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

Privatisation of education undesirable

This refers to the article, “Engaging in social business” (September 27). I disagree with the views of the writer that private enterprises should be encouraged to participate in the field of higher education. Private players are always driven by the motive of making maximum profit, and the perception that these players will engage themselves in social business is an illusion. Already, these private players have been doing the job of providing higher education to students of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. A cursory look at their fee structure belies all hopes and forces us to think whether these private players will ever consider higher education as a social business.

The government of India has now opened the doors for foreign universities also. These universities will fleece students and plough back the profit.

Secondly, privatization of education will make higher education inaccessible to the students belonging to the weaker sections of society, seriously affecting the issue of equity and social justice.

Prof RAJAN KAPOOR, Nakodar

Misuse of power

The Tribune needs to be applauded for its investigative story on Punjab public transport affairs. Indian democracy has been ruined by businessmen- turned-politicians or politicians-turned-businessmen. Politics in Punjab is dominated by transporters of the Congress, the SAD and the BJP politicians. Prakash Singh Badal and his son own the largest private luxury and normal public transport. They have purposely tailored public transport policies to favour private operators. The state-owned Punjab Roadways and the PRTC are incurring losses because of the advantage given to private operators. This is nothing but misuse of constitutional powers to achieve personal gains at the cost of state’s interests. Though there is nothing wrong in politicians running private transport or any other business, misusing the constitutional powers to favour their own business interests is totally unethical and it is a serious breach of people’s trust. This is high time to nationalize Punjab’s public transport in the interest of the people of this state.

Capt AMAR JEET KUMAR, (Retd) Mohali

Strength of character

In the late 50s, at many Republic Day meetings, I made a single point that the character of an individual alone is the remedy for all ills. I again repeat the same point in the interest of the nation.

The demon of widespread corruption is not self-generated. It breeds from us, comes forth from our own character. It is not the crisis of corruption; rather, it is the crisis of character that we are seeing today. It is our moral standard that requires improvement. It is our mode of thinking that needs to change.

I once talked to Dr S Radhakrishnan, who was then our Vice-President, about the need to enact an anti-dowry law. To this he said, “It is education, not legislation that can help.” He was right.

Now, we have anti-dowry law, but we still witness ugly faces of dowry. In the ultimate analysis, it is our attitude that matters, not so much the government of the day.

Permit me to say that if the followers of Anna ji and Ramdev ji and that of other social leaders and spiritual gurus refuse to take bribe and dowry, and they also refuse to indulge in any form of antisocial practice in their personal life and profession, a large proportion of India’s population will automatically become free from corruption.

SHYAM BHAISAB, Ambala Cantt

Fall from grace

This has reference to the editorial, “A nightmare tour” (September 21), in which three essential lessons were enumerated for the Indian cricket team and the powers that hold the reins of the game in the country to learn from the disastrous tour of England.

The prodigal sons of the soil had been riding on cloud nine after winning the ICC ODI World Cup. But they were brought down to earth when England ambushed them by trouncing them in all the Test, ODI and T20 matches.

Before it could dawn upon them what had happened, the nightmarish tour was over. For their ignominious rout in all formats of the game, the entire team was the culprit.

The No. 1 Test team of the world took England lightly forgetting that their opponents had drubbed Australia in their own den to romp home victorious with the Ashes. They arrogantly forgot that enemy should never be considered weaker and that battles could not be won without making preparations on a war footing.

The editorial rightly enlisted the mantra of humility, preparation and fitness for the team, if they are to rise from the ashes like the phoenix.

TARSEM S BUMRAH, Batala

Justice delivered

The editorial, “ A powerful verdict: Shocking for Punjab in particular” (September 29), highlighting the apex court’s judgment upholding the claim of Himachal Pradesh for 7.19 per cent share in Bhakra-Beas Management Board hydroelectric projects, is analytical and timely.

As the editorial pointed out that Himachal had lost about 27,869 acres of land to the project, and thousands of families were uprooted from 
their homes.

The worst part of the story is that the language of reason to seek justice failed to click with the governments of Punjab and Haryana. Thus, the aggrieved state, reeling under acute injustice all these years, had perforce to go in for legal remedy. Little wonder that the people of the state are extremely jubilant over the verdict.

In the larger public interest, Punjab and Haryana should help implement the judicial verdict gracefully rather than going in for another protracted legal battle over the issue.

TARA CHAND, Ambota (Una)

Trust in God’s benevolence The Middle, “Let things be” (September 26), by Manisha Gangahar, was full of emotions, but at the same time based on the harsh realities of life. This life gifted by God is a strange blend of joys and sorrows. Pains and miseries of life have to be borne by everybody at one time or the other. The writer bemoans that one has to bear this all alone. Sympathies and support from friends and relatives in the hour of grief, no doubt, provide solace, but all this is short-lived. The never-ending support and shelter can only be found in total submission to the supreme force called God. Whenever one feels helpless and weak, one’s faith in God works wonders and not only mitigates one’s sufferings, but also gives one the courage and strength to face the difficult moments of life. This faith induces one to be on the path of karma once again. The vagaries of life pose many questions. The answers to all these questions can also be discovered in the spectrum of life. The silent messages to God are never deleted and never go unread. When one bond terminates, God presents another one to blossom. Let us all trust Him and “Let things be”. SANJEEV TRIKHA, M M (PG) College, Fatehabad