|
|
|
|
|
Destroy the cancer of corruption
Corruption is an addiction like any other, as smoking or alcoholism, which starts as peer pressure in the company of colleagues, friends or by virtue of corrupt culture in an office, and later becomes a necessity. The standard of living acquired by the ill-gotten wealth needs to be maintained further and the salary does not seem to be enough for it. Countries where bar of transparency and probity in public life is high have appropriate checks and balances and know that law is all-pervasive and would catch up sooner or later. What our country needs is ‘de-addiction’ to fight the cancer of corruption by introducing suitable laws and, their fair, speedy and effective implementation. Hopefully, the Lokpal is one small step in that direction. Exemplary punishment should be pronounced in the shortest time frame possible and the matter should be adequately taken up by the media to increase public awareness. It is very important that politicians also read the writing on the wall clearly. People who feel the need to grease palms of government servants should be patient. In today’s times when everything is happening online, most of the services would become transparent and we would no longer need to be at the mercy of babus. MADAN MOHAN, Palampur (HP)
II
The article ‘Fight corruption but only by law alone’ by Harpal Singh (November 20) is apt. If every individual does his duty sincerely, why should he be afraid of the Lokpal Bill, even if he is President, Prime Minister or Chief Justice of India? I don’t think the Lokpal Bill will be required if every citizen of India becomes a sincere, dedicated and devoted citizen. Political will is the only lacuna to be filled for early introduction of the Lokpal Bill. HARISH K.
MONGA, Ferozepur
|
|
|
Rupee fall This is with reference to the editorial ‘Worries over rupee; Foreign capital moving out’ (November 21). The continued downward trend of rupee is well known to all of us. With RBI refusing immediate intervention, chances of the rupee’s descent have further increased. The RBI Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn has expressed his unwillingness to use foreign reserves to stabilise the rupee, because the reserves are not enough. Dollar is considered the safest of all currencies, and most of the free-floating global currencies are sliding against the dollar. The rupee’s plunge is now one of Asia’s worst and world’s third worst performing currency this year. During this global crisis, investors are interested in converting their assets into dollars. Another factor is that India’s growth falters due to high interest rates and inflation. Foreign investors are selling their stock holdings. Because of poor business environment here, Indian firms are also investing abroad. The government is mulling FDI in aviation and in retail sector which is encouraging for small enterprises and good for the consumers as well. By taking this step, quality of products would also improve. ANJU ANAND SIKRI, Ferozepur. Civic sense Blaming the government for all ills in the system comes naturally to us. It is true that most of the time, government officials neglect their duties and responsibilities but we as citizens are primarily at fault for the mess that we see around us. Most of us lack civic sense. It is one amongst us who defaces walls, spits on roads, throws garbage wherever it pleases him, among many of the other things. We encroach on government land wherever and whenever we get an opportunity. We cannot absolve the government of its responsibilities, but if we know how to behave as responsible citizens, no government dare take us for granted and neglect its duties towards the citizenry. RJ KHURANA, Bhopal More Metros The Urban Development Ministry’s recent proposal to extend the Metro rail network to tier-II cities with two million-plus population is laudable as well as a step in the right direction. This will certainly go a long way in boosting and breaking the logjam in urban mass transport. Many cities in India have inadequate poor Public Transport System (PTS). While Rail Mass Transport System and Bus Rapid Transport System can handle high-volume public transport in urban centres and are clean public transport models, utility of run-alone buses cannot be ignored. The government has little resources to make mammoth investments, so public-private partnership (PPP) projects are one of the options. Raising the share of PTS in passenger traffic shall be the growth engine of the economy and shall indirectly plug the oil-subsidy. BICHU MUTTATHARA, Pune Justice in sight Over seven years later, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has concluded that 19-year old college girl Ishrat Jahan and her three friends were killed and passed off as ‘militants’ by the police in a staged shootout. It is a huge setback to the Gujarat government and vindicates the stand maintained by families of the dead. We hope if SIT findings are true, the politicians and police officials involved will be booked as soon as possible. Fair trial should be held in the fast track court and the guilty should be given maximum punishment possible for the heinous act and tarnishing the image of innocent people. Earlier, the BJP was gaga over the Supreme Court’s instruction to transfer the Gulburga case to the lower court. Narendra Modi in an open letter to the people had said that it “has become fashionable to defame me and the state of Gujarat.” People hope the BJP will clear its position now for the sake of fair justice. BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad
|
|||
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
