The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

NEWS AND VIEWS

PUNJAB

HARYANA

JAMMU & KASHMIR

HIMACHAL

REGIONAL BRIEFS

NATION

OPINIONS

MAILBAG

BUSINESS

SPORTS

WORLD

SPECIAL COVERAGE

CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I L B A G

Congress-BJP wrangle is unseemly

As elections draw near the bitterness and low-level wrangling between two major political parties, the Congress and the BJP, are becoming stinkingly personal.

At a recent book release function, the BJP spokesperson is said to have blamed the Congress for Mr Jinnahs actions. Instead of treating this childish non-sense with contempt it deserved, the Congress spokesperson compounded this with equally irresponsible and more offensive tone by describing the BJP as “Bharatiya Jinnah Party” and posing a query as to “why the great urge of the BJP to defend Jinnah for creation of Pakistan”.

The Congress spokesperson has also doubted the credentials of forefathers of Sangh Parivar in their contribution to freedom struggle. I am not commenting on this mutual wrangling between the BJP and the Congress. That is their own political fight. But what I do strongly regret is that the name of Mr Jinnah, whom Gandhiji used to call Quaid-I-Azam and who is father of Pakistan, like Gandhiji of Indian nation, should have been dragged into this cheap wrangle.

The Congress should be mature enough to understand that when both countries are on road to closer friendship and mutual understanding voyage, trying to dig out the wounds of partition is not only diplomatically immature but also politically unwise. And pray why should the Congress object to the BJP praising Mr Jinnah? After all, Jinnah sahib was one of the tallest leaders of India and is father of our friendly neighbour nation, Pakistan.

Rajindar Sachar, Former President, PUCL, New Delhi

Check accidents

If terrorists kill five persons, the entire nation is worried. Just imagine over one lakh people died nationwide in road accidents last year, but we have shown no concern.

In Punjab alone about 3, 400 people died in 2007. Why so many accidents occur? Drunken-driving is the main cause of accidents. Victims keep lying unattended on the road after an accident because people do not want to help them out for fear of being troubled by the police later.

Every possible effort must be made by everyone to reduce the number of accidents. Human life is a wonderful gift of God. So we must do our best to preserve this gift.

A road safety council must be set up in each state. Drivers must be told not to consume liquor and other intoxicants while driving. Sufficient compensation must be provided to the victim’s family.

Dr NARESH RAJ, Patiala

Supreme snub

Your editorial “The Supreme snub” (March 17) carries a lesson for today’s politicians. The question arises: Should the people always look towards the judiciary for the misconduct of their representatives and seek its help?

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha has reprimanded the judiciary time and again and advised it to remain within its limits. Their intolerance to independent constitutional institutions like the Election Commission and the Vigilance Commission is well known.

D. D. GAKHAR, Chadigarh

Quake-prone

Regarding the news item “South-eastern sectors quake-prone” (March 19), I would like to know whether any particular tectonic formation or any highly significant sub-surface “fault’ underlies these discrete “pockets”, which have been considered to be maximum damage potential areas as compared to other areas in their close vicinity?

G R KALRA, Chandigarh

Airline clarifies

The letter “Ill-treated at airport” by Dr Raghbir Singh Bains (March 15) has factual errors. The writer mentions that he had complained to Singapore Airlines about the “porter issue” but no response came from the airline. A response was sent to the complainant informing him that following his complaint we identified the individual in question.

We have spoken to his employers, who are our contracted ground-handling agents at Amritsar airport and reminded them that Singapore Airlines considers the solicitation of bribes a serious transgression, and that any further incidence would be a ground to terminate the employment. We have not received any similar complaints from any of our passengers since then.

The check-in staff at the airport found that Dr Bains’ total hand luggage was above the 7 kg allowable limit. The staff had made it clear to him that he’d still be able to board the aircraft provided his hand luggage weight was reduced to 7 kg or less, and our staff had even assigned seats to Dr and Mrs Bains. In fact, they were also issued “standby tags”.

By his own account, the complainant elected not to comply with that request and, therefore, could not be boarded. The subsequent inconvenience he described is the result of a voluntary decision on his part not to reduce his hand baggage weight and not to check in.

Dr and Mrs Bains eventually travelled on Singapore Airlines on March 5 when they were checked in with the hand baggage that was within the 7 kg limit.

Gunjan Chanana, Public Relations Manager, Singapore Airlines, New Delhi