II

The editorial was a befitting tribute to the iconic artist M F Hussain who died in exile. It was heartening to see the huge coverage given by the media, across the board, to the legend, who pinned to return to his country.  How good, and right, it would have been had the nation thought of him like this before, and helped his return to the motherland.

Where was the civil society then? It is just because of a small section of people that the Padma Vibhushan recipient had to die on a foreign soil. The contribution of Hussain to the Indian art will remain unparalleled. His death in exile will always make us feel guilty. Lets hope it shakes the conscience of narrow minded people and spur his well-wishers to respect art which is above all religions.

Col R D SINGH, Ambala Cantt

III

India’s most celebrated painter MF Hussain passed away in self-imposed exile in London. He had to live outside the country because of some narrow-minded people. His rich and precious works need to be celebrated in all its colours and shades as Hussain himself celebrated his life.

ANJU D.ANAND, Chambaghat

Fatal act

The editorial “Teenage trauma” (June 11) truly highlights the multiple causes of teenage trauma. Adolescence is the transitional period between childhood and adulthood in human development. It is the age of stress. The child has to cope with many changes. The problems relating to self, family, society, school, friends confuse the not so mature mind. Problems such as anger, anxiety, lack of guidance and non conducive atmosphere at home and school, wrong role models, truancy, bad company, parents’ expectations, peer pressure, defiance, crushes, substance abuse, authoritarian parents and teachers, gender bias, communication gap and above all identity crisis arise at puberty.

Of course proper counselling, sharing and caring attitude by parents and teachers can check the damage. Life skills like empathy, self awareness, creative thinking, decision making, stress management, effective communication and critical thinking can help in diluting the negative effects. Teenagers are fragile beings and need to be handled with utmost care.

ANITA KATARIA, Patiala

Pass Lokpal Bill

The editorial “Lokpal issue blues” (June 8) has rightly observed that the relations between the government and the civil society representatives must be maintained till the finalisation of the legislation to check corruption in the country.  The intermittent threats and pin-pricks on the part of the either party would cause momentous loss of faith. Anna Hazare gave a call for the boycott of the next round of talk on the Bill in protest against the crackdown on Swami Ramdev’s congregation. But the untimely and hurried reaction of the Union Minister Kapil Sibal added fuel to the fire.

It is time the government showed sincerity and earnestness to pass the Lokpal Bill. The MPs must not be excluded from the ambit of the Bill, for it is they who are mainly accused of criminalisation of politics. A pliant and compliant approach, in consonance with the sentiments of the people and in the best interest of the nation should enable the preparation of Jan Lokpal Bill and its passage by August 15, Mutual trust, immense faith and unstinted cooperation on the part of the government and the civil society are required.

Prof SUDARSHAN DHINGRA, Abohar

Land allocation

It is shocking that Himachal Pradesh Government has allocated land to Baba Ramdev’s Trust in Sadhupul, Solan, at virtually throwaway prices. This is in gross violation of the secular principles enshrined in our Constitution, and severely hurts the state exchequer too.

But what is most shocking is that the land was donated to the Himachal Government by the erstwhile Maharaja Patiala family for a specific purpose i.e. a children’s home. It is preposterous that the land should be used for any other purpose than the one so clearly specified by the donors. Giving away land at a throwaway price for a completely different objective (than the one originally specified) is a blot on the Himachal Pradesh Government.

ADITYA VIKRAM, Chandigarh