II

Gen V K Singh's candid admission that Jammu and Kashmir ministers are on the payroll of the Army has exposed the ugly side of the Indian government. Earlier, there was a popular perception that the directors of the intelligence agencies were more powerful then elected the Chief Minister in Kashmir. However, General Singh has added another dimension by revealing that so-called elected legislators in Jammu and Kashmir were dummies being remote-controlled by the Army.

The people in these states, who have borne the brunt of brute force, already knew that the Army was ruling the disputed territory by proxy. However, now the "hidden fact" has become talk of the town, thanks to the former general's deliberate outburst. For over the past 50 years, the governments formed in so-called troubled states had always been a façade. In real terms, a writ of the security establishment always runs as it helps the forces to unleash the reign of terror on the people without taking blame for all that 'went wrong'. What Gen V K Singh has revealed is merely 'the tip of the iceberg'. Let the President constitute a commission headed by sitting judges of the Supreme Court to dig out the truth.

KANWAR PAL SINGH, Amritsar

III

Beginning with Field Marshal K M Cariappa, Indian generals have been in the news for good reasons. But V K Singh appears to be an exception. Starting with his date of birth controversy till date, he has been in the spotlight for wrong reasons. To join or not to join politics is his prerogative but the sovereignty, security, status, stature and sanctity of the country is the concern of the people of India as a whole.

On the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US, the former General has done incalculable damage to the country, especially keeping in view the scheduled meeting of our Prime Minister with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on September 29. Generals always stand for the prestige of an institution, their personal ambitions notwithstanding.

SHANTI SWAROOP SHARMA, Dharamsala

A good verdict

This is with reference to the news report 'HC: Elderly can stay…' (September 27). The Punjab and Haryana High Court order in the retired Chief Justice Dewan's case is widely acknowledged as a landmark judgement. It is clear from the judgement that the mindset of the judiciary is changing with the changing times and people have immense trust in the judiciary. The judgement to allow the parents to stay in their house and children to move out in case of property dispute is significant enough to justify the aforesaid lines. The very purpose of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act, 2007, is thus solely intact. The high court admitted that the culmination of civil proceedings may take time and it should not defeat the purpose of justice. The HC has thus admitted that "justice delayed is justice denied" and has stepped forward to remove this evil.

ABHINEET KATYAYAN, Kangra

Monkey menace

So many farmers have already committed suicide because of the loss of their crops due to the apathy and laxity of successive governments. And now the menace of wild animals, especially monkeys, has made things worse for farmers. Thousands of farmers have stopped farming, leaving their lands barren and abandoned. Some self-appointed custodians of the Hindu religion have been opposing to kill monkeys. The sterilisation of monkeys is practically not feasible. Will these so-called animal lovers tell whose existence is more important -- monkeys or human beings?

MUMUKSHU KAMLESH THAKUR, Chamba