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

Nitish’s Right to Service Bill a laudable effort

The editorial “Govts must deliver: Bihar’s novel idea of right to service” (Dec 3) rightly commends Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s idea to have a law to make the delivery system of public utility services quick, efficient, responsive, responsible and accountable. In this respect, “The Right to Service Bill” will be brought before the Bihar Assembly. Delaying tactics, corruption, etc. are deeply entrenched in the prevailing system of governance. These issues fill the minds of the law-abiding people with deep aversion for the governing machinery. People feel disturbed and suffocated when they need to visit any government department. The governing machinery must not become so heartless and indifferent that the democratic set-up of the country becomes a thing of mockery.

If our governing machinery had been sincere towards its duties the country could have been saved from various scams and scandals. I agree that all states and even the Centre should emulate Nitish Kumar’s proposal to make the delivery of government services a time-bound activity. It is “pro-people and humane” administrative reform and needs to be supported by all law-abiding and right-thinking people. All attempts by the vested interests must be foiled.

The media, the intelligentsia and social organisations should discuss and debate the “idea” to evolve and suggest ways and means to tone up the functioning of the government machinery. They should also vigorously spread awareness among the people to enable them to make use of tools like the Right to Information Act and the Bihar Chief Minister’s proposed law.

SUDESH KUMAR SHARMA, Kapurthala

Nitish Kumar has proved himself a special politician and a true son of the soil by winning the Bihar mandate. A person who thinks about the difficulties faced by people in general is a real leader of the masses and Nitish means business.

The functioning of the government departments, which are often based on delays and marred by corrupt work culture, will be checked by this Bill which will provide a time-bound formula. Besides utility services even the consumer courts should be brought under this Right to Service Bill. The consumer courts find deficiency in the service of others but they fail to assess their own deficient method of delay and piling up of cases. The consumer courts should work for the people and expedite financial disputes. Other states too must adopt this Bill.

Dr B S AGGARWAL, Panchkula

Speedy justice

The Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill will be presented in Parliament. Provision of internal complaint committees is being made for investigation of misdemeanour against women.

The time limit for recommending action against erring person is 90 days and final action to be taken by employer/district officer is 60 days. The time limit in cases of sexual harassment at workplace should be reduced to one month and 15 days respectively. Quick justice should be dispensed to the victim.

RIKHI DASS THAKUR, Hamirpur

Queen’s language

Since universities are autonomous bodies, meddling in their teaching curriculum is totally uncalled for (editorial, “Row over Punjabi”, Nov 29). Politicians, as they are, will never miss a chance to touch the emotional chord of the voters if it helps them. As far as Punjabi writers are concerned, they have made their living and are Punjabi. It is the unemployed Punjabi youth who are often seen in the nearest spoken English “teaching shops” to learn the so-called step language that too after spending 14 years in schools/colleges.

LIEUT (I.N.) SUKHDEV SINGH GILL, (retd) Jagraon

2-G scam

The Opposition in Parliament and the apex court did exceedingly well to force the government to expel A Raja, the Telecom Minister, who is at the heart of the telecom scam. All that happened under the nose of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is known for his honesty. Perhaps the compulsions of coalition set up forced him to keep mum. Expelling Raja from the Cabinet is hardly any punishment. Why not recover the loss to the Indian exchequer from the culprits?

KARNAIL SINGH, Kharar

Thomas must resign
The editorial “Thomas must quit” (Dec 3) was apt and bold. I fully support the conviction that it is time Mr Thomas quit his august office which supervises the investigating agency CBI also. Even the Supreme Court has expressed its reservations on his continuance in this office. His role as Secretary of the Department of Telecom when his minister A Raja was in office happens to be under scanner. In the national interest, he must put in his papers now.

A Chief Vigilance Commissioner who was himself suspected of being a party to shady dealings in 2G spectrum allocation cannot be and should not be allowed to adorn one of the highest offices of India. The argument that he is ready to recuse himself from the office of the CVC but not prepared to resign is not tenable.
His stay in the office of the CVC will reinforce the present murky atmosphere of the country which closely resembles the first scene of Macbeth, a famous play written by William Shakespeare, in which the three witches sing in chorus “Fair is foul and foul is fair.” Mr Thomas is expected to have at least “the burden of the clogging guilt” and leave his office gracefully and facilitate the fair investigation of the huge loss to the nation to the tune of Rs 1,76,000 crore in the allocation of 2-G spectrum.
Dr RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad