M A I L B A G

Navneet’s courage exemplary

I very much appreciate Navneet Kaur of Assandh in Karnal district of Haryana for her courage and conviction. We need many more Navneets. It is a pity that grooms demand chosen items as dowry during and after marriage. That is why female infanticide is on the rise.

If today’s girl child is someone’s daughter, she will play the role of a wife and mother tomorrow. Thus, she deserves to be loved and respected. A woman is the gateway of stability to society; she cannot be treated like a commodity.

The present customs, values and practices will change only if more Navneets come forward and denounce dowry. Enlightened citizens can contribute a lot to create more Navneets by making girls independent and self-reliant through education and empowerment.

S. SAMUEL, Teacher, St. Stephen’s School, Chandigarh

R.K. BHAGAT, Parwanoo

III

Our daughters are not outsiders. They are very much the same as our sons. They possess the some blood and bones as their brothers. Hence they deserve the same love and affection and also equal rights. Our sons inherit our properties. Daughters are simply given farewell with a few gifts to set up their new homes, nicknamed as dowry.

Nothing is bad in this act of heart-felt love from parents and brothers. Only the greed of the groom sometimes spoils this auspicious adjustment. It is the root cause which needs to be tackled.

PAWAN MUDGIL, Cheeka

IV

Navneet Kaur refused to marry a dowry-hungry boy, Hardaman. She set an exemplary example of courage and boldness. Her courage brought fruit when on the same day another boy, Davinder, offered to tie knot with her. Subsequently, they got married. Others would hopefully get inspiration from Navneet and reject such dowry seekers.

CHAMAN SINGH, Bhucho (Bathinda)

PM’s award for officers THE Union Government’s decision to present “Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration” is most welcome. It will give tremendous encouragement to outstanding civil servants as also boost their morale. The Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, has already invited entries from officers and organisations with proven track record and excellent performance for consideration of the award. However, the selection of officers for the PM’s Award should be done with great care and caution because the awardees will be role models for fellow officers and new entrants. The selection should be fair, impartial, transparent and above board. The officers’ performance should not be judged on how best they served their political bosses but on the basis of their efficiency, tactful handling of difficult situations, honesty, innovative skills and selfless social service. People still remember ICS officers like Dharam Vir (known as Karam Vir in Punjab) and B.N. Chakravarti for their vision, administrative acumen and leadership skills. GIAN CHAND VERMA, Yamunanagar

LPG price hike

The Rangarajan Committee’s recommendation to increase the LPG price by Rs 75 a refill and Rs 2 in petrol and diesel prices a litre has shocked the people. While the government should explore ways to maintain the prices through better plans and strategies, the people have no alternative but to reduce LPG use.

Of course, prices would depend on the demand and supply position. When the demand increases, the prices also increase and vice versa. If people cut down their petrol, diesel and LPG consumption, prices may fall. At the same time, the government has the responsibility of holding the price line.

TARUN THAKUR, Naya Gaon (Punjab)

Resume trains

Many trains were cancelled during terrorism in Punjab. Most trains resumed after peace returned to the state. However, train numbers 2NJ and 1NJ running between Jalandhar and Nawanshahr have not been restored yet. I appeal to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to reintroduce this pair of trains as early as possible in public interest.

SATYA PARKASH SHARMA, Nawanshahr