|
|
|
|
|
Reservations should not be for ever
This refers to the editorial 'Caste shadow on super-specialty
courses' (August 19). Different political parties have displayed rare alacrity to demand a Constitution amendment against the Supreme Court's order to stop caste-based reservations in faculty posts for specialty and super-specialty courses in AIIMS. The number of SCs and STs and their demand for the continuance of caste-based reservations has been raised with a new pitch. The cap on their creamy layer is often raised so that they remain in their coveted category. Many states are hell-bent on raising reservations up to 70 per cent or more of their total population. Similarly, certain parties in states whose vote-banks are SC, ST and OBC people are now vying with one another to provide rice, atta, etc at Rs 2 or 3 a kilo. Rahul Gandhi recently remarked, and rightly so, that poverty cannot be eliminated merely by distributing doles alone. As long as people do not believe in themselves, the vicious cycle would not be broken. This is a mental condition. Let this not be cemented forever by offering reservation. The framers of the Constitution had categorically restricted reservations for the SC and ST categories for 10 years from the date the Constitution came into force. Reservations were not provided for eternity. The continuance of reservations in their different 'avatars' and then raising the percentage after we have lived for more than six decades with this written dicta to guide the democratic governments, is a flagrant misuse of the working of this Constitution. Your editorial has rightly observed that the real problem for the government will be to justify the amendment to the Constitution since the Supreme Court, in its recent order, has relied on the previous judgment by a nine-judge Constitution Bench in the famous Indira Sawhney case of 1992 wherein it was observed that caste is the only factor to determine backward classes. TEK CHAND, Una
|
|
|
Karmic debt This refers to the middle 'A bond for life' (August 23). The writer has recounted how an unknown young man of 18 years, called David, helped them overwhelmingly during their visit to Prague. So much so, that her father suspected him to be a shady character. But when their visit ended with David's selfless help, they could not fathom why he did all that for them. No wonder then, she says in the end: "The bond defies logic. Karmic connection? Perhaps." Yes, it is a karmic connection and was not a chance meeting. To know it, one needs a deep study of what is called the 'spirit world', encompassing immortality of soul, reincarnation, life after life, life after death, past life regression and the law of karma; to name only a few. Souls continue to reincarnate in the same group in different capacities till they have cleared their karmic debt. There is nothing left unproved even to the scientists about the life and death connection today. PRITAM BHULLAR, Chandigarh Farmers' problems This refers to the news item 'Evicted from Haryana villages, Sikh farmers left in lurch' (August 19). That 150 Sikh families have been evicted from their homes and lands they tilled for 60 years and left in lurch is very upsetting. Punjabi farmers converted the marshy and barren land into arable and cultivable pieces of land to increase agriculture production. They earned not only their livelihood and nurtured their families, but also added to the prosperity of the economy of that state. Where will now these families go and how will they eke out their living thereafter? What is more painful is that the purpose of their eviction is to break the continuity of the lease and further allot the land to new buyers at higher rates and earn huge profits. The question is: why cannot the government extend the lease in favour of those farmers who were already tilling the land and earning their livelihood? RAVI SHARMA, Jammu CTU service As a large number of people have shifted (and more will do so) to housing societies in Sector 20 of Panchkula and Peer Muchhalla, a CTU bus service with stopovers at the Sector 32 GMCH, PGI, Sector 43 bus stand, Sector 22 Aroma Hotel, PU, etc is the need of the hour. The bus service will benefit middle-class people, the aged and those who cannot afford to buy a vehicle or pay hefty auto fares. As the area falls in Haryana, the Panchkula Administration is also duty bound to do something in this regard. SUNIL MINOCHA, Panchkula Water resources The country is faced with water shortage. And the demand for water is rising rapidly day by day as the population is also increasing by leaps and bounds. Moreover, the wastage of water goes on unchecked while bathing, washing clothes, cleaning vehicles, etc, and we people do not realise its value. If the wastage of water continues, we will have to reap catastrophic results in near future. A water regulatory body should be established in each city/district/state which must educate people on using it judiciously. RITIKA SURI, Gaggal (HP)
|
|||
|
|
| 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 | |
