SAD reduced to fief of Badals

With reference to the editorial ‘SAD crisis’; the Panthic party, which has represented Sikhs in Indian politics for around 100 years, has lost its credibility. The party has been reduced to the Badal family’s fief. Voters have sent out a clear message to the Badal family: Hand over the reins of the party to a competent leader who can revive it. But emerging Akali leaders have long been sidelined by loyalists of the Badal clan. The Panthic party, which once had massive sway in Punjab, has seen an ignominious drop in its vote share. SAD may be wiped out soon if the party leadership does not change tack.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Speaker must have no bias

Refer to the news report ‘Om re-elected Speaker, his words on Emergency trigger Congress protest’; a Speaker must be unanimously elected by the House. The chair of the Speaker in the august House is sacrosanct. It is unfortunate that soon after taking on the mantle of Speaker for the second time, Om Birla raked up the contentious issue of Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government. His remark came on the heels of a blistering criticism of Emergency delivered by PM Narendra Modi. Om has set a bad precedent by acting as someone aligned with the ruling regime on the very first day of his second term. It may give rise to the apprehension that he may not perform his duties as the Speaker without bias.

MD Sharma, Shimla

Credibility of exams under a cloud

This year’s NEET-UG exam, held on May 5, had over 23 lakh candidates. Thanks to the alleged irregularities and the use of unfair means in the exam, their future hangs in the balance. Prompt action by the CBI in the matter is essential, given the alleged involvement of politicians in the scam. The investigation underscores the gravity of the allegations and the urgent need to address them. The CBI should conduct an investigation that encompasses all alleged malpractices, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust and destruction of evidence. Further, the probe must scrutinise the role of public servants in conducting the exam to uncover any larger conspiracies. A thorough investigation is crucial not only to address immediate concerns but also to restore trust in the examination system.

Vijaykumar HK, Raichur

Another life lost in rat race

Apropos of the report ‘NEET aspirant hangs himself in Kota, 12th suicide since Jan’; the news of yet another student dying by suicide is upsetting. Kota, a place famous for its coaching institutes, has now gained notoriety for the suicides of young learners. What is more disturbing is that nobody, not even government authorities, raises eyebrows when a student ends his life. The parents of these aspirants cannot shrug off responsibility for the deaths. After all, it is the high expectations of parents that push youngsters to take the extreme step. Besides, it is the faulty pattern of entrance exams that is compelling students to ditch their regular classes at school for coaching centres that rely heavily on rote learning. It only adds to the burden on them.

Yoginder Singhal, Ladwa

When a selfie costs dear

Apropos of ‘Haryana tourist swept away in Parbati river in Manikaran valley while clicking photo’; there was a time when landline phones were the fastest means of communication. Then came cordless telephones. Smartphones and tablets are now the order of the day. These modern-day gadgets come with a lot of benefits, including quick access to the Internet and a host of features. The surge in the popularity of smartphones has corresponded with a rise in the trend of clicking selfies. Many users often post their selfies and videos on social networking sites to garner ‘Likes’. But the craze over selfies has reached such an extent that people often don’t hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way while clicking pictures. This is the third incident of tourists drowning while clicking photographs in Kullu district in the past month. People need to be sensible and understand that a selfie is not more precious than life.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

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