M A I L B A G

Guru Purab: Modi shouldn’t cancel holiday

The news-item in The Tribune (Jan 31) on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to cancel the holiday to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak is jolting and mind-boggling.

The Godhra riots are still fresh in memory. And now the Modi government has fired another salvo at another minority community! The government should reconsider the decision and restore the holiday.

The Tribune deserves credit for publishing the news item.

GURINDER SINGH SANGHA, Ferozepur Cantt

II

The Gujarat Chief Minister’s decision has hurt me very much. This action is altagonistic of the decades-old BJP-SAD alliance.

By publishing this news-item, The Tribune has highlighted this sensitive issue. It also demonstrates the discriminatory attitude of the Gujarat government.

A.S. BHOGAL, Ferozepur City

Waiting for Lok Pal

Apropos of Justice Rajinder Sachar’s article “Lok Pal is not for judges: A judicial commission will do” (Jan 11), I must say that the nation needs a Lok Pal more for its public servants than judges. In India, the process of appointing a Lok Pal started as early as 1963 when the Rajasthan Administrative Reforms Commission recommended it. However, there is no political commitment to set up this office. As a result, the issue has been hanging fire. Surprisingly, successive governments at the Centre did not show the required political will to pursue the Lok Pal Bill. It has been presented to the Lok Sabha eight times, but is yet to be enacted.

The people now look forward to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to pursue the issue to its logical conclusion. Dr Singh is known for keeping his words. He should use his good offices in getting the Lok Pal Bill passed in Parliament expeditiously so that action can be taken against the corrupt public servants.

Dr SWARAN LATA, Head, Public Admn Dept., University College, Rohtak

II

The rule of law is one of the cardinal principles of a democracy. We now learn that our policy makers wish to abandon this high ideal of democracy. How can the President, the Prime Minister, the two presiding officers of Parliament and the Chief Justice of India be kept out of the purview of the Lok Pal Bill?

We know our democratic history and traditions. Even Lord Robert Clive and Lord Warren Hastings were not spared and impeached in Parliament for their misconduct and acts of corruption. Former US President Bill Clinton’s immoral relationship with Ms Lewinsky was thoroughly probed by a specially appointed Prosecutor by the Congress. Last month, the British Home Secretary had to quit his job for his irresponsible relationship with a woman who was not his wife.

On the one hand, the Indian Prime Minister says he wants to see and assure full transparency and accountability and, on the other, he wants to negate the rule of law by allowing some of the highest authorities in India to escape from the reach of the Ombudsman. Paradoxical. No democrat will tolerate this aberration in democracy.

SIMRANJIT SINGH MANN, Quilla, Fatehgarh Sahib

Spirited show

I congratulate Sania Mirza for her spirited show. She has earned a name for herself and for the country. We are finally seeing the rise of talented youth in India in every field, be it cricket, film industry or business. A platform has been set by the youth and it is time the Union Government along with the citizens started showing faith in the abilities, talent, capabilities and confidence of the youth. Both should start trusting them so that India regains its pre-eminent position in the international arena.

KUNAL SHARMA, New Delhi

Tsunami warning

A.D. Ahluwalia’s article “Geoethical tsunami fiasco” (Science and Technology Page, Jan 21) is well documented. One likes to read it again and again. But the question is whether it would awaken the complacent scientists or vacationing babus across the Indian Ocean who really are the killers.

Dr AJIT SINGH SANGHA, Ludhiana

Gross injustice

This has reference to the editorial “P(l)ots of money” (December 1 4, 2004) regarding the Haryana government’s regularisation of 1054 unauthorised colonies.

I own a plot in Vidya Nagar Colony near Ambala Cantonment. The colony is more than 15 years old. It has a pucca road, deep borewell water supply and urban electric supply lines. Over 50 per cent of the plots had been constructed. Yet the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has acquired the vacant plots after which the state government has regularised the colony.

I am sure, these plots will be sold in auction at exorbitant prices. Is it proper and in accordance with the law? No, certainly not. It is gross injustice to the vacant plot owners, whose lands have been acquired by HUDA. I, therefore, appeal to the Haryana government to be considerate towards the vacant plot owners.

Sqn-Ldr HARJIT SINGH (retd), Ambala Cantt