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

Small girl with big acts

Hats off to Malala Yousufzai, an 11-year old girl, who stood up against the Taliban militia and bravely wrote about their ‘cowardly’ acts, like stopping girls from attending school and watching TV channels. The Taliban militia is a force to reckon with in the Swat valley and their writ runs large. The Pakistan Army does not take the risk to take on this ‘tribe of rogue tribals’ fearing a backlash and fidayeen attacks. But this brave daughter of Pakistan took up the cudgels against the Taliban and stood for her little sister’s rights. She is an epitome of bravery who has shown the path to the weak rulers of Pakistan as to how the terror of the Taliban can be crushed.

She is a great votary of peace as she has convincingly conveyed to the world through her report that Swat residents are peace-loving people and are wrongly being branded as war-mongers. She deserves accolades. Let’s salute this brave daughter of Pakistan.

Prof RAJAN KAPOOR, Nakodar

II

Malala Yousufzai has highlighted the invincibility of the human spirit in the face of severe odds and inhuman acts. Her indomitable courage reminds us of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager, whose diary on her suffering during two years (1943-45) of hiding in a dark, cold and dingy place during Nazi occupation of the Netherlands is among the most widely read books in the world. Unfortunately, Anne’s family was betrayed just before the fall of the Nazis and she died in a concentration camp at the age of 15. Let us pray Yousufzai does not meet a similar fate.

Prof BASANT S. BRAR, Bathinda

Dirty tricks

In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Punjab, local politicians seem to be in a hurry to lay foundation stones of various projects to woo innocent voters. I vividly remember that in the ’60s and ’70s, political parties used to dump electric poles and heaps of stones along ‘kutcha’ tracks to give the impression that villages would be provided power supply and tarmac roads before the conclusion of the election process. After the election would be over, the material would vanish immediately.

Similar tricks are being played by politicians today. The projects for which foundation stones are being laid now will never see light of the day. The model code of conduct will be in place before work on the projects takes off.

Col KULDIP SINGH GREWAL (retd), Patiala

Shortest session

The editorial ‘Dividing UP a sound idea’ has rightly pointed out that it is not healthy politics by any standards. Mayawati got the state division resolution passed very tactfully. In September 2010, Parliament passed seven Bills in just 12 minutes on a single day without any discussion. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly's 16-minute session and clearance of the vote-on-account and division of the state is the latest example of how politicians are making a mockery of parliamentary democracy. There is need for a new set of rules for conducting legislative business, besides electoral reforms. 

H. DEVDHARMI, Chandigarh

II

The editorial 'Dividing UP a sound idea' (November 23) was a balanced analysis. The concept of small states is a step in the right direction towards governance, provided it does not get diluted by selfish political interests. The earlier experiments of state division leading to the birth of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have yielded rich dividends. I remember that at the time of reorganisation of Punjab, then Chief Minister Partap Singh Kairon had lamented on the fate of Kangra, which was considered a backward district in a prosperous state ( Punjab), if it became a part of a backward state, Himachal Pradesh. The result was quite the contrary. Now Kangra is considered prosperous.

Dr VK Anand, Bathinda 

Ruckus in Parliament

Disrupting Parliament day in and day out is meaningless and a waste of the taxpayer’s money. It is shameful both for the government and the Opposition. It is the first and foremost duty of a ruling party to take the Opposition into confidence to run the Lok Sabha smoothly. The BJP is behaving like a regressive political outfit (Chidambaram’s boycott and adjournment motion over the price rise) instead of acting as a mature Opposition. They need to discuss issues and allow passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the Food Security Bill and other Bills for the welfare of the common man. Other Opposition parties should also take a practical approach to allow the passing of Bills in this session urgently.

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad

Anti-stalking law

Whether it is Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab or any other state, women seem to be unsafe everywhere. We read news reports about their exploitation everyday and the forget about it. Victims and their parents can never overcome such nightmares. Criminals move freely due to political influence. People feel sad and helpless in bringing up a girl child because they do not feel safe. This is one of the root causes of the decreasing male-female ratio. The editorial ‘Anti stalking laws’ (November 22) has very rightly said that there is need to make stalking a non-bailable offence. Exemplary punishment for the offenders is vital. Political leaders should introduce stringent laws and the government should ensure its effective implementation.

KK Chawla, Kurukshetra

God's ‘avatar’ on earth Memories of Mother' (November 23) describes the child-like innocence of a mother. It also shows the bond between a fond mother and a gloating son. There is reference to the drudgery that used to be associated with an average Indian housewife. Mothers used to be the working bees, the first to wake up and the last to sleep. A mother is God's ‘avatar’ on earth. There is a Jewish saying, 'God could not be everywhere; therefore, he made mothers'. Luther said that Adam gave Eve the most sanctified expression by calling her Eva, which means ‘mother of all’. Urdu poet Munawwar Rana said, “Ma ne rotey huye ponchhe thay kisi din aansu, muddaton maa ne nahin dhoya dupatta apna.” As the writer's mother had queried “dar nahin lagta?”, when he flew back from Kolkata, years ago when I went abroad, my mother too had suggested to me not to sit near the aeroplane's window ‘lest I should fall’. JASWANT SINGH GANDAM, Phagwara