Faulty ways of Congress

After the unceremonious ouster of Capt Amarinder Singh from the Congress, now veteran leader and former Union minister Ashwani Kumar has quit, describing the present state of party affairs in Punjab as laughable (‘Congress changed for the worse, Ashwani quits’). It is a matter of concern as it will erode the base of the party. Many other senior leaders are on the fence and are repeatedly alerting the party high command to rethink its macro-level strategies to enthuse the cadre. A few leaders at the regional level are keeping the party afloat with their local touch and popularity. All these happenings are a warning signal to the oldest party to mend its functioning. A large population of the nation is attached to the party and wishes to see its revival.

GS Mann, Naya Nangal

Party all-powerful

It is the lament of every politician when the party finds that the person concerned has lost relevance in its scheme of things. It is the fate of every politician who fails to realise that s/he is for the party, and not the other way round. The ongoing electoral scenario is a grim reminder that no one is perennially indispensable. Every party has good and bad times, but fair-weather politicians have no patience to stand together in times of need. Ticket is the sole criterion for loyalty.

Party-hopping is the norm of the day.

DV Sharma, Mukerian

Deceptive manifesto

Believing inducements to be true, ignorant voters cast their vote in favour of a party that makes the most promises and make it win elections. However, after coming to power, the party concerned conveniently forgets its pre-poll promises. Government machinery, its funds and revenues are frittered away for self-enrichment or for the betterment of the party and its leaders, so as to consolidate political hold. To end this wrong practice, it is imperative to give a legal shape to the manifestos. It should be made mandatory for every party to get its manifesto duly registered before the filing of nominations by its candidates. Moreover, each candidate should be made to file an affidavit, confirming to abide by the promises made in the manifesto, along with nomination papers, so that he or she could be held equally responsible for acts of commission and omission of the consequent government. If the government fails to fulfil its promises, the voter should be entitled to haul up the CM and Cabinet ministers in court.

SS Chahal, by mail

Tolerant of intolerance

Let us all be warned against accepting religious intolerance. Politicians who seek to divide Indians by promoting religious intolerance and garner votes for their parties should be shunned. Those who fought for the freedom of the country were Indians, not Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims. We have grown up with the idea of a united India. Let the youth, to whom the future belongs, keep in mind that the people who are promoting hatred will all be gone in a few years, leaving them in a country full of hatred and enmity. Fight unitedly against the nefarious designs of the divisive forces by voting right. In unity lies our strength.

Aswant Kaur, Tarn Taran

Cement pricing

Apropos of ‘Spot inspection of cement plants’, with multifold increase in construction activities, cement prices should be within the reach of a common citizen. Eco-friendly operation of cement plants must be ensured, as it concerns environment and the health of the plant’s workforce. With several big cement companies operating in Himachal Pradesh, they must replace coal tar with better concrete technology under their Corporate Social Responsibility.

RS Kishtwaria, Palampur

In government debt

Refer to ‘Gurugram builder booked for culpable homicide’; it is shocking that 321 top builders owe Rs 15,585 crore to Haryana. Similarly, mobile companies owe hundreds of crores to MCs. House taxes in crores have not been paid/ collected by MCs for many years. Popular governments are toothless against defaulters. Tax non-payers have been made fat and government a begging institution. Such governments are making the public corrupt. Further, defaulters are being offered rebates to collect past taxes, instead of penalising them. It proves that the government does not govern.

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

Counselling of children

The creation of ‘Happiness zones’ to help kids beat Covid stress is praiseworthy. It has almost been two years since the education of school-going kids was disrupted. They are not able to adjust between online and offline education. Post Covid, many emotional and behavioural changes in children are evident. Also, there are many family issues which are an outcome of the Covid situation. There is a dire need for counselling of such children.

Bir Devinder S Bedi, Sangrur

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