M A I L B A G

SC ruling on fatwa is progressive

I welcome the views in the editorial “SC on fatwa” (April 24). The Supreme Court ruling in the Orissa talaq case is timely and progressive. It has rightly directed the state government to give protection to the couple and help them lead a normal life with their children. Neither the villagers nor the muftis can issue fatwas and compel the couple to stay separately.

The husband has admitted the very next day that he said talaq thrice under the influence of liquor and he has apologised. So, why was he not allowed to live together with his family in the past three years? How can the muftis and villagers dictate terms to the couple? They simply have no business to interfere with the fundamental rights of the couple to live together.

Times have no changed and today there is no place for fatwas. There is need for a uniform civil code. However, I doubt whether the present government has the courage to do this because of vote bank politics.

C. LALL S. CHANDER, Nangal

II

The Supreme Court has rightly inferred that no one has the right to issue fatwa and interfere in the personal life of a couple. However, it makes one wonder why people are so rigid in following the fatwas and are not ready to adjust with the changing times.

It is this rigidity that is largely responsible for the backwardness of Muslim community. This has no relation to its educational status. When consumption of liqour is prohibited in the rules laid down for this community, how can talaq pronounced thrice under its influence be justified?

UDITA AGRAWAL, New Delhi

Friends of postcard Intellectuals of yesteryears attached a lot of importance to letter writing as a mode of communication. They mostly used postcards. A usual postcard costs just 50 paise, while its Meghdoot variance costs only 25 paise. These cards can easily carry up to 100 words. My own experience is that a postcard, which is treated as first class mail, travels fastest. It flies from one corner of the country to the other in just two or three days, that, too, at an economical rate — four words in one paisa. It is time teachers as also parents encouraged the younger generation to make use of handwritten letters, preferably by postcards, for personal communication. K.L. NOATAY, Shimla

Doctors on contract

The Punjab government’s decision to recruit doctors on contract basis has created resentment among the doctors of the Punjab Civil Medical Service cadre. Apparently, the government wants to save money by denying contract doctors benefits like annual increment, pension, leave, house rent allowance, leave travel concession and so on. Though the government prefers the contract system as a useful money saving device, people decry it as a defective system of recruitment, aimed at underpaying and exploiting the job seekers.

The contract system of recruitment, therefore, deserves to the scrapped forthwith. It would be unwise to hand over the administrative control of the rural health care centres to the Zilla Parishads which are known for mismanagement, politicking and squabbles.

O.P. CHHABRA, Mohali

Rae Bareli election

Vinay Katiyar, the BJP candidate for Rae Bareli by-election against Congress’ Sonia Gandhi, has reportedly said while filing his nomination papers that “it will be videshi bahu vs desi devar” (foreigner sister-in-law versus Indian brother-in-law).

Actually, BJP president Rajnath Singh has killed two birds with one stone. On one hand, Rajnath Singh’s own reputation in Uttar Pradesh (his home state) is at stake. On the other, he has to counter Uma Bharati’s candidate who comes from the Lodh community because the BJP cannot allow Uma Bharati to sneak ahead which is more important than to throw a challenge to Sonia Gandhi.

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad

New Kangra cap

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Chief and Rajya Sabha Member Viplov Thakur has supported launching of the new cap “Tirangini” by former Tourism Minister Major Vijay Singh Mankotia for use by the people of Kangra. However, a new cap is totally unacceptable especially from the man who had a distinction of serving the Indian Army. The Indian Army is the only one in the world which accommodates all sections irrespective of colour, caste, creed and region. The Army always fights for the whole nation, not region.

I wish Major Mankotia would soon come to know of his roots with the Indian Army and its proud motto. As for the people of Himachal Pradesh, they would prefer to call themselves as Indians first and then, as proud Himachalis.

KHUSHAL THAKUR, Rampur Bushahr, HP