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Power-less Punjab

It has reference to the news item “Weak monsoon: PSPCL imposes regulatory measures” (July 12). People are fed up with the repeated claims of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister that they will make Punjab power-surplus. The government had claimed that there would be no power cuts this summer. But it has turned out to be a hollow one. In view of the acute power crisis prevailing in Punjab, it appears that instead of becoming power-surplus state, it is heading towards being a power-less state.

RK ARORA, Amritsar

Freedom fighters

The Punjab Government is constructing a Jung-e-Azadi memorial at a cost of crores of rupees. Freedom fighters or their dependents in Punjab are getting a monthly pension of Rs 5,000, whereas their counterparts in Haryana get Rs 21,000 pm and in Himachal Pradesh Rs 11,000 pm. When my father, a freedom fighter, died in February 2012, Sukhdev S. Dhindsa and other Akali leaders promised to rename Government College in Patiala as Prof Hans Raj Government College of Education, but it has not been done in spite of dozens of representations given to Badal. What is the use of spending crores of rupees on memorials and not bothering about the living people? On behalf of all freedom-fighters, I end with a couplet: “Kaise humdard ho yeh kaisi masihai hai marham bhi lagate ho to nashtar ki tarah.”

Dr Naresh Raj, Patiala

Amar Jit S Goraya, Griffith (Australia)

Control of gurdwaras

Regarding the issue of a separate SGPC formed by Haryana and the Akalis' stand that it amounts to dividing the Sikhs, firstly Akalis alone do not represent the entire Sikh community. The SGPC collects the golak from gurdwaras in various states, but does it allocate seats to those states in institutions run by it? Perhaps not. Therefore, the SGPC does not have any right to demand monopoly over gurdwaras in all states, especially when it is mainly an SAD-controlled establishment of political nature.

All states should have their own gurdwara parbandhak committees.

JP Singh, via email

U-turn on Aadhaar

The NDA government has not junked the Aadhaar card project. Rather, the government has provided Rs 2,039 crore for the project in the Budget. It is amusing in the light of the BJP’s election campaign, when it mocked at the claims of the UPA government on the project. Narendra Modi had said, “Congressmen were dancing as if it was a herb for all cures. With the Supreme Court pulling up the Centre, people are now seeking answers from the Prime Minister who should disclose how much money had been spent.”

It shows that probably things were going right with the UPA and only to get power, a lot of damage to the country was done by the earlier opposition parties. It seems that our politicians can say anything when “in opposition” and become more responsible when we are “ruling”.

As an Aadhaar card holder I believe that not only during accidents will the card help identify the victims, but it will also be a boon to the government for identifying any illegal activity. It can serve as identity for all purposes, including public distribution system, easy transfer of ration card, election identity card etc.

Bidyut K Chatterjee, Faridabad

Dynastic graft

The main cause of corruption in India is the extraordinary number of ‘dynastic’ MPs and MLAs. This trend was, unwittingly, started by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister. Wherever he went as PM, his young daughter Indira dogged him and got groomed for the job, and soon became Prime Minister herself.

In Punjab, an entire clan has been enjoying strong leadership for almost half a century, much like in the adjoining Haryana and similar arrangements have evolved in some southern states. The upshot is that, some families have members in the “Opposition”, too. Just, in case...

No wonder funds are squandered on luxuries, decisions thrust on the electorate, non-existent flyovers funded, rivers dammed, grants wasted and democratic principles bidden good-bye. Swiss banks prove it.

The system permits it, parties utilise it and governments proliferate it.

PROF MOHAN SINGH, Amritsar

Sonia above law?

Sonia Gandhi’s reaction on the receipt of IT notice shows the contempt, arrogance and high-headedness of rulers of the country towards rule of law. Hundreds of notices are issued by the IT department for one reason or the other routinely. However, issuance of notice to a leader is termed as an act of vindictiveness and witch-hunting. Is Sonia Gandhi above law or has she been provided immunity from all acts of omission and commission? It would have been more graceful if she had accepted the notice in good stride and appeared before the appropriate authority, like any other honest income tax payee.

AK Sharma, Atlanta (USA)

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Promote all games

Cricket is like a religion in India. People are passionate about the game. But it should not be promoted at the expense of other games like hockey and tennis which have been reduced to a shadow of their past glory. Hockey has hardly any sponsors. The same is the case with other sports. The salary of cricket players is beyond what we can imagine. Cricketers in India earn nearly 100 times more than a Zimbabwean player. Cricket is becoming a business in India and leading to corruption. It is high time that we revive our national game and other games and give the new generation more than just cricket.

Vivek Singh Barring, Patiala