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Who cares for elderly parents?

Apropos the news item ‘Retired CJ approaches HC for protection from son’ (May 16), it is unfortunate that these days children are unwilling to take care of their aged parents and are simply interested in their assets. Data show that one in every three senior citizens in India is a victim of abuse. Our traditions and culture neither teach nor allow such type of behaviour on the part of children. We must not forget that our parents had raised us selflessly, lovingly and with due care. Likewise, we must ensure that in their old age they get our love, affection and care. They should not be taken as a burden by their children. It is noticed that many of us put them in old age homes. Sometimes even a proper food and shelter is not provided to them. Many of us do not value their experience and sagacity that they have acquired from life. It is often seen that children remain interested more in having a big house and other luxuries of life rather than caring for elderly parents.

In our country, many programmes, aimed at the welfare of elders, have failed to provide them a much-needed relief and financial support. Like in the US, we must also provide them social security and free medical aid. Section 23(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizenship Act, 2007, regarding providing basic amenities to the senior citizens must be amended to the extent that some amenities must be provided before the transfer takes place as after the transfer it is most likely that the clause is not complied with.

D K GUPTA, Shimla

SUBER SINGH PARIHAR, Gurgaon

IPL’s fall from grace

Why have we allowed T-20 tournaments to decay to such a sorry state? Molestation charges, match fixing, indiscipline by the celebrities on the field, late-night drunken IPL parties, and so on have led to its fall from grace. The IPL, started in 2007, has turned out to be a business model, and the game has been commercialised.  

The decadence of the IPL is due to quick and large bucks being offered by the sponsors. Besides, cricket is being sold like a hot commodity for which all norms are being thrown to the winds. Even the roles of politicians cannot be ruled out. What is the BCCI doing, and where is the transparency in dealing with huge funds? Why has the BCCI still not been brought under the ambit of the RTI? Cricket players are put on auction like residential plots. Is it not like a business venture?  

It is high time the government steps in to check corruption in cricket and save it from further decay.

COL R D SINGH (RETD), Ambala Cantt

Taming vulgarity in lyrics With the booking of rapper Honey Singh at the insistence of the state government, a flickering hope has been ignited in the hearts of thousands of those fighting against the cult of vulgarity in the world of Punjabi music. By cracking a whip on those engaging in the nefarious trade of corroding the rich and robust Punjabi culture for the lure of lucre, the government has done a precious little to check the menace. It is a pity that despite public protests, the rapper did not budge a wee bit from dishing out vulgar songs to pander to voyeuristic whims of a section of audience, caring two hoots for the far-reaching impact that it bred vulgarity and unleashed crime against women, who are already battling a gender bias.  His much controversial number “Mein hun balatkari…” and other lewd lyrics, which elicited much public outrage, proved a shot in the arm for others of his ilk to continue their tryst with vulgarity without qualms.   It remains to be seen whether the controversial singer gets jail for spreading vulgarity and causing hurt to a vast majority of Punjabi music lovers. A stringent action against Honey Singh would go a long way in thwarting the cult of burgeoning vulgarity, thereby saving the age-old moral values of the land of five rivers from further decay. RAMESH K DHIMAN, Chandigarh