The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Letters to the Editor

NEWS AND VIEWS

PUNJAB

HARYANA

JAMMU & KASHMIR

HIMACHAL

REGIONAL BRIEFS

NATION

OPINIONS

LETTERS

BUSINESS

SPORTS

WORLD

SPECIAL COVERAGE

CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

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

Save India from anarchy

I fully share the tone and tenor of your timely and thought-provoking editorial, “No room for theatrics” (August 22), and whole-heartedly endorse the argument adumbrated therein. As the editorial points out, the country needs a “well-thought-out” bill that can withstand judicial scrutiny and help curb the growing menace of corruption. It is imperative for the country’s political parties/NGOs to jointly devise the requisite bill. Temptation to reap political capital out of the contentious issue must scrupulously be eschewed by one and all in the larger national interest. Anna Hazare’s ultimatum to the government —“Adopt the Jan Lokpal Bill or go” — under the circumstances, sounds altogether preposterous.

One fondly hopes that the government, the Opposition and civil society will rise to the occasion and save the country from the impending anarchy.

TARA CHAND, Ambota (Una)

The unprecedented support Annaji and his team is getting from all sections of the society proves that he is fighting for a just cause. Indian youths are particularly fascinated by his honest, straightforward but radical approach. It is heartening to see them moving away, though temporarily from cinema, cricket, crime etc, and discussing ways and means to fight corruption. Gandhi caps and CDs of patriotic songs are selling like hot cakes. Isn’t it amazing that a dhoti-clad 74-year-old man is the latest youth icon?

“Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come” and it seems that the time for a strong Lokpal and sweeping electoral reforms has come.

But extreme tactics, such as going on a fast, should not be used every now and then to pressurise someone to accept a particular viewpoint. Opinions may differ, and their peaceful resolution is the beauty of democracy. The post of the Prime Minister is the cornerstone of our democratic setup and we should be proud of it. It has to be kept out of the ambit of the Lokpal for the simple reason that if we cannot elect a single honest person out of 121 crore as the Prime Minister, how shall we find an honest Lokpal?

RAJESH KUMAR KHOTH, Sirsa

2G spectrum scam

The editorial, “The trial: The CBI and court’s credibility is at stake” (August 25), discusses some crucial points related to the ongoing investigation in the 2G spectrum scam which cost the national exchequer nearly Rs 1.76 lakh crore. First, it was A Raja, who declared that he was just following the telecom policy of the Central government while he allotted the frequency licence to different private companies. He has told the nation umpteen times that even Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram were aware of the modalities of the 2G spectrum.

Now it is the turn of the DMK MP, Kanimozhi, who has claimed to be completely innocent. She has denied having accepted a bribe of Rs 210 crore as director of Kalaignar TV, though the CBI has charged her for the same.

I agree with the thoughtful argument that “the trial is a serious test of the independence of the judiciary and the CBI”. In our country, there is a common impression that the high-profile people flout laws and rules with impunity and nothing happens to them.

In the present 2G spectrum case, the high-profile accused like A Raja and Kanimozhi seem to have the benefit of doubt. In my opinion, they symbolize the emerging bonds of trust and cooperation between rulers and the powerful corporate houses. In a way, they are the architects of neo-liberal economic policies.

Dr RAJ BAHADUR YADAV, Fatehabad

The editorial, “The trial: The CBI and court’s credibility is at stake” (August 25) is a timely reminder to the CBI to exhibit its industry, impartiality and integrity. In the 2G scam, it must succeed in prosecuting the offenders successfully. To say that a bureaucrat’s job is merely to follow the policies of the government is incorrect.

Bureaucrats are specially chosen and professionally trained in all aspects of administration to give clean and good governance. They are expected to serve responsibly in a caring, ethical and transparent manner. The editorial has rightly said that the trial is a serious test of the independence and credibility of the judiciary and the CBI. The offenders should be given exemplary punishment so that it acts as a deterrent to others.

SC VAID, Greater Noida

Mother Teresa
This refers to the article, “Compassion beyond boundaries” (August 26) by Navin B Chawla. We all have our own heroes, the people we admire and respect, the people who have made an impact on our life. They have made us look at the world differently.
Mother Teresa was a powerful woman, much admired and respected for her mission and countless acts of mercy. Her humility and compassion as well as her respect for the worth and dignity of humankind, inspired people of all ages and backgrounds to work for the world’s poor. Mother Teresa’s life is definitely an ideal for everyone. She was a wonderful human being and would always be missed. We should pay our homage to her by supporting her mission.
She became Mother Teresa of Calcutta by dedicating her life to the service of the poorest of the poor. She did small things with great love. Since she dedicated her life to the service of the sick and destitute of India and the world for nearly 50 years, India should also think of recognizing her services by erecting a memorial in her honour at a suitable place.
HARISH DIDO, Chandigarh

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, neatly hand-written or typed in double space, should not exceed the 150-word limit. These can be sent by post to the Letters Editor, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030. Letters can also be sent by e-mail to: Letters@tribuneindia.com. — Editor-in-Chief