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

No rationale for subsidy on diesel

The editorial, “Bumpy ride with oil” (June 7) was apt and thought- provoking. The objection raised by the Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh that subsidised diesel should not be made available to the mobile companies for powering their towers, is quite justified.

It is really a matter of concern that subsidised diesel is being used by the affluent sections of society for their costly sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

In fact, why not de-control diesel also, like petrol? The government should stop subsidising all petroleum products i.e., petrol, diesel and kerosene oil. No other county in the world gives subsidies on petrol and diesel. Let the people face the realities of life and use petroleum products according to their demand if the prices go up by ending subsidies.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh

II

Jairam Ramesh and The Tribune have raised the pertinent issue of misuse of diesel subsidy and the later has rightly brought the matter into public domain. Telecom companies have already pocketed billions of rupees because of the largesse of the central government via 2-G and 3- G scams. Rich people should not be allowed to squander the nation’s money any more. Different rates of diesel for different categories of consumers will lead to malpractices and will fuel corruption further.

Dr TIRATH GARG, Ferozepur

Starry dreams

The middle “About a faded passion” (May 28) by B K Karkra, has a message for the youth, who are obsessed with the glamorous film world. Many of them shun their academics and race towards Bollywood and are ultimately lost in the dark lanes of Mumbai or end up doing petty jobs. Thus their budding careers come to a premature end.

Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sunil Dutt, Manoj Kumar could make it because of sheer hard work, talent and luck. But Abhishek Bachchan, Sunny and Bobby Deol, Sanjay Dutt and Kapoors were born with silver spoons in their mouths. Even Rajender Kumar’s son Kumar Gaurav and Raj Kumar’s son Puru Kumar didn’t click. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film “Guddi” had the same theme in which the protagonist essayed by Jaya Bahaduri was obsessed with stardom. The younger generation must be practical and shun starry dreams.

HARBANS SINGH, Ambala Cantt.

Well-governed states?

I was amused to read the following sentence in the middle “Off with their heads….” (June 10) by S V Singh. It reads, “It is not coincidental that Naxalism has spread in the most poorly governed states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand.” 

I had the honour to serve in both Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, and must inquire — Does the author believe that Punjab/Haryana with their tradition of “bumping off” citizens well entrenched are well-governed states?

P R.CHARI, Gurgaon

Siachen Glacier

Every now and then Siachen keeps on raising our hackles. As pointed out by Maj-Gen Raj Mehta (retd) in his article “Siachen: Frozen disengagement”( June 6), the strategically important area both to India and Pakistan would ever remain another bone of contention besides Sir Creek and other areas along the CFL,the LoC, etc.

To vacate and yet to be in possession, something very extraordinary shall have to be thought of by the Indians to resolve the issue (as it is India who is at a disadvantage being in-between the two allies), as Pakistan is in no mood to do so, being secure from the China’s presence across the glacier.

In the technologically advanced environment, can there be some surveillance system acting as a harsh deterrent —preventing any occupation by Pakistan that can enable India to withdraw its troops from the dominating features? Though history is replete with military commanders’ exploits across the Alps by Hannibal and Urals by the Germans — they all failed in the long run. Also, it is a common saying that neighbours can never be at peace as long as there is a wall in between — peeping and nibbling would always take place. So, there is a lesson for us to learn to succeed in the long run, and some foolproof high technology — as shown by the Americans in locating, pin pointing and killing Osama bin Laden — may be the only answer to reach an agreement of retaining the Actual Ground Position by both sides.

Col MAHESH CHADHA, Panchkula

Lokpal Bill

The editorial “Lokpal issue blues” (June 8) was balanced. People have welcomed the statement of the civil society representatives in the Lokpal Drafting Committee that they would take part in the next meeting. The government also took a wise decision to defer the meeting taking cognizance of the convenience of the civil society members. But the provocative remarks of one of the government members that the draft of the Bill would be prepared by the 30th, even if the civil society members boycott the meeting are unwarranted.

These remarks were unnecessary and have not been appreciated by any sane person. The government should treat itself as an equal partner in the matter shunning the horse seat for itself.

Dr S KUMAR, Panchkula

Memorial to Hussain The second headline “His exile was a blot on India” of the editorial “MF Hussain’s deep mark” (June 10) says it all. Maqbool Fida Hussain’s death in exile is really sad. I fail to understand with what face the ruling bigwigs are now mourning his death and calling him “Picasso of India”. Hounded out by a handful of fundamentalists into exile five years ago, he became a Qatari citizen last year and settled in Dubai. These bigwigs could not assure him foolproof protection to bring him back home from exile. Actually, almost all of us are hypocrites. We glorify ‘Kamasutra’ and pride in Khajuraho but attack Hussain’s home, vandalise his exhibitions. Our secular credentials certainly got a knock... when a man who rose from a painter of Bollywood posters to become a world-famous artist, setting his own benchmark of creativity, was hounded out. Bahadurshah Zafar, who died in Rangoon, describes in his couplet the anguish of the compulsion of dying away from homeland — “Hai kitna badnaseeb Zafar dafn ke liye, do gaz zameen bhi na mil kooye yaar mein.” A memorial or an art gallery for Hussain can still make some amends for our apathy. JASWANT SINGH GANDAM, Phagwara