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Indo-US tiesbolstered by
Obama visit
The editorial, “The Obama visit”
(Nov 8) has aptly captured the mood and intent of the US President’s visit to India. All indications for easing export controls on dual use technology, high-tech trade and signing of deals worth US $ 10 billion by Mr Barack Obama have heralded a new high in the developing bilateral relationship between the US and India. India would now need to respond swiftly to Mr Obama’s expectations of lifting further trade and investment barriers for US investors in India. The emerging understanding will also go a long way in protecting employment opportunities for the employable on either side besides creating wealth for society. Mr Obama’s seriousness in fostering economic ties with India is evident. Besides, he chose to visit both Mumbai and Delhi; the commercial and the political capitals of our nation. We also need to realise that whatever the level of understanding or relationship that we might develop with the US, we as a mature nation should stop expecting public declarations about Pakistan from the US. Some among us keep trying to put words into the mouth of the US President. Of course, we must stay firm on our approach of not allowing any third party intervention in our relations with our neighbours. TEJINDER SINGH BEDI, Faridabad
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II The media had created unnecessary hype over US President Barack Obama’s visit. It was if some superhuman had arrived here or some Santa Claus had come to distribute goodies to Indians. The million-dollar question is¾“Can’t we talk to any foreign country keeping only our national interests in mind?” Dr JAI PRAKASH GUPTA, Ambala Cantt. Populist policies The views expressed in the editorial “Free power for farmers” (Nov 5) should be treated as a warning that if the policy of populism is continued, one day the state would become bankrupt when money would hardly be available for governance, what to talk of ameliorating the condition of the poor. The question that arises is when the state is already under heavy debt, what is the justification for exempting big farmers from paying electricity charges? When will they ultimately be compensated through a higher MSP based on higher cost of production? Today the first priority should be to create job-opportunities to prevent multitudes of educated unemployed youth from becoming frustrated which could lead to social disorder. The state should raise its own resources without cutting subsidies to the deserving sections and reduce revenue expenditure by increasing productivity. R L MAHAJAN, Ludhiana Task ahead
The editorial “Back at the helm: Crown of thorns for Amarinder” (Oct 28) put the entire scenario in proper perspective. No doubt the Congress party in the state had been at loggerheads for the last three years. Most of the anti- Amarinder Singh faction had been busy in ensuring that he was not reappointed as the president of the PPCC. If this energy had been used to highlight the misrule of the Akali-BJP government it would have paid them dividends. It was up to Ms Sonia Gandhi to appoint the PPCC chief and she did it against speculations and much earlier than expected. In the coming months Capt Amarinder Singh will have time to unite the party and propel it towards victory. As most of the Congress leaders had already said that they would gladly accept the decision of Ms Sonia Gandhi, there should be now no question of disunity in the party. Capt Amarinder Singh has to be more accessible to workers to ensure the victory of the party in the next Assembly elections. Maj NARINDER SINGH JALLO (retd), SAS Nagar
India’s poor
The dynasty rule is responsible for the miserable condition of the poor who are deprived of their basic needs. Politicians are usurping the wealth of the nation and flourishing at the cost of the poor and downtrodden. How long the poor would be sacrificed at the altar of the wrong policies of the government and the vote bank syndrome? D R SHARDA, Chandigarh
Sexual harassment
Thirteen years after the Supreme Court delivered the Vishakha judgment detailing guidelines for the protection of women at workplaces, the Union Cabinet’s nod to the Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010 for introduction in the Parliament’s forthcoming winter session is heartening (editorial
“Protecting career women: Bill to prevent sexual harassment at offices”, Nov 8). The apex court had relied upon the Convention for Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which India had signed. As stated in the editorial, the Bill is broad-based in its nature and scope as it includes women working in all enterprises — public, private, organised and unorganised. It will apply even to establishments with less than 10 employees, but their complaints will be directed to a local complaints committee at the district level. Moreover, any woman who enters the workplace as a client, customer, apprentice, daily wage earner or in an ad hoc capacity, students and research scholars in colleges and universities, patients in hospitals will have the right to complain against sexual harassment. However, it is rightly urged upon to bring the domestic help into the ambit of the present legislation in view of the increasing cases of exploitation and molestation of the domestic help in recent times. RAJENDER
GOYAL, Advocate,
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