Security lapse

Apropos of the security lapse during the PM’s visit to Punjab, the Punjab Police have failed in their duty to provide a secure corridor to the PM on the road between Moga and Ferozepur. What happened was foreseeable and avoidable. The road is marked by intermittent habitations and link roads. Tractors and trucks could easily be moved up through these to block the main road. Given the anger simmering among rural folks against the PM, such spontaneous road blocks by people were highly likely, even as the organised protests by farmer organisations were dispersed by the Punjab Government well in time. If the CM had ordered the use of force, he would have invited the wrath of the people, affecting his electoral prospects adversely. Now, he would be blamed for the security lapse. The PM is PM, in whatever avatar he may visit the state. While it was certainly a security lapse, which must be condemned, the PM is politicising it by exaggerating that ‘zinda laut raha hun’. The police must plug the security loopholes by fine-tuning their SOPs.

Lt Col GS Bedi (Retd), Mohali

Lost opportunity

Refer to the cancellation of the PM’s visit; Punjab missed some financial help which Modi might have announced. Can the visits of the PM, anywhere in the country, become free of the show of the ruling party to which the PM belongs? There must be a conspicuous line of difference between the PM’s official and political visit to avoid a repeat of such episodes. Let politicians of Punjab, too, exhibit responsible politics in the interest of the state.

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana

Shun freebies

A slew of freebies are being announced by political parties in Punjab. The AAP has promised to transfer Rs 1,000 per month in the account of every woman, if voted to power. PCC chief Navjot Sidhu first criticised this move, but later himself announced Rs 2,000 per month for women, along with free supply of eight LPG cylinders per annum to every household. The SAD announced Rs 2,000 per month to every woman with a blue card. The gullible public should not get carried away by these unrealistic promises. Instead, it should support a political party which promises to provide good civic amenities, education, employment opportunities and medical facilities and maintains communal harmony.

Rajesh Goyal, by mail

Ramp up vaccination

With Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa going to the polls soon, the comment by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that Omicron is a common viral fever and Covid is nearing its end can only be termed as irresponsible. The CM’s own state witnessed dead bodies floating in the Ganga during the second Covid wave. There is a likelihood of political rallies being held in these states without participants taking precautionary measures and turnouts higher than expected. These poll-bound states should ramp up vaccination rather than display a reckless attitude.

Sargun Randhawa, Chandigarh

Two-faced China

Apropos of ‘China at it again’, the difference between India’s two inimical neighbours is that while Pakistan does not conceal its pathological hatred, China is adept at doing so. With its duplicity, it lulled the then Indian leadership with ‘Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai’ slogan in the period leading up to the 1962 War, with the Indian Army paying a heavy price. Xi Jinping’s 2019 visit to India was followed by the border standoff and the Galwan Valley clash. China has always acted against Indian interests. Now comes its move to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. Hopefully, India has learnt its lessons and will no longer be lax in protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity against a neighbour who has border disputes with all its neighbours. In the 21st century, it is not nonviolence, ahimsa and slogans, but balance of power and battle readiness that are an insurance against war between nations.

V Jayaraman, Chennai

Economic toll

Surge in Covid cases may extract a heavy economic toll (‘Covid shadow on growth’). Whenever there is a surge in Covid caseload, the governments show great alacrity in enforcing curbs on economic activities, as if these are not a dire necessity. The insincere attitude of the government becomes clear when political rallies, with mammoth gatherings, in poll-bound states are allowed to be held, oblivious to the fact that such rallies proved superspreader events during the second wave. The same scenario is likely to be replicated this time also. Economic disruptions through curbs must be bare minimum, in line with the least political disruptions.

Roshan Lal Goel, Ladwa

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