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Time for India to mend fences

This is with reference to an article "We need a strong fence" by Vikram Sood. What the writer is saying is that a major portion of our population feels for the slain soldiers. In various television discussions, certain representatives of the media, experts on international affairs, human rights promoters, propagators of peace and bilateral confidence-building experts still opt for a peace process and confidential-building with Pakistan. Pakistan has, on a number of occasions, said there cannot be any peace process with India unless the Kashmir issue is solved. This comes to mean: “Give us Kashmir first”.

We have made it clear to them and the world that Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. Under such circumstances, what is the use of having friendly talks , extending trade and visa facilities and promoting cultural and trade concessions? As the legendary Ghalib had said, "Ham ko unse vafa ki hai umeed, jo nahi jaante vafa kya hai" . There is a dire need to mend our fences rather than working for futile bilateral and confidence-building process. How do we go about taking care of the internal conditions in a country where the government is a puppet in the hands of the military and radicals. No peace process with Pakistan would be worth it, because it has a long history of betrayal and breach of faith, besides being the most unreliable, hostile and cunning and having low credibility. Pakistan, because of its anti–India agenda, has been backing terrorist and subversive activities. Yet it denies its involvement in these acts despite definitive proof, which is shameful. If Pakistan is sincere to the peace and liberation process, how is Hafiz Saeed allowed to incite and instigate terrorists to strike India?

Capt Amar Jeet Kumar, Mohali

Need for right education There is a Vedic saying, where women are worshipped, there the gods dwell. Or where the women are happy, there will be prosperity. That women should be worshipped is what has been professed from times immemorial. What the country witnessed recently in Delhi is very shameful. India has a long way to go as far as social security of humans (both men and women) is concerned. The incident is tormenting and has raised a big question: How safe are we in our own nation? The idea of transparency of the trails of the accused and handing out severe punishment is widely appreciated. The move by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to include a new course on human rights and gender studies in the next academic year looks like a step in the right direction. It is high time the Right to Education included right education. Education should produce not just literate citizens but responsible and morally correct citizens too. Justice Verma and Justice Mehra are expected to do their job in devising various methods to provide social security to women in our country, but as responsible citizens, we should ourselves give women the place they deserve. Let’s all take a vow to respect every creation of God, be it humans, animals or plants. Akash Vashishta, Haryana