASM office. There was nothing worth the name of first aid except a piece of cotton. The ASM was busy attending to his work (may be rightly so) because he did not get up from his seat, nor paid any attention to my condition. Some railway employees were nice in consoling me and taking care. They phoned up my people from my mobile and informed them. Dr SURINDER KAUR SANDHU, Amritsar

Forgotten hero

The people of India and the government have proudly celebrated Vijay Divas for its victory in 1971 and created Bangladesh with the surrender of 91,000 Pakistani soldiers to the Indian Army’s Lt-Gen JS Arora, GOC-in-chief, Eastern command. As reported in The Tribune (December 17, 2004), Lt-General Arora was then called the hero of Bangladesh. The hero has not been honoured for his achievements for the country. Even on this day he has not been shown any courtesy. At least a bouquet could have been presented to him by the Defence Minister or anyone else on behalf of the government.

He is about 90 years old and is having reasonable health. The said courtesy would have raised his morale and old soldiers too would have appreciated a goodwill gesture to the hero.

It is important that the heroes are not forgotten.

Lt-Col MANOHAR SINGH (retd), Chandigarh

For speedy justice

You deserve congratulations for the editorial “Justice in 44 days” (Dec. 18).

We have inherited this justice delivery system from the British with three rungs – the trial court, the High Court and the Supreme Court. It would be better to abolish one rung. It will help in speeding up the justice delivery system.

Arjun Airi, Amritsar