L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Avoid rallies to cut fuel wastage

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while justifying the increase in the fuel prices, has said that “…we need to be efficient and economical in our use of energy” (Hike minimal: PM, June 5). The statement carries weight. In my view, one of the best ways to save petrol and diesel will be to do away with the practice of organising political rallies.

This practice has indeed assumed epidemic proportions in this country. There is hardly any party which does not resort to this practice that results in massive consumption of petrol and diesel as hundreds of vehicles are pressed into service to transport people to and from the rally sites.

Earlier, we used to witness such rallies about six months before a general election. However, now political leaders resort to this method of demonstrating their strength every other day.

I am sure if some enterprising agency tries to count the number of rallies organised in Haryana during the past five years or so and the approximate quantity of fuel spent for the purpose, the results would be extremely shocking. In this age when media has penetrated very nook and corner of the country, any message can be conveyed to the people very easily. Dr Manmohan Singh should immediately ask his party to refrain from holding rallies. Or, is it that his sermons on economical use of energy are meant only for others?

SURENDRA MIGLANI, Kaithal

Encourage cycling

There is a dire need to make our society inclined towards cycling in routine life as it can not only curtail our reliability on light fuel and help in saving the outflow of foreign exchange but also help in alleviating the economic burden of the middle class.

Many middle class parents are apparently finding it difficult to meet the unnecessary social obligation of their school- and college-going children for two- and four-wheelers as they hesitate to ride a bicycle.

Not only this, cycling can help in checking pollution as it has no harmful emissions and diseases like heart attack and obesity.

RAJNISH KHOSLA, Amritsar

Congress, BJP unite

Both the Congress party and the BJP must learn a lesson from the Pakistan People’s Party and Nawaz Sharif’s party joining hands together. Enough is enough regarding their opposition in the past.

They should work together on a minimum common programme for the welfare of Indians and the integration of the country. India will thus get a strong government at the Centre and in the States. The narrow programmes of the regional political parties must end now. If the two opposing parties of Pakistan can come together, why can’t those in India?

P. C. SHARMA, Dhuri

ST on petrol

When its own coalition partner, the BJP, leave alone its bete noire, the Congress, is asking the states ruled by it to cut sales tax on petrol and diesel, why is the SAD not following suit? (news item “Punjab not to cut sales tax”, June 6).

Has it different policies than those of the BJP and that too when the hike is hitting hard every segment of society? The arguments given by Dr. Daljeet Cheema, SAD General Secretary and Cooperation Minister Kanwaljit Singh against the slashing of sales tax are not convincing and logical, to say the least. The SAD should stop seeing politics in every move of Sonia Gandhi, all the more so when it is beneficial for the common man.

Anyway, if the Punjab Government cannot reduce sale tax on petroleum products, it should at least cut down on ministers’ and bureaucrats’ tours, local and abroad, do away with the free supply of petrol being given for the official vehicles of MLAs, abolish the sinecure post of Parliamentary Secretary and reduce the number of IAS/IPS officers to the minimum required. This action will speak for its concerns for the welfare of the common man.

SATWANT KAUR, Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur)