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SC restores rule of law in Punjab

The Supreme Court quashing the expulsion of former Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh proved that the action was illegal and unconstitutional. It is is a landmark judgment, reinforcing the fact that our country has a Constitution and an established law system which protects an individual from the arbitrary decisions of the executive and legislature. Capt. Singh’s return to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha may improve the prospects of the Congress and help the party workers who suffered immensely in the past on account of political vendetta.

HARPREET SANDHU, Ludhiana

II

We agree with your editorial that the Supreme Court judgement in regard to the expulsion of Captain Amarinder Singh is a significant political gain for the latter (Editorial, “Relief For Amarinder” April 27).

We agree with the former Chief Minister’s contention that the Supreme Court judgement, by quashing his expulsion by the Punjab Assembly, has restored the rule of law.

Aristotle said, “Brute majority sometimes becomes mobocracy in a democracy”. This was the case in the case of the expulsion of Capt Singh.

AMAR JIT SINGH GORAYA, Griffith NSW (Australia)

Too many scams

The editorial, “Out on a limb” (April 27) was timely. Money is sure to play its role, when it is known that cricket is a game liked by billions of people around the world.

There are bad and undesirable elements everywhere, but the proportion of money involved in IPL is huge. Hence the same must be investigated. The bad elements must be thrown out to keep the game clean.

Politics should not be mixed with cricket and other games. People’s faith can be restored by weeding out the malcontents.

KAILASH GARG, Chandigarh

II

If one paisa out of Rs 100 looted by the babus, babas, netas and contractors looted from the public separately and in collusion over the last three to four decades was donated to the farmers’ cause, tens of thousands of farmers’ suicides out of starvation could have been completely avoided.

The netas on an average could have easily amassed Rs 500 crore illegally and on an average the netas could have been jailed two to three life terms each had our judicial system and media were 100 per cent efficient and honest.

On an average at least a dozen major scams seem to be happening in India daily out of which just one scam per week seem to be seeing the light of the day. And just about one scam per year if at all is being fully and properly investigated for whatever reasons.

R.P. RAMMOHAN, Hyderabad

For better rapport

The editorial, “Army chief in J&K: Time for better rapport with people” (April 22) has rightly supported the Army chief’s opposition to the dilution of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) by observing: “there is no step-down in Pakistani perfidy, and if there is any perceptible lessening of the violence, it is only because of the pressure mounted by the security forces.”

AFSPA is not politically correct, but it is unavoidable to defeat the foreign designs. Jammu and Kashmir is vulnerable to disruption by the forces inimical to the interests of India and a strong Army presence particularly along the Line of Control is inevitable.

The new Army Chief should ensure that there are no human rights violations so that call for troop withdrawal doesn’t get necessary fuel. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is doing his bit to provide good governance and develop the state and the Army can help him bring about positive changes.

TRISHLA GARG, Panchkula

Unfair to CRFP jawans As many as 45 of the 76 CRPF jawans killed during the combing operation against the Naxalites in the Chhattisgarh forests were from UP alone. Their bodies were taken to Lucknow by air. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Governor of UP thought it fit to be present at the airport to receive the bodies. Ministers and leaders of other political parties were also conspicuous by their absence. Had there been elections in the offing, every politician would have rushed to the airport on this occasion. This reflects the selfish attitude of our people, the argumentative and ungrateful Indians. Jaswant Singh, ex-BJP leader, was very candid when he said at a seminar, “We politicians go where there are votes.”  The government is yet to announce any special financial package to assist the bereaved families. The Union Home Ministry is yet to address the logistic problems of CRPF jawans. According to one report, the jawans face greater danger from malaria infection and snakebites than the Naxals. After the Kargil war, the then government doled out a lot of benefits to the bereaved families of soldiers who died during the war because elections were at hand. Today every political party, in or out of power, works steadfastly for its own agenda, to the total exclusion of paramount national issues and public welfare. RAM NIWAS MALIK, Engineer-in-Chief (retd.), Gurgaon