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Unparliamentary spat

BJP member Hari Narayan Rajbhar's remarks about two women members who were protesting in the well against the Railway Budget were in bad taste. According to TMC member Saugata Roy, Rajbhar threatened to beat them after stripping them (“TMC, BJP members get into ugly spat”, July 9). It is a pity that neither the Prime Minister nor the Speaker pulled him up for his “foul language.” Instead of condemning his misbehaviour, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar blamed the TMC members for disturbing the House, adding that the people had elected the BJP with a “massive majority.” A ludicrous subterfuge! Did massive majority give a licence to Rajbhar to use foul language against women members? Had not the BJP members disturbed the House for days together many a time during the reign of UPA-II?

Parliament is the temple of our democracy. Its sanctity must be maintained. Instead of arguing rudely and creating a ruckus in the House, the members should mind their P’s and Q’s while participating in its proceedings. There should be propriety and good taste in their behaviour.

Bhagwan Singh, Qadian

Suffering NRI brides

With reference to the article “NRI-Bride and Prejudice” in the Spectrum (July 20), stories of torture of NRI brides and immigrant wives have been prevalent for ages, but justice is denied to them. They are kept in jail-like homes in foreign lands from where return is not easy. Women become prey of men after being lured into a better life and luxuries. The parents of such girls are also responsible for their misery. They must be entitled to visa and the husband should be deported to the country of the spouse to face trial. Only stringent laws can help the innocent girls tortured by rogues in white collars.

Sher Singh, Ludhiana

Unite to end drug abuse

Drug abuse in Punjab should be a matter of concern for everyone as it is ruining the youth and their families. The police and local administration should join hands and chalk out strategies by forming task forces at the grassroot level for the eradication of this menace. Families of those involved in drug abuse in any form, whether they are drug addicts, peddlers, suppliers or directly or indirectly involved in this abuse and illegal trade, should come forward and inform the police.

Counselling of drug addicts by specialists should be ensured. Seminars should be organised in schools and colleges to highlight the impact of drug abuse. Social workers should also help drug addicts. Drug de-addiction centres should be opened.

VK Kapur, Panchkula

Drugs, impure water

Two major evils are prevailing in Punjab and they need to be eradicated on priority. First is the drug menace that has caught the youth in its tentacles. And second is the supply of impotable water that is leading to diseases.

Though the Punjab Government is now trying to check the drug mafia, the big guns involved in the trade are still roaming free.

SK Mittal, Panchkula

Don’t reveal drug names

This refers to the news report “Addicts getting hooked on to treatment drug” (July 25). The news item has spelt out the name of the addictive treatment drug, that too more than once. Revealing the name of such a habit-forming treatment drug and then going to the extent of disclosing its potency to raise mood by quoting medical practitioners may induce other addicts to use this. Not only that, naive unscrupulous elements may start thinking of dealing in the medicine after coming to know of the name and its potency.

Punjab has already suffered a lot due to the rampant use of drugs by our new generation. We must avoid any such disclosures that may have even the slightest potential of inducing people into this dangerous web.

Surinder Kumar Jindal, Samana

Hang the butcher

This has reference to the news report “President rejects mercy plea of surrender Koli” (July 21). It states that the Nithari killer has been awarded the death sentence in four out of 16 cases. The remaining cases are under trial. A question arises whether he can be sent to the gallows now or not till the pendency of cases.

A convict on death row can be hanged once and possibly not four times. Another question that arises is that if he is acquitted in all remaining cases, will that save him from the gallows? No. So, in view of the rejection of his mercy pleas by the President, he should be hanged after treating all pending cases closed and deemed to have attained finality as the subsequent favourable verdicts, if any, will not be of any help to him. A butcher ike him deserves no sympathy.

Arjan Singh Kataria, Ropar

Mansarovar yatra

Apropos the news report “Alternative route for Mansarovar yatra” (July 21), the Uttarakhand CM is not happy with Modi approaching China for an alternative route on grounds of it being a traditional religious route. This proposal is not new. Whenever tragedies or natural disasters take place, the issue gets activated.

An alternative and easy route from Leh is available. With little effort, it can be made motorable by following the steps of General Zorowar Singh (Dogra General) who captured areas up to Mansarovar. This route will be shorter and convenient and provide a near disaster-free yatra, especially for senior citizens, and remind us of the rich history of our troops reaching Mansoravar. Competition between states will provide better services to the yatris.

Kanwar RC

Tentacles of graft

It has been noted that louder the noise against the evil of corruption, the wider its tentacles spread, as if with a vengeance. The following couplet is pertinent: “Mareez-e-ishaq pe rehmat khunkhi, Maraj barhta gaya junjun dawa ki.” At the moment, the rule on the administrative front seems to be “go in for bribery and flourish; shun it and be dammed.” Under the circumstances, the pithy point “blessed are the corrupt, for they will inherit the world” seems incontrovertible.

Tara Chand, Ambota (Una)