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HPU refutes charges

The news item “HPU VC, Controller in a spot over tender to private firm” (November 23), is not based on facts.

With a view to providing the students with digital printing degrees and detailed marks certificates, HP University initiated the process of floating a tender for the sameon January 11. The members of the committee were the Controller of Examinations, Finance Officer, Assistant Registrar, Conduct, and Store Purchase Officer. Only five firms applied, of which a New Delhi-based firm withdrew at a later stage.

On April 20, re-tendering was done. One more firm from Faridabad participated in the process and its rate was found to be the lowest. When the firm was called for making a presentation in the university, it declined to supply the required materials in terms of thickness etc. Then, the Gurgaon-based firm, with the second lowest tender, was called to give its presentation. It accepted the terms and conditions of the university.

The university took up this initiative with the requisite security features. The entire process was transparent, fair and complete of all procedures and codal formalities with the involvement of the examination, store, finance and local audit departments. Till date, print orders for 55,000 detailed marks certificates (DMCs) and 8,500 degrees have been placed. Of these, the firm M/s. Perfect Colour Digital Printer, Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon, has supplied 35,000 DMCs and the payment duly audited by the local Audit Department of the state government has been made with complete transparency to the firm. The university also made a non-disclosure agreement with the firm for three years. It was not to disclose any information regarding student data to any other agency without the approval of the university authorities.

PRO, HPU, Shimla

Puranas back gays

I appreciate the editorial “Over to Parliament” ( December 13). It is correct that a sexual minority (3 to 5 per cent of the population) should not be discriminated against. By supporting the cause of gays, Sonia Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have shown their statesmanship. But why is the BJP silent on the issue? It also should support the gays.

Dr Pandit writes in her thesis on ‘Ardhneshwari: “The Hindus support homosexuality in the mythology (Puranas) but oppose it in real life. We agree that the matter must now go to Parliament to rectify the archaic decision of the Supreme Court. We were impressed by the procession of the gays on the Hindi TV channels in Delhi carrying the banner of “hum hain rahi pyar ke”.

Satinder Kaur, Griffith, Australi

Homosexuality vs politics

In India, every issue — good or bad, moral or immoral, natural or unnatural — is measured on the scale of vote bank. The Supreme Court has given a perfect judgment in saying that homosexuality is a criminal act. We know that one of the main causes of HIV/AIDS, RTI/STI is unnatural sex. Secondly, promotion or legalising homosexuality will lower the dignity of social bonds of the two opposite sex partners as well as reproduction of progeny which is the primary course of the action of sex although pleasure of sexual activity cannot be ignored. “Nip the evil in the bud” is the thumb rule which applies to criminalisation of homosexuality, otherwise we will be heading towards a barren land, with all the fun without flowers.

DR DALER SINGH MULTANI, Lalru

For Parliament to act

It seems that we are ready to jump to conclusions without basis. With regards to the Supreme Court’s “reinstatement” of the gay sex ban, we should note that the Supreme Court merely said that it is up to Parliament to drop Section 377.

The separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary is very clear in our Constitution. The judiciary does not make new laws or change theexisting ones. The role of the judiciary is merely to interpret the laws made by Parliament. The Parliament should bring a motion to change the law as it thinks fit. The political parties have to shoulder this responsibility and that is the essence of democracy.

Amrinder Arora, Washington DC