If people in Egypt and Tunisia can bring a peaceful revolution then why can’t it happen in Libya? Have the people of Libya failed to evolve a democratic leadership to lead the revolution? Don’t the NATO forces feel the destruction of human and non-human resources in Libya?

It is time the BRICS came to the fore to resolve the prevailing “military stalemate” between the Gaddafi regime and the rebels. The US President must study the situation objectively and act as a true democrat. If Gaddafi is ready for talks with the rebels, the world community should welcome the offer and help the peaceful replacement of the dictatorial regime.

Human lives are very precious and we must save them. At the same time, other dictatorial regimes should also read the writing on the wall and hand over the “power” to the democratic forces. The NATO forces must keep their military away from any interference. Let the people organise themselves to achieve their democratic goals. BRICS should stress for a dialogue between the fighting forces of Gaddafi and the rebels.

SUDESH KUMAR SHARMA, Kapurthala

Doctors’ ethics

To Dr Vitull Gupta’s letter (May 7) favouring private practice by government doctors. I would like to remind Dr Gupta of the Hippocratic Oath, sacred to all medical practitioners. It is an unfortunate fact that in India, while a large number of medical practitioners have availed of tax payer funded subsidies, by being educated in Government Medical Colleges at fees far below those charged by private colleges, once in private practice all medical practitioners tend to treat medical practice as a “shop.”

New and fancy medical equipment is procured and used on gullible patients whether required or not. Liberal bribes are taken from pharmaceutical companies. Where has the spirit of service to humanity and alleviation of human suffering gone? If the government allows private practice to doctors working in the government hospitals where will the poor person go for the medical treatment?

NRIPINDER SINGH, Bathinda

Land acquisition

The current scenario of the UP farmer’s stir was aptly analysed in the editorial “Wages of acquisition”( May 10). It has been rightly pointed out that a national land acquisition policy is the need of the hour. In the current farmer’s stir an approach of procrastination is applied and the situation is allowed to deteriorate and then a hue and cry is raised. Many such incidents have occurred all over the country and each time a situation of confrontation arises and leads to tension, which further is neither beneficial for the industry nor farmers.

In our country land is a scarce resource, as we have to feed a large population; farmers are dependent on their lands for their survival. Also we need land to industrialise and to improve our infrastructure. All these factors have to be taken into account. Agriculture land is not like a real estate property in which you just pay and buy. Farmers though reluctant have always provided land for industrialisation, but the deal has always been detrimental to them. It needs to be realised that land has become an expensive resource. The corporate people and the governments need to acknowledge this and formulate packages for land acquisition in such a way that it covers not only the cost of the land, but also the emotional cost and displacement cost. Our businesses houses and governments are very well resourced to pay such prices.

AMANVIR SINGH TIWANA, Patiala

Learning English

The status of English in India has always led to controversies. However, it is now well-established that English is being widely used the world over and India cannot be left behind. According to estimates, 1.8 billion people out of 6.2 billion of world’s total population use  English. Interestingly, China is slated to become number one English speaking country in a decade’s time. There is no denying the advantages of learning English in today’s world.

However, there are many myths that need to be demolished. Many people feel that English should be taught from Class I. However, even after 14 years of learning English, in most cases children cannot communicate well in English. It is not the time period but the effectiveness of English teaching that matters. We need to develop a language policy favouring bilingualism that would help the learners to learn their mother tongue as well as English.