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

Bharat and India

‘When summer was celebration’ (Touchstone, June 3) brings to mind the plight of the common man busy earning his daily bread. Why not make it a family-at-home vacation? Ask children for better ideas when they say they are bored. They will rebel, negotiate, innovate, bargain, and, somewhere along the way, you will achieve the goal of a family holiday. Reclaim the lost universe of the family. Ira Pande has rightly pointed out the price we have paid for becoming a super economic power — no stars are seen in high-rise apartments.

Dr M.K. Sehgal, Yamunanagar

II

The article reminded me of my childhood, which was not long ago, as I am still a teenager. We would go to our farm house in the summer holidays, and take a dip in the water tank there. ‘Chuski’ was a luxury for us — mango, cola, orange — Rs 2 a pop. Sitting in the courtyard with the family in the evening after sprinkling water is something I miss. Now there is an AC in every room, and no one has the time.

Ribha, email

III

For a child every season is special, whether its spring, winter, monsoon, autumn or summer, and it becomes all the more special when it has vacations in it. As we grow old we find winters cold, monsoon wet, autumn lifeless, spring not that colourful, and summers hot. But with changing times, increase in population, shrinking forests and open spaces, huge buildings all over, rising temperatures and falling water levels, the children of today do not get to see or spend so much time with their natural surroundings and they are confined to their rooms only with latest gadgets and indoor activities.

Anjali Sharma, Hamirpur

Listen to the Army

‘Many roads, but no map’ by Arun Joshi (Perspective, June 3) has concluded that the three interlocutors’ report on J&K does not have much to offer towards a solution to the Kashmir issue. There seems to be an improvement in the security situation. But the Army is not in favour of withdrawal of the AFSPA from sensitive areas. This view needs to be considered, as the return of violence cannot be ruled out yet. The interlocutors’ suggestion to trifurcate the state, however, may be of help in bringing about development.

Gurmit Singh Saini, Mohali

II

While the interlocutors have done reliable work in understanding the political, economic and cultural issues of Jammu and Kashmir, efforts should also be made to understand the objectives of the people, especially the youth, of the Valley. Key recommendations regarding the administrative structure need to be implemented to serve the interest of the people.

Sameer Pruthi, Sirsa

III

The interlocutors have tried to please all, but could please none. One of their suggestions is that a constitutional committee should be set up to review all Central laws extended to the state after 1952. But this exercise has already been undertaken by the late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah — when he returned to power in J&K in 1975 after the Indira-Sheikh award. The committee set up by the government submitted its report, mentioning that all Central laws extended to the state had been duly ratified by the state Assembly, and that all these laws are in the interest of the people of the state. What is the need of repeating this exercise?

D.R. Bhagat, Jammu

Sportsman’s spirit

It is shocking that many athletes have died in poverty, or are living miserable lives (Profile, ‘Fired, by a dacoit’, June 3). It is praiseworthy that Tigmanshu Dhulia made the biographical film on athlete-turned-outlaw Paan Singh Tomar, evoking a sense of social responsibility for former athletes living in penury. The government as well as NOGs must come forward with plans to aid sportsmen so that people who brought the country fame do not suffer hardship.

Sandeep Nain, Karnal